Clausura EURO 2008 - Enrique Iglesias
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Festejos - ESPAÑA EN LA FINAL DELA EURO 2008
VIDEO - España vs Rusia
VIDEO - Festejo Gol de Villa
VIDEO - Himno de España en la Plaza Roja de Colón
Yo no soy el dueño de Chivas: Vergara
Comparece el empresario en el juzgado civil; explica que el propietario del club Guadalajara es la empresa Omnilife, cuya figura legal de Sociedad Anónima le permite delegar la representación a Jorge Vergara
Guadalajara Viernes 27 de junio de 2008 ' 14:31 El empresario Jorge Vergara, aseguró hoy que la compra de acciones al club Guadalajara para convertirlo en una sociedad anónima fue legal y transparente, por lo que dijo sentirse tranquilo por la demanda en su contra.
"Estoy tranquilo, para mí está clarísimo, todo fue hecho legalmente de acuerdo a lo que corresponde en cada país, a mí me vendieron y yo pagué", señaló Vergara al salir del primer juzgado de lo civil, en donde se llevó a cabo el desahogo de pruebas.
Explicó que el propietario de Chivas es la empresa Omnilife, cuya figura legal de Sociedad Anónima le permite delegar la representación a Jorge Vergara.
"Yo no soy el dueño de Chivas, soy el representante de la empresa que es la dueña de Chivas, pero legalmente no soy el dueño de Chivas. Hay una empresa (Omnilife) que es dueña de Chivas, y la cual me manda a mí como su representante", precisó.
Por tal motivo, indicó que la diligencia que se llevó al cabo en el juzgado fue a nombre de Jorge Vergara y no de las empresas propiedad del conjunto "rojiblanco".
"Yo soy dueño de Omnilife, que es dueño de Chivas y por consecuencia no soy dueño de Chivas, porque legalmente el dueño es una empresa y no yo; yo soy una persona moral, hoy la diligencia fue a nombre de Jorge Vergara y no de las empresas".
Jorge Vergara se presentó por vez primera ante el juez Enrique Vizcarra para enfrentar la acusación de un grupo de accionistas del club Guadalajara encabezado por José Martínez, quienes demandan la propiedad del equipo que pasó de Asociación Civil a Sociedad Anónima de CV.
Fuente: El Universal
Guadalajara Viernes 27 de junio de 2008 ' 14:31 El empresario Jorge Vergara, aseguró hoy que la compra de acciones al club Guadalajara para convertirlo en una sociedad anónima fue legal y transparente, por lo que dijo sentirse tranquilo por la demanda en su contra.
"Estoy tranquilo, para mí está clarísimo, todo fue hecho legalmente de acuerdo a lo que corresponde en cada país, a mí me vendieron y yo pagué", señaló Vergara al salir del primer juzgado de lo civil, en donde se llevó a cabo el desahogo de pruebas.
Explicó que el propietario de Chivas es la empresa Omnilife, cuya figura legal de Sociedad Anónima le permite delegar la representación a Jorge Vergara.
"Yo no soy el dueño de Chivas, soy el representante de la empresa que es la dueña de Chivas, pero legalmente no soy el dueño de Chivas. Hay una empresa (Omnilife) que es dueña de Chivas, y la cual me manda a mí como su representante", precisó.
Por tal motivo, indicó que la diligencia que se llevó al cabo en el juzgado fue a nombre de Jorge Vergara y no de las empresas propiedad del conjunto "rojiblanco".
"Yo soy dueño de Omnilife, que es dueño de Chivas y por consecuencia no soy dueño de Chivas, porque legalmente el dueño es una empresa y no yo; yo soy una persona moral, hoy la diligencia fue a nombre de Jorge Vergara y no de las empresas".
Jorge Vergara se presentó por vez primera ante el juez Enrique Vizcarra para enfrentar la acusación de un grupo de accionistas del club Guadalajara encabezado por José Martínez, quienes demandan la propiedad del equipo que pasó de Asociación Civil a Sociedad Anónima de CV.
