Daily news roundups

Union Academy U16s in semis today, Union-HCI friendly announced, US to face Cuba in GC quarterfinals, more

Photo: Courtesy of Philadelphia Union Academy

Philadelphia Union

The Union Academy U-16 team faces FC Dallas U-16s in Carson, Calif. in the semifinal of the US Soccer Development Academy playoffs today at 8 pm ET. The match will be live-streamed on the US Soccer website.

When the Union face Toronto on the road on Saturday, they will presumably have to contend not just with Giovinco but with Jozy Altidore, who was released from the US Gold Cup team on Tuesday. They will not be facing former Union man Chris Konopka, however. On Wednesday, he was suspended for one game by the league’s disciplinary committee for “endangering the safety of an opponent” in Sunday’s draw with NYCFC.

More recognition for last weekend’s outstanding play for Cristian Maidana and Vincent Nogueira: They’ve been named to the FIFA 15 Team of the Week.

At Delco Times, Matthew De George on Steven Vitoria’s first game minutes in Tuesday’s friendly with Bournemouth after returning from injury.

De George also reports on Bournemouth defender Sylvain Distin’s thoughts on MLS. Distin visited PPL Park with Everton in 2011.

At Brotherly Game, the weekly optimistic/pessimistic take considers the win over Portland

When the Union face Harrisburg City Islanders in the annual summer friendly on Wednesday, August 30, they will do so at Lancaster’s Clipper Magazine Stadium, home of the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Harrisburg, who played Crystal Palace at the same stadium in 2009, will then face FC Montreal there in league play two days later on Aug. 31. The City Islanders press release announcing the games says the August games will serve as a trial run for possibly using Clipper Magazine Stadium as a temporary home if funding is approved to renovate Skyline Sports Complex in Harrisburg. More on the announcement at Penn Live, Lancaster Online, and York Dispatch.

Brotherly Game jokingly suggests the name of the possible new Union USL team should be U2.

The Union Foundation is having an eBay auction.

Local

Lehigh Valley United Sonic fell 2-0 at home to Long Island Rough Riders on Wednesday night.

The Daily News notes Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu played left wing for the Cheltenham High School before he graduated from the school in 1967. As one alumnus of the school notes, “That was the exact opposite of his political views.”

MLS

Columbus Crew defeated Chicago Fire 1-0 on the road on Wednesday night. With the win, Columbus (27 points) moves into second place in the East.

It’s official: LA Galaxy have signed Mexican international Giovani dos Santos. Meanwhile, ESPN reports it is unlikely Chicharito will join MLS this season: “Hernandez has been heavily linked to Orlando City, but sources with knowledge of the state of play have confirmed to ESPN FC that there is a big difference between the offer from the MLS franchise and what the player is looking for.”

San Jose Earthquakes have claimed 18-year-old Brazilian midfielder Matheus Silva off waivers.

32-year-old Swansea midfielder Leon Britton confirms he has been in contact with MLS sides but has received no offers.

Unhappy with his playing time, Bakary Soumare has asked to leave Montreal Impact.

Orlando City has increased its season ticket capacity to 18,000. By the way, Amobi Okugo started at right back for Orlando in their friendly against West Brom last night.

The USL has announced its 25th franchise, RGVFC in Texas. The Rio Grande Valley based club will be the “hybrid affiliate” of Houston Dynamo.

US

The US campaign to retain the Gold Cup title is clearer after the completion of group play on Wednesday. As winners of Group A, the US will face Cuba, who finished third place in Group C after defeating Guatemala 1-0 on Wednesday, in the quarterfinals in Baltimore on Saturday at 5 pm. If the US defeats Cuba, they will face the winner of Haiti-Jamaica in the semifinals in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 22.

At ESPN, Graham Parker on how the Gold Cup is producing diminishing returns for the US.

Also at ESPN, Jeff Carlisle wonders about Jozy Altidore’s future with the USMNT.

The USWNT has won Team of the Year at the ESPYS. Damn right, too.

At ESPNW, Johnette Howard on why it’s OK for men’s soccer in the US to benefit from the USWNT’s World Cup victory.

Elsewhere

The US Senate subcommittee hearing on FIFA corruption was something of a mixed bag. Sure, Andrew Jennings produced some excellent quotes while also underscoring the question on the minds of many observers: Why wasn’t US Soccer president Sunil Gulati on hand to testify? Instead, US Soccer CEO Dan Flynn was the designated recipient of the senator’s often badly informed and off-topic questions. While the testimony from the hearing enters the Congressional record, all of the witnesses voluntarily appeared, and none were sworn in, so there was no possibility of perjury to compel truly meaningful responses from Flynn. On the one hand, Flynn’s squirming responses to questions about how he or US Soccer could not have known about corruption was troubling to witness. On the other hand, some of the senator’s chest-puffing questions were so full of ignorance about the structure of CONCACAF and FIFA, and the realities of the US’ place in the world game, that it was hard not to feel some sympathy for the guy. Frankly, I found the whole exercise largely frustrating and simply another reminder why it has been a very long time since I’ve watched a congressional hearing on any subject. Reports at New York TimesLos Angeles Times, New York Daily News, USA TodayRoll Call, The HillSoccer America, Goal.comProSoccerTalk, ReutersAFP, and The AP.

Meanwhile, the Guardian reports, “FIFA’s independent ethics committee has called on world football’s governing body to allow it to be more transparent, making its investigations public and publishing the reasons for its decisions.”

The AP reports, “FIFA should let ’eminent public figures’ lead truly independent reform of the scandal-hit governing body, according to Transparency International.”

In related news, Reuters reports, “Swiss authorities said on Thursday they had extradited to the United States an official detained in a U.S. corruption investigation into world soccer’s governing body FIFA.” While not identified, the extradited official is believed to be former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb.

Also from Reuters: “Around 38 percent of Germans would consider switching from FIFA sponsors such as Adidas and Coca-Cola to alternative brands due to the corruption scandal engulfing soccer’s governing body, a survey published on Wednesday said.” When the sponsors start to leave…

11 Comments

  1. The Fifa thing is just so frustrsting blah at this point. I guess it’s good the scandal is at least being recognized.
    .
    How’s Amobi been doing in general in Orlando?

  2. The Harrisburg – Union match date doesn’t make sense. August 30 is a Sunday.

    • Per the HCI website, the Union match is on Monday, 8/31 and the Impact II match is on Saturday, 8/29. Union play at home on 8/29-not sure how many minutes the regulars will play in a friendly 2 days after a league match.

  3. Bruce Arena: “We want another DP level player but we already have 3″.
    .
    Don Garber: “I got you fam.”
    .
    #MLSparity

    • Funny thing is I couldn’t imagine the Union ever having a $7 million dollar player, let alone 2-3 other multi-million dollar players. So sad.

      • OneManWolfpack says:

        I don’t think I can imagine the Union spending a TOTAL of $7 million on players… like all players… not just DP’s. HA!

  4. Saw the last 15 minutes of the Cuba – Guatemala match last night and it was extremely entertaining. Kudos for Cuba that they progressed with their short handed team. Their no. 10 is some player!

  5. I clicked on the link to the foundation auction. While I would love to have the team signed stadium chair, I’m not sure who is going to buy the used Eagles and Phillies hoodies.

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