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Archive for the tag “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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Posted in Cleveland Browns, Kent State, Liverpool, US soccer and tagged , , | Leave a comment
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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01 Jul 2014

Altidore is back, but can he make a difference against Belgium?

altidoreThe USA received some good news on Monday, as forward Jozy Altidore has been cleared to play against Belgium in today’s round-of-16 game against Belgium.

The question is how much will Altidore play, if he plays at all?

USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann faces a tough decision on how to work Altidore back into the lineup. Does he start him and risk having to use an early substitute if Altidore can’t go? Does he bring Altidore off the bench if things are not going well? Or does he save him, not wanting to risk further injury, knowing that there may not be a next game without Altidore?

We start figuring out what this means in our latest post at World Soccer Talk.

(Photo courtesy of U.S. Soccer)

Posted in Jurgen Klinsmann, World Cup and tagged , , | Leave a comment
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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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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09 Dec 2013

World Cup draw may not be so bad for USMNT after all

world cup drawIt was a rough day for the U.S. Men’s National Team when the groups were drawn on Friday for next summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

The U.S. landed in Group G with Germany (ranked No. 2 in the world) Portugal (No. 5) and Ghana (No. 24).

It’s not going to be easy, but after thinking about it over the weekend, it may not be as bad for the U.S. as we first feared.

U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann took the approach that if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.

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Posted in Liverpool, Ohio State, US soccer and tagged , , | Leave a comment
25 Mar 2013

That’s why they call it a home-field advantage

usp-soccer_-world-cup-qualifier-costa-rica-at-usa-4_3_rx513_c680x510Costa Rica has filed a protest with FIFA – the governing body of world soccer – over the wintery conditions during Friday night’s game with the U.S. Men’s National Team.

According to the Costa Rican Football Federation, the “physical integrity” of the players and officials was comprised by the snow, ball movement was “impossible” and the players could not see the lines on the field.

“We have already handed a formal report and complaint within 24 hours post-match, according to regulations,” Eduardo Li, the federation’s president, told a Costa Rican television station. “It was terrible. While the match was being played, at the same time, machines and people came onto the field to clean the lines. These are embarrassing situations we should not accept.”

Not surprisingly, seeing as how the U.S. won the game and three important points in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, Costa Rica would like to replay the game under “more favorable conditions.”

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21 Mar 2013
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Time is now for the USMNT to pull it together

AP728010436248_crop_exactThe U.S. Men’s National Team, already facing the prospect of playing without starting goalie Tim Howard for the next few weeks, could be facing bigger issues as they face two important World Cup qualifying games.

While the squad should be focusing on Friday night’s game against Costa Rica and next week’s game on the road against Mexico, they are instead reportedly losing faith in coach Jürgen Klinsmann’s lineup choices.

Last month against Honduras, Klinsmann benched captain Carlos Bocanegra on the day of the game, a move that backfired as the inexperienced back four of Geoff Cameron, Omar Gonzalez, Fabian Johnson and Timmy Chandler had a rough day in the 2-1 loss in the opening game of their Hexagonal qualifying group.

“They never played together in any game, let alone a Hex,” Howard said after the loss. “The back four is all about jelling. It’s a frying pan. We don’t have time to learn.”

Klinsmann, who has fielded 24 different lineups in the 24 games he has been the coach, claims that disgruntled players are just par for the course.

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Posted in Jurgen Klinsmann, US soccer and tagged ,
14 Mar 2013

USMNT coming to Cleveland

9DFE71F96F1C435D8FCAEFA652ABD1B5.ashxThe U.S. Men’s National Team is coming to Cleveland, as U.S. Soccer announced on Wednesday that the team will host Belgium on May 29 in a friendly at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The match will kickoff at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

It will be the fifth meeting between the teams, but the first time that the U.S. has played the Red Devils as the home team. The U.S. won the first meeting – at the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay – but has lost the last three meetings, all in Belgium, without scoring a goal.

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

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