Fuente: El Universal
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Premier League top ten goals
This are the best goals of all times. Do not miss Cantona's goal and of course Goal number one by Di Canio
VIDEO
VIDEO
Adidas vs. Nike: Battle of the Soccer Ads
Their vivid commercials may be remembered longer than the best plays of the Euro 2008. But will they sell more merchandise?
Euro 2008, the European football championship, produced some sublime moments of play even before the teams reached the quarterfinals. Think of Michael Ballack's arching free kick into the corner of the Austrian goal to give Germany the game, or Turkey's comeback from a two-goal deficit in the final 16 minutes to beat the Czech Republic.
THE NEXT LEVEL - NIKE
ADIDAS
But when it's all over and the fans have scrubbed the last traces of national-color face paint from their cheeks, what will they really remember? The commercials, of course. Like every international soccer event, Euro 2008 is also a fierce marketing duel between the two giants of soccer apparel, Adidas and Nike.
Bavaria-based Adidas (ADSG.DE) and Portland (Ore.)-based Nike (NKE) have taken radically different approaches to their advertising. Both companies tap the celebrity appeal of soccer gods like David Beckham or Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo. Nike's spot, though, has video-game-like intensity, while Adidas' campaign is deliberately slow-paced and almost old-fashioned.
Beyond Advertising
Nike hired film director and Madonna spouse Guy Ritchie to shoot its spot, which compresses a pro soccer career into two breathless minutes seen from the point of view of a player. (Check it out here.)
The Adidas campaign, which includes nearly an hour of film broken into 12 episodes, focuses on local teams of kids in backwaters of Europe such as the Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall. (Check it out here.) Famous players arrive unexpectedly to kick around balls and offer coaching tips. The campaign by agency 180 Amsterdam is less a commercial than a documentary. Adidas clothes and soccer boots play a discreet role.
Although there's no overt sales pitch, the theme feeds into Adidas' "Impossible is Nothing" slogan. "The idea we were trying to get across is that just because you come from a less well-known part of Europe doesn't mean you can't be successful," says 180 Executive Creative Director Richard Bullock. "That distance from here to there is accessible."
ADIDAS - Impossible is nothing
While Adidas brings the soccer gods to earth, the Nike spot lets viewers hang out at Mt. Olympus. The commercial, by Ritchie and Los Angeles/Amsterdam-based ad agency 72andSunny, is shot through a player's eyes, giving viewers the illusion that they are experiencing the life of a footballer, from the day a famous coach discovers him in the boondocks to his debut on the national team.
Becoming a Soccer God
The spot opens in the regional leagues, as we arch a free kick over the heads of some defenders and into goal. As our view swivels to the sidelines, we see Arsène Wenger, coach of Britain's Arsenal soccer club, watching from the sidelines. Our eyes meet.
Next we are collecting our Arsenal uniform, and then Wenger is subbing us into the game—where an opponent powers by us to score. But then a teammate boots a hard pass across the field. We slam the ball into the goal. We're on our way to stardom.
The scenes that follow are frenetic yet coherent. We step out of a limo with our supermodel girlfriend into a crowd of screaming fans. We see the girlfriend's cold stare as we autograph a female fan's cleavage. We train so hard we vomit on our soccer boots—making Nike probably the first company in Madison Ave. history to sell its products by barfing on them. In a game against Barcelona we watch helplessly as Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho dribbles past.
JOGA BONITO -Ronaldinho
NIKE GOOD VS EVIL (one of NIKE'S first commercials)
The spot ends where it began, as we set up to take a free kick in front of the goal—only this time we're wearing Holland's national colors in front of thousands of fans. Fade to the Nike tag line, "Take it to the Next Level."
Adidas' campaign has a completely different feel, but it too mines the desire of every young footballer to share a pitch with the idols of the sport. Adidas and 180 made three short films, on the Isles of Scilly and in the tiny European principalities of Andorra and San Marino.
The Pros Drop In
The films begin by introducing a team of young, real-life local players, who weren't told what would happen. On the Isles of Scilly, the kids are mute with awe when Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard shows up at practice. He's only the first pro to pay a surprise visit. Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin drops from the sky in a small plane. Germany team captain Michael Ballack appears from behind a hedge.
