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Archive for the category “US soccer”

22 Feb 2015

From the editor’s notebook …

kent state beats ohioThe Kent State men’s basketball teams has reclaimed its rightful place as the best in the Mid-American Conference after Saturday’s road win against Ohio University.

The victory earned the Golden Flashes a sweep of the season series with the Bobcats and, coupled with Bowling Green’s loss, puts Kent State at the top of the East Division standings. The Golden Flashes are also tied with Central Michigan and Toledo for the best conference record at 10-4.

Senior Devareaux Manley hit five three-pointers on Saturday to move into second place on the school’s all-time three-point list with 211, and he is just one away from tying the school’s single-season record of 89 set by Randal Holt two years ago.

The win puts the Golden Flashes at 19-8 on the season and leaves them just one win away from their 15th 20-win season in the past 17 years. They are currently just one of 20 Division I programs to have won 20 or more games 14 times in the past 16 seasons.

Kent will be back in action Tuesday night when they go for a season sweep of Miami University. The Golden Flashes have only swept both Ohio and Miami in the same season twice — in 2002 and 2006 – and both those years Kent won the conference’s regular-season and tournament titles.

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29 Jan 2015
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From the editor’s notebook …

kyrie irving 55It was Kyrie Irving’s world on Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena, and we were all just witnesses.

Irving set an arena record by scoring 55 points in the Cavs win against Portland. In addition, Irving now holds the franchise record for 3-pointers made (11) and attempted (19). He joins LeBron James and (bonus points if you remember) Walt Wesley as the only Cavs players to break the 50-point mark in franchise history.

Irving’s 55 points are the fourth-most by a player whose team did not score 100 points in a game in NBA history. He joins George Mikan, Michael Jordan and James on that list. He becomes the first former Duke player to break the 50-point barrier in an NBA, and joins Wesley as the only other Cavs player with a  50-point game at home. Wesley’s 50-point game came against Cincinnati on Feb. 19, 1971, while James’ eight 50-point games as a Cav have all come on the road. (All according to ESPN Stats & Information.)

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Posted in Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, US soccer and tagged , ,
02 Jul 2014

USA’s World Cup run ends too soon, but future is promising

usa loses belgiumWhen a team enters into a tournament format like the World Cup knockout stage, you always know that the next game can be the last one.

But that doesn’t mean it is any easier when the end finally comes.

Such is the case for the U.S. team, which saw its World Cup run end on Tuesday in a 2-1 loss to Belgium.

We try to come to terms with the end, and take a look at what the future may hold, in our latest post at World Soccer Talk.

(Photo courtesy of The Associated Press)

 

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26 Jun 2014

World Cup Preview: USA vs. Germany

Ghana v USA: Group G - 2014 FIFA World Cup BrazilThe USA and Germany face off today at Noon ET/9am PT in the final game for each side in Group G. A win by either team wins the group, but both teams only need to walk out of the Arena Pernambuco in Recife with a single point to ensure advancement into the next round.

The teams have reached this point after opening wins followed by shocking draws in their respective second games – Germany coming back against Ghana, while the U.S. gave up a game-tying goal with just 30 seconds left against Portugal.

Check out the full preview in our latest post at World Soccer Talk.

(Photo by The Associated Press)

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23 Jun 2014

USMNT content to do things the hard way

usa loses to portugalIt’s been almost 24 hours and we’re still trying to accept what happened in the final 30 seconds of the USA’s game with Portugal on Sunday night.

To come so close to qualifying for the knockout stage with one game to play only to see it all fall apart at the very end would be difficult for any team to overcome. The good news is that the U.S. doesn’t have to wait very long for their next match and this team, more than others, is a resilient bunch. They came back after giving up an early lead to Ghana, and then did it again on Sunday after falling behind Portugal just five minutes into the game.

“That’s who we are,” midfielder Michael Bradley said. “We talk all the time about what we’re like on the hardest day and when the spotlight comes on brightest. When the biggest tests come, what are we like? How do we respond in the difficult moments? I thought tonight was another example of us showing everybody who we are and what makes us a good team.

