Daily news roundups

Reaction to Union’s disappointing draw, HCI wins, Reading draws, OC wins, Carli Lloyd hat trick, more

Photo: Paul Rudderow

Philadelphia Union

The inability with a man advantage to close down their opponent. Too much stoppage time. A crap clearance results in a foul to set up a free kick. MacMath’s mind boggling decision not to punch the free kick clear. A no call when MacMath is fouled on the play. Take your pick.

The bottom line, as Marc Narducci wrote, is that the Union blew their chance to beat Dallas. You know it and you can be damn sure that every player on the Union knows it. It was a blunder that deflated the enthusiasm in the stands after the thumping the Union gave New York and it was the wrong way to set the tone for this week’s grueling two games in four days road trip. The two points lost would have also seen the team within one point of first place Montreal, who lost at home on Saturday to Colorado.

John Hackworth said after the game, “Extremely disappointed to lose two points in that fashion. It is a hard way to feel like you lost a couple points, but I wouldn’t say that we weren’t at fault. I think the game should have been over. It was well over the allotted time that was shown on the clock, but you have to play until the final whistle.”

Brian Carroll said, “Our lines were tight and we stuck with our people but we either didn’t control [the pace of play] when we needed or control the first or second pass. We needed to see this game out a little better, we have been good at doing those things…it’s something we just didn’t clean up and take care of. It feels like we let two [points] slip away.”

Carroll continued, “The thing we need to do now is not let this one hang over our heads. We can’t let this one affect how we play in our next game and its obviously something we are going to get right back on the field and take care of and clean up because we all know we just gave [two points] away—and that can’t happen.”

Sebastien Le Toux’s ire was directed toward referee Allen Chapman. “I heard it was seven minutes of injury time. We never saw it in MLS. In the history of MLS, I don’t think there is so many injury time in the game. I’m very disappointed with the referee, I don’t think he was very good today…I think too, on the play, there is maybe a foul on the goalkeeper and he doesn’t whistle it, so it’s like very, very bad for us. We of course want those three points, but I hope that he can watch the game and see how not fair he was and tried to make a good call for them because he gives them the red card.”

MacMath said of the stoppage time equalizer, “Obviously, there’s no excuse. I should either punch the ball or hold onto it. It’s an error that I shouldn’t make, and we should have won the game.”

Amobi Okugo said of the late equalizer: “They tried to do it all game, they wanted to make it a wrestling match and they wanted to get bodies forward. We fell asleep, we should have protected the back line and protected the goal better.”

Sheanon Williams, who had an outstanding game, said of the late equalizer, “To be honest, I just saw a bunch of bodies. They’ve gotta be the biggest team in the league and a bunch of trees going up for one ball, unfortunately, they got it over us.”

The rest of the team seems pretty certain that they saw MacMath being fouled. Jack McInerney said, “It is what it is. Everyone saw it except the one person that matters.”

At Goal.com, Kyle McCarthy writes, “MacMath claimed he deserved a foul call after London Woodberry backed into him on the service. Those entreaties might have carried more weight if the Union goalkeeper had charged off his line forcefully and tried to punch clear instead of rising timidly in an attempt to make a difficult catch.”

The game may be the last time we see Jack McInerney, who reports to the USMNT Gold Cup camp today, wearing the blue and gold until August. Needless to say, he would have preferred to leave for the US national team on a high note. “”I didn’t want to end it on a game like this obviously, but we have a team with plenty of capability to get results when I’m gone…It’s not a good feeling. I think we deserve to win, and it was just one of those situations where someone makes a call and it doesn’t go our way, so it’s not a good feeling.”

Okugo said of McInerney’s absence, “We have guys ready to come in. Now the guys waiting have a chance to do well. Aaron made the most of his minutes, Antoine is going to have to step up, Roger. It’s a tough stretch for us in July and it could really make or break our season.”

Aaron Wheeler is ready, as he showed with his fine headed goal to briefly give the Union the lead on Saturday. “I like to think I’ve been auditioning since March. Any opportunity I get to play, I’ll be pleased. Jack going away is great for him and a great accolade. If coach thinks I can contribute, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll do what it takes to help the team.”

Wheeler said of his goal, “To come here to Philadelphia and get the first goal, it’s ideal. People dream about that. So it was everything it was cracked up to be. It was everything I hoped it would be.

Match reports and recaps from PSP, from PSP.

