Daily news roundups

News roundup: Toronto advance to CCL final, Roma upset Barca, more

Photo: Daniel Studio

Philadelphia Union

In a green initiative, the Union will be wearing white, recycled uniforms against Dallas on April 21st.

ICYMI: The Union U-19s demolished Seacoast United 11-0.

Local

Bethlehem Steel are partnering with the non-profit ArtsQuest to host viewing parties for the World Cup.

Junior Lone Star II announced that their kits will be supplied by Joma. Head coach Bobby Ali also added nine players to the roster.

MLS

Toronto FC became the third MLS club in history to reach the CONCACAF Champions League Final, drawing their semifinal opponent, Liga MX’s Club America 1-1, advancing on a 4-1 aggregate. More from MLS, Toronto Sun, and NYTimes.

Toronto will face Chivas, as Red Bulls failed to come back from their 0-1 aggregate deficit, drawing Chivas 0-0.

Paul Tenorio looks into Columbus Crew’s efficient scouting of Latin American players.

USA

The key to youth development in the US is… Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain?

Around the globe

Champions League roundup:

A mystery group of investors is allegedly offering FIFA $25 billion for control of two of their tournaments.

15 Comments

  1. The Bimbo logo looks much better on those white, recycled kits…

  2. The recycled kits look decent, the bimbo stands out way less.
    .
    I wonder how the stands will look for this nationally televised game, on a week night Friday. At least the weather looks to be good. I think they’re going up against Flyers playoffs and the Phillies, and (possibly?) the sixers playoffs. May be a bit embarsssing.
    .
    On the positive side, What can the team change Friday to get a better result? I’m sure we all will concede that the lineup and tactics will be the same. How can Accam be made to get free? What can CJ or Accam go to get in spots to finish and to finish better? Hopefully Dockal continues to improve and the midfield chemistry improves.

  3. What day for Champions League! Both flavors, UEFA and CONCACAF. Toronto really looks like they’re going to do it. Good for them. Also good for the league in general to plant another milestone flag. Liverpool City 2nd leg was remarkable despite some of the most god awful officiating I’ve ever seen (wondered whether Lahoz was really a CONCACAF double agent). And what a comeback for Roma! The scenes in Rome were amazing. Imagine the Union accomplish that could produce even half that emotion.

    One more thing, that youth development article about Oxlade-Chamberlain’s old Southampton youth coach, who is now in the US, is pretty fascinating. As a small guy myself with a pretty small soccer-playing son, grouping kids by their physical stature at the youth level is an intriguing concept. I’ve coached Intramural U-10 and U-12 and have had kids a foot apart in size.

    • As a small guy I would have hated being placed with only other small people. You need to learn how to adjust because there’s nothing you can do about height. Now if a kids is too good for a level play him up.

      • A., read the piece. It’s compelling.

      • I’ve read it. I can see the value of a lot of it, but all it seems to boil down to is to promote kids who are too good for their level, just with more data to back it up. Seems like they just didn’t promote Oxlade-Chamberlain aggressively? Maybe I’m missing something.

      • Small kids aside, the comment about kids that develop earlier was very interesting. The big kids. How many times have we seen the big and strong 10-12 year old “star” become a head case because there were not challenged early on and then the late bloomers caught up.

      • Exactly right, Jack. He even says that the BioBanding metrics are even more beneficial to bigger kids. Really fascinating.

    • pragmatist says:

      Liverpool is becoming very, very scary. City is fading a bit, but Liverpool should scare everyone on their schedule right now.

  4. Just watched some highlights of TFC game. Man, that ref took some heat for calling a pretty fair game, although not perfect. A CONCACAF ref probably would’ve folded and TFC loses.

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