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18 Jun 2014

Spain’s reign comes to a crashing halt against Chile

spain loses world cupWe knew it was going to be difficult for Spain to repeat as World Cup champions – there is a reason no country has lifted the trophy in consecutive tournaments in 52 years – but we don’t think anyone saw this coming.

Following their 2-0 loss to Chile on Wednesday, Spain is out, making them the first defending champion eliminated after just two games.

While the score was not as bad as their opening-game loss to the Netherlands, Spain looked just as out of sorts against Chile and never seemed like a threat to walk out of the game with a much-needed point.

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17 Jun 2014

USMNT starts the party early in opening win against Ghana

usa beats ghanaIt was a start that the U.S. Men’s National Team dreamed of.

More importantly, it was a finish that the team so desperately needed.

John Brooks’ goal at the 86-minute mark gave the U.S. a 2-1 win over World Cup nemesis Ghana on Monday at the Arena das Dunas and the all-important three points.

“We have a great spirit and (we) fight until the last second,” Klinsmann said. “There is undoubtedly things that we need to improve. At the end of the day we got the three points.”

There was much to like from the game, starting with Clint Dempsey’s opening goal, which made him the first U.S. player to score in three different World Cups and allowed the U.S. to play from in front. It was the fifth-fastest goal scored in a World Cup match, which seems pretty amazing given that it only took 29 seconds for Dempsey to find the back of the net.

But it was the goal by Brooks that stands out the most, and not just because it was the game winner.

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07 Jun 2014

Q&A with Chris Morris from American Outlaws Cleveland

AO ClevelandThe American Outlaws are a group of dedicated supporters of the U.S. Men’s National Team. The group’s mission is to “unite and strengthen” a group of fans who are described as “loud, passionate, organized and dedicated.”

The organization was established in 2007 in Nebraska to bring fans together to watch matches and travel to games. They adopted the name American Outlaws because they saw themselves as outliers in a sports landscape in America that focused more on American football, baseball and other sports.

Since then, the organization has grown to include 135 chapters across the country.

Chris Morris is president of the Cleveland chapter and he was gracious enough to sit down for a virtual Q&A about the chapter and the prospects of the U.S. team this summer at the World Cup in Brazil.

Head on over to World Soccer Talk for the rest of the story.

(Photo courtesy of American Outlaws Cleveland chapter)

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22 May 2014

Klinsmann makes tough, but right, call on Landon Donovan

landon donovan cutJurgen Klinsmann made the final cuts on Thursday to the U.S. Men’s National Team roster that he will take to Brazil this summer for the World Cup and, in a bit of a small surprise, Landon Donovan will not be making the trip.

“This is certainly one of the toughest decisions – the toughest decision in my coaching career – to tell a player like him with everything he’s done and what he represents, to tell him that you’re not part of those 23 right now,” Klinsmann said of the decision Thursday night. “I just see some other players slightly ahead of him.

“The last 10 days he did everything right. He was always positive, he took it the best way possible. So his disappointment is huge. I totally understand that. He took it very professional, because he’s an outstanding professional player and he knows that I have the highest respect for him.

“But I have to make the decisions as of today. I have to make the decisions what is good today for this group going into Brazil and I just think that the other guys right now are a little bit ahead of him and I told him that. And he understands it, but obviously he’s very disappointed.”

While the decision is a bit controversial, Klinsmann made the right call.

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19 May 2014

As the World Cup nears, USMNT searching for answers

Kyle BeckermanIt’s time to get to work for the U.S. Men’s National Team, as training is underway at Stanford University as Jurgen Klinsmann starts his final preparation for the team he will take to Brazil this summer for the 2014 World Cup.

Klinsmann has until June 2 to select the 23 players who will make up the American team that will take the pitch against Ghana on June 16 in the opening match of group play.

And with just nine players in camp who were on the World Cup team in 2010, Klinsmann needs to figure out if he can hold a spot for an experienced player who knows the demands of the World Cup but may be on the downside of their career, Landon Donovan, for example; or should he rely on some talented new blood that may or may not be ready for the pressure of facing Ghana, Portugal and Germany? (Julian Green).

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Posted in Jurgen Klinsmann, US soccer and tagged , | Leave a comment

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