At the Daily News, John Murrow looks at Sebastien Le Tox’s transformation from goalscorer to assist provider. John Hackworth says, “Sometimes [Le Toux] is more of a pass-first guy. He has been so good at providing the assists that I can’t really fault him for not shooting as much.” Le Toux says, “I believe I think more about passing than scoring sometimes. I still have some work to do and I’m glad that I’m on top of that category now, but it’s a long season. Most important for me is that we win games, not for me to be the league leader in assists.”

At Soccer America, Paul Kennedy writes, “Major League Soccer attendance continues to lag behind its record-high final average of 18,807 in 2012 with an average of 17,480 through 150 games in 2013.” The Union’s attendance is down 5 percent compared to the same time period last year with an average of  17,513.

ASN has a crush on the Union.

The 700 Level reviews the beer offerings at PPL Park.

Union academy and US U-20 goalkeeper Zach Steffen has been named Downingtown West Athlete of the Year.

A Staten Islander visits PPL Park.

Local

Harrisburg City Islanders ended their five-game home stand on Friday on a positive note with a 2-1 win over Phoenix FC. Sainey Touray had the 73rd minute game winner after assisting Yann Ekra’s 14th minute opening goal. With the win, Harrisburg is now just one point behind first place Orlando, who lost their first home game of the season on Saturday night to third place Richmond, who are one point behind the City Islanders. Match reports from USL PRO, Patriot-Times, The Sentinel, whptv.com, and azcentral.com, with further post game news and quotes from Patriot-Times.

The Union weren’t the only area team to blow the lead late over the weekend. After leading 1-0 much of the match, Reading United conceded an 86th minute equalizer to the visiting Jersey Express. Two minutes later, Reading was on top again only to then concede another equalizer late in stoppage time for the 2-2 draw. Match reports from pdl.uslsoccer.com, Reading United.com, Reading Eagle, and Examiner.

Reading can quickly put the result behind them as they face Jersey Express again tonight, this time on the road. Talk about your head-scratching scheduling.

On Sunday night, Ocean City Nor’easters crushed the visiting Central Jersey Spartans PSP and Ocean City Nor’easters.

Reading Eagle checks in with former Muhlenberg soccer star Pete Rowley, whose career was cut short by injury.

Philadelphia University’s women’s team has released its 2013 schedule.

All of the area teams at the US Development Academy playoffs failed to advance to the finals. PA Classics U-17/18s finished second place in Group 1 with a 1-1-1 record while PDA finished second in Group 2 with a 1-0-2 record. In the U-15/16 playoffs, PA Classics finished third in Group 7 with a 1-2-0 record, FC Delco finished last in 6 with a 0-3-0 record, and PDA went   to finish second in Group 5 with a 2-1-0 record. Only the first place teams advanced to the finals.

MLS

In Eastern Conference play, first place Montreal (29 points) lost 3-4 at home to Colorado. New York (28 points) moved into second place with a 2-0 win over fifth place Houston (23 points). The Union are in third place (26 points) after their 2-2 draw with Dallas. Kansas City (26 points) is in fourth place after after coming from two goals down to defeat seventh place Columbus, 3-2. New England (21 points) is in sixth place after drawing 1-1 with Chivas thanks to an 88th minute equalizer from Chad Barrett. Eighth place Chicago (18 points) had the weekend off. Ninth place Toronto (12 points) lost 0-1 to Real Salt Lake. Last place DC (9 points) lost 0-1 to Vancouver after a controversial penalty call. A livid Ben Olsen said of the officiating after the match, “It’s a joke. We get the same clown show every weekend.”

LA Galaxy gave up two goals in stoppage time to fall 2-3 to San Jose on Saturday. Bruce Arena said, ““Poor play, a lack of intelligence by our team. To have a team of players and coaches that are that poor and stupid in the last five minutes of a game, that’s my responsibility. It can’t be on anybody else but me. I’m absolutely embarrassed at that performance. Give our opponent credit, you can’t take that away, but our performance is embarrassing. It’s disgraceful.” Hmm, Bruce, tell us what you’re really thinking.

2013 All-Star jersey

The 2013 All-Star jersey has been unveiled.

New York defender Heath Pearce is to undergo season-ending hip surgery.

Sigi Schmid should be back on the sidelines soon after successful knee surgery.

San Jose Earthquakes have signed USMNT center back Clarence Goodson, who is returning stateside after six years playing in Denmark and Norway.