By the time Beckham climbs out of a local resident's pickup truck, the kids bust out laughing—the whole thing is just too amazing. Beckham shows the young players how to use a certain spot on the inside of the foot to shoot one of his lethal free kicks. Gerrard later sleeps on the couch at one kid's home, asking: "Are you sure your parents are okay with me stayin' over?"
"My friends stay over all the time," the boy replies.
The mini-documentaries are a gamble for Adidas in a world where most marketers assume young viewers don't have an attention span of more than a few minutes. In fact, vignettes from the films will be spliced down to TV spots as short as 15 seconds. (A film for the U.S. market focuses on Beckham because of his high name recognition (BusinessWeek.com, 7/13/07) there.) But Adidas is betting that football-obsessed youngsters can't get enough of their favorite stars, especially when the stars offer practical advice.
Both the Adidas and Nike campaigns are immensely entertaining, but are they selling merchandise? It's too early to tell. Adidas says its share of the European football market edged up to 40% in 2007, vs. 38% in 2006, and that Euro 2008 is shaping up to be even more lucrative than the last European championship four years ago.
Online Attention
But those numbers reflect sales before the campaign launched on June 16. In any event, advertising is just one part of a much larger marketing campaign, including giant likenesses of Adidas-sponsored athletes at locations such as the Zurich train station. However, in one indication that the Dream Big campaign is working, Adidas says the time people spend on its Web site has doubled since the short films went online. That's good for sales because the site directs people to more detailed product information.
Nike—which claims to be the global leader in soccer apparel—says the Next Level spot has been viewed 9 million times on the company's soccer Web site as well as on YouTube (GOOG) and other outlets. (Shorter versions are also running on European TV.)
NIKE - Kobe Joga Bonito
One lesson of both campaigns is that Internet video has made advertising a pull rather than a push business. To draw viewers, marketers have to show them a good time and go easy on the sales pitch. "We pay a lot of attention to how the products line up, but the sell is very loose," says 180 creative director Bullock. "We're making pure entertainment."
NIKE - Brazil vs. Portugal
Source: Business Week Special Report
Euro 2008, the European football championship, produced some sublime moments of play even before the teams reached the quarterfinals. Think of Michael Ballack's arching free kick into the corner of the Austrian goal to give Germany the game, or Turkey's comeback from a two-goal deficit in the final 16 minutes to beat the Czech Republic.
THE NEXT LEVEL - NIKE
ADIDAS
But when it's all over and the fans have scrubbed the last traces of national-color face paint from their cheeks, what will they really remember? The commercials, of course. Like every international soccer event, Euro 2008 is also a fierce marketing duel between the two giants of soccer apparel, Adidas and Nike.
Bavaria-based Adidas (ADSG.DE) and Portland (Ore.)-based Nike (NKE) have taken radically different approaches to their advertising. Both companies tap the celebrity appeal of soccer gods like David Beckham or Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo. Nike's spot, though, has video-game-like intensity, while Adidas' campaign is deliberately slow-paced and almost old-fashioned.
Beyond Advertising
Nike hired film director and Madonna spouse Guy Ritchie to shoot its spot, which compresses a pro soccer career into two breathless minutes seen from the point of view of a player. (Check it out here.)
The Adidas campaign, which includes nearly an hour of film broken into 12 episodes, focuses on local teams of kids in backwaters of Europe such as the Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall. (Check it out here.) Famous players arrive unexpectedly to kick around balls and offer coaching tips. The campaign by agency 180 Amsterdam is less a commercial than a documentary. Adidas clothes and soccer boots play a discreet role.
Although there's no overt sales pitch, the theme feeds into Adidas' "Impossible is Nothing" slogan. "The idea we were trying to get across is that just because you come from a less well-known part of Europe doesn't mean you can't be successful," says 180 Executive Creative Director Richard Bullock. "That distance from here to there is accessible."
ADIDAS - Impossible is nothing
While Adidas brings the soccer gods to earth, the Nike spot lets viewers hang out at Mt. Olympus. The commercial, by Ritchie and Los Angeles/Amsterdam-based ad agency 72andSunny, is shot through a player's eyes, giving viewers the illusion that they are experiencing the life of a footballer, from the day a famous coach discovers him in the boondocks to his debut on the national team.
Becoming a Soccer God
The spot opens in the regional leagues, as we arch a free kick over the heads of some defenders and into goal. As our view swivels to the sidelines, we see Arsène Wenger, coach of Britain's Arsenal soccer club, watching from the sidelines. Our eyes meet.
Next we are collecting our Arsenal uniform, and then Wenger is subbing us into the game—where an opponent powers by us to score. But then a teammate boots a hard pass across the field. We slam the ball into the goal. We're on our way to stardom.
The scenes that follow are frenetic yet coherent. We step out of a limo with our supermodel girlfriend into a crowd of screaming fans. We see the girlfriend's cold stare as we autograph a female fan's cleavage. We train so hard we vomit on our soccer boots—making Nike probably the first company in Madison Ave. history to sell its products by barfing on them. In a game against Barcelona we watch helplessly as Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho dribbles past.
JOGA BONITO -Ronaldinho
NIKE GOOD VS EVIL (one of NIKE'S first commercials)
The spot ends where it began, as we set up to take a free kick in front of the goal—only this time we're wearing Holland's national colors in front of thousands of fans. Fade to the Nike tag line, "Take it to the Next Level."
Adidas' campaign has a completely different feel, but it too mines the desire of every young footballer to share a pitch with the idols of the sport. Adidas and 180 made three short films, on the Isles of Scilly and in the tiny European principalities of Andorra and San Marino.
The Pros Drop In
The films begin by introducing a team of young, real-life local players, who weren't told what would happen. On the Isles of Scilly, the kids are mute with awe when Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard shows up at practice. He's only the first pro to pay a surprise visit. Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin drops from the sky in a small plane. Germany team captain Michael Ballack appears from behind a hedge.
By the time Beckham climbs out of a local resident's pickup truck, the kids bust out laughing—the whole thing is just too amazing. Beckham shows the young players how to use a certain spot on the inside of the foot to shoot one of his lethal free kicks. Gerrard later sleeps on the couch at one kid's home, asking: "Are you sure your parents are okay with me stayin' over?"
"My friends stay over all the time," the boy replies.
The mini-documentaries are a gamble for Adidas in a world where most marketers assume young viewers don't have an attention span of more than a few minutes. In fact, vignettes from the films will be spliced down to TV spots as short as 15 seconds. (A film for the U.S. market focuses on Beckham because of his high name recognition (BusinessWeek.com, 7/13/07) there.) But Adidas is betting that football-obsessed youngsters can't get enough of their favorite stars, especially when the stars offer practical advice.
Both the Adidas and Nike campaigns are immensely entertaining, but are they selling merchandise? It's too early to tell. Adidas says its share of the European football market edged up to 40% in 2007, vs. 38% in 2006, and that Euro 2008 is shaping up to be even more lucrative than the last European championship four years ago.
Online Attention
But those numbers reflect sales before the campaign launched on June 16. In any event, advertising is just one part of a much larger marketing campaign, including giant likenesses of Adidas-sponsored athletes at locations such as the Zurich train station. However, in one indication that the Dream Big campaign is working, Adidas says the time people spend on its Web site has doubled since the short films went online. That's good for sales because the site directs people to more detailed product information.
Nike—which claims to be the global leader in soccer apparel—says the Next Level spot has been viewed 9 million times on the company's soccer Web site as well as on YouTube (GOOG) and other outlets. (Shorter versions are also running on European TV.)
NIKE - Kobe Joga Bonito
One lesson of both campaigns is that Internet video has made advertising a pull rather than a push business. To draw viewers, marketers have to show them a good time and go easy on the sales pitch. "We pay a lot of attention to how the products line up, but the sell is very loose," says 180 creative director Bullock. "We're making pure entertainment."