Carlos Bocanegra is leaving Rangers and could be headed back to the States. ProSoccerTalk outlines why, though Toronto may be at the top of the allocation order, it is unlikely that the 34-year-old center back will end up there. MLSsoccer.com thinks Chivas USA could be his destination.

Chivas, on an 11-game winless streak, did some housecleaning on Sunday, declining options on midfielders Miller Bolaños and Laurent Courtois, releasing defender Joaquín Velázquez, and returning on-loan forward Giovani Casillas to parent club Chivas de Guadalajara.

San Jose Mercury News talks to Robbie Rogers about his new role as gay spokesman.

When Chivas de Guadalajara and Club America play a friendly in Las Vegas on Wednesday, it will be another opportunity for local soccer boosters to make their case for an MLS club. There are plenty of obstacles.

NWSL

On Friday, fourth place Western New York (22 points) handed last place Washington Spirit (6 points) a 4-0 thumping with Carli Lloyd recording a second half hat trick. On Saturday, Seattle climbed out of the basement into seventh place with a 3-1 win over sixth place Chicago (12 points). On Sunday, third place Kansas City (23 points) defeated second place Portland (26 points), 2-0. Fifth place Boston Breakers (15 points) topped first place Sky Blue (27 points), 3-2.

US

Houston’s Corey Ashe, named to the US Gold Cup roster, may have suffered a thigh injury in the Dynamo’s loss to New York.

Apparently a target for Sunderland, Jozy Altidore admits he’s keen to return to the Premier League.

Goal.com recaps some of the summer moves of players connected to the USMNT.

Brad Friedel has some interesting things to say about development in the US.

Elsewhere

Brazil defeated Spain 3-0 to win the Confederations Cup. Italy defeated Uruguay on penalty kicks—surprise!—to finish in third place.

At ESPN, Gabriele Marcotti says Sunday’s loss means neither the end of tiki-taka or Spain.

While Brazil was trouncing Spain, protestor’s continued to voice their discontent outside of the stadium. Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said, “As the president of FIFA, I have to say that, from an organizational point of view, when it comes to stadia and the football game, I am particularly happy with what has happened here…Naturally, the competition has been played in a situation where there was definitely social unrest with protests and manifestations, but I have to say finally that football has played a positive part here. It’s part of emotion and I would say football has connected people in the stadia. Perhaps unfortunately it also connected people in the street.” Pillock.

Blatter said FIFA would give Brazil something on the order of $100 million from the profits of the 2014 World Cup.

The Huffington Post looks at the work done by Street Soccer USA.

The AP reports from this year’s RoboCup in The Netherlands.

 

8 Comments

  1. Why is Chris Albright on this team?

    • Maybe because he offers veteran experience from playing on multiple MLS teams, he has played for the USMNT, plus he is a local guy who really cares about the growth of the game in this region and wants to be involved in the future of Philadelphia soccer. We have a very young team and he is a good mentor for the younger players on this team. Those types of veteran, role model players (although their impact is hard to quantify from an outside perspective) are invaluable assets in the locker room.

      • I agree 100% with Erik. The question isn’t why is he on this team, the question should be why is he our ONLY defensive option for late in a game?

      • scottymac says:

        I agree 100% with all of you. Chris is a stand up guy and can be a great presence for the team and teaching some of these kids on what is needed to be a pro. However, that doesn’t mean he should ever, ever, ever, see the pitch during a match. His role is more of a player-coach, but at this point with his game, it should just be coach/FO/PR guy.

  2. The 700 level should have reviewed the beer selection at the SOB tailgate: has been outstanding this year!
    /
    Good interview with Friedel. Wish he was here on the East Coast…

  3. Great One says:

    Wow these comments from the Union players are really worrisome to me. If you look behind what they’re saying there’s almost no accountability. “yeah I should’ve made that play… but can you believe the ref let it go extra minutes” or “we were lined up correctly every single time, I just don’t know what happened they must have pushed us”. The bottom line is we were up a man, and a goal, and even with the poor play throughout the game, we had it in our grasp. There is no way this should be a tie.
    .
    They need to take notice, appreciate the fact that we still sit in second place and we have some strong players and previously strong efforts that we can look toward, and move forward to make the corrections that are needed.

  4. scottymac says:

    How awesome must it be to be Sepp Blatter? So completely tone deaf to the entire world while wrapped in the delusional self-smugness of his warped world view. That rocks!

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