NIKE - Brazil vs. Portugal
Source: Business Week Special Report
Sunday, June 22, 2008
El Síndrome Español - Portugal fuera de la EURO 2008
Por Armando Limón
Un gran inicio de torneo, gran cierre de grupo y de momento frente a la espada y la pared, con un desorden y una falta de parecencia de los grandes como Ronaldo, Deco, y Nuno que lo saco el técnico, Portugal quedo fuera de la EURO 2008. Los de Scolari sufrieron del despiste futbolistico, la "estrellites" de los jugadores que pensaron que las cosas sales solas, que el barco navega solo.
Alemania, como los grandes, se creció y le dio la importancia que merecía el encuentro - aprovecho la mala marca y con su orden al pie de la letra del manual de fútbol Schweinsteiger y Ballack haciendo lo suyo le dieron el pase a la siguiente fase.
Lo que no entiendo es que paso con el que es ya timonel del los azules del Chelsea; se le fue la bocha y saco a Nuno, al capitán, metió a Nani y al mejor enlace ofensivo del mundo, Ronaldo, el diablo rojo, lo puso de 9, de punta. Si no hay nadie como Cristiano que ataque con tal rapidez por los costados - ¿Cómo el del acerque? Se metió Ronaldo por el costado y con Nuno metió el 2-1.
Lo que sí es seguro es que con el 3-2, Portugal, una vez mas, se quedo corto, y como buen contagio mostró el síndrome Español, un seleccionado que con estrellas, grandes inicios de torneo se queda a mitad del camino.
Un gran inicio de torneo, gran cierre de grupo y de momento frente a la espada y la pared, con un desorden y una falta de parecencia de los grandes como Ronaldo, Deco, y Nuno que lo saco el técnico, Portugal quedo fuera de la EURO 2008. Los de Scolari sufrieron del despiste futbolistico, la "estrellites" de los jugadores que pensaron que las cosas sales solas, que el barco navega solo.
Alemania, como los grandes, se creció y le dio la importancia que merecía el encuentro - aprovecho la mala marca y con su orden al pie de la letra del manual de fútbol Schweinsteiger y Ballack haciendo lo suyo le dieron el pase a la siguiente fase.
Lo que no entiendo es que paso con el que es ya timonel del los azules del Chelsea; se le fue la bocha y saco a Nuno, al capitán, metió a Nani y al mejor enlace ofensivo del mundo, Ronaldo, el diablo rojo, lo puso de 9, de punta. Si no hay nadie como Cristiano que ataque con tal rapidez por los costados - ¿Cómo el del acerque? Se metió Ronaldo por el costado y con Nuno metió el 2-1.
Lo que sí es seguro es que con el 3-2, Portugal, una vez mas, se quedo corto, y como buen contagio mostró el síndrome Español, un seleccionado que con estrellas, grandes inicios de torneo se queda a mitad del camino.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Explanation of Ronaldinho crossbar trick
Ever wondered how ronaldinho hit the crossbar repeatedly in that nike commercial. here ya go
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
EURO 2008 PRICE - Free beer for life awaits next Austria scorer
June 10 (Reuters) - A Vienna brewery is promising a lifelong supply of free beer to any Austria player who scores a goal for the co-hosts in their remaining Euro 2008 group matches against Poland and Germany.
Austria, competing in the finals of the tournament for the first time, made a disappointing start with a 1-0 defeat against Croatia on Sunday.
"Maybe this is the kind of motivation that will give them the last kick our team needs to be successful," Ottakringer Brauerei AG chief executive Sigi Menz said in a statement, adding he would personally deliver the brewers's supply for the first year.
Austria, ranked 92nd in the world, take on Poland in Vienna on Thursday before completing their Group B fixtures against Germany at the same venue on Monday.
Austria, competing in the finals of the tournament for the first time, made a disappointing start with a 1-0 defeat against Croatia on Sunday.
"Maybe this is the kind of motivation that will give them the last kick our team needs to be successful," Ottakringer Brauerei AG chief executive Sigi Menz said in a statement, adding he would personally deliver the brewers's supply for the first year.
Austria, ranked 92nd in the world, take on Poland in Vienna on Thursday before completing their Group B fixtures against Germany at the same venue on Monday.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Soccer: Rising Stars and Salaries
Soccer's worldwide following has helped fill the coffers of European clubs, enabling them to pay top dollar for the best talents
Not only is the European soccer championship one of the biggest global sporting events, it also plays host to some of the best paid athletes in the world. From Spain's Fernando Torres to France's Thierry Henry, most of Europe's top players will be out to impress the more than 1 billion fans tuning in to the three-week tournament.
The soccer stars' multimillion-dollar salaries are the consequence of the sport's global dominance. Unlike baseball and American football, soccer has garnered a truly worldwide following, as teenagers everywhere from the slums of Rio de Janeiro to the industrial outskirts of Shanghai dream of becoming professional players. To take advantage of this trend, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has maximized its potential revenue streams through lucrative TV licensing deals, global tours of the continent's largest clubs, and the creation of the pan-European Champions League tournament among the top domestic teams.
Brazilian Duo Lead the Way
That has filled the coffers of European clubs as never before and has led to soaring salary costs as teams spend top dollar for Europe's—and the world's—best players. According to Portuguese Web site futebolfinance.com, Europe's highest earner (based solely on yearly wages) is Brazilian star Kaká, a player for Italy's AC Milan who makes $14 million annually. He's followed by national teammate and Spanish Barcelona striker Ronaldinho ($12.8 million a year), while English and Chelsea players Frank Lampard and John Terry rank third at $12.5 million.
Not that the highest earners are limited to the most well-known soccer nations. Swedish and Inter Milan player Zlatan Ibrahimovic, for example, pockets $7.8 million each year, while Ivory Coast and Chelsea striker Didier Drogba earns $11.5 million annually.
Despite the flourishing of European soccer, the rising costs have made UEFA rethink its laissez-faire approach to the world's most popular game. While U.S.-style salary caps have yet to gain much support, the sport's regulators are considering limits on the number of foreign players allowed to play for domestic clubs. That would curb the ability for athletes to switch teams, therefore stopping exorbitant wage requests. The idea, however, may fall foul of European Union labor laws.
No matter what happens, Europe's domestic leagues look likely to remain world beaters. Click through BusinessWeek.com's slide show to see some of the stars headlining Euro 2008.
Not only is the European soccer championship one of the biggest global sporting events, it also plays host to some of the best paid athletes in the world. From Spain's Fernando Torres to France's Thierry Henry, most of Europe's top players will be out to impress the more than 1 billion fans tuning in to the three-week tournament.
The soccer stars' multimillion-dollar salaries are the consequence of the sport's global dominance. Unlike baseball and American football, soccer has garnered a truly worldwide following, as teenagers everywhere from the slums of Rio de Janeiro to the industrial outskirts of Shanghai dream of becoming professional players. To take advantage of this trend, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has maximized its potential revenue streams through lucrative TV licensing deals, global tours of the continent's largest clubs, and the creation of the pan-European Champions League tournament among the top domestic teams.
Brazilian Duo Lead the Way
That has filled the coffers of European clubs as never before and has led to soaring salary costs as teams spend top dollar for Europe's—and the world's—best players. According to Portuguese Web site futebolfinance.com, Europe's highest earner (based solely on yearly wages) is Brazilian star Kaká, a player for Italy's AC Milan who makes $14 million annually. He's followed by national teammate and Spanish Barcelona striker Ronaldinho ($12.8 million a year), while English and Chelsea players Frank Lampard and John Terry rank third at $12.5 million.
Not that the highest earners are limited to the most well-known soccer nations. Swedish and Inter Milan player Zlatan Ibrahimovic, for example, pockets $7.8 million each year, while Ivory Coast and Chelsea striker Didier Drogba earns $11.5 million annually.
Despite the flourishing of European soccer, the rising costs have made UEFA rethink its laissez-faire approach to the world's most popular game. While U.S.-style salary caps have yet to gain much support, the sport's regulators are considering limits on the number of foreign players allowed to play for domestic clubs. That would curb the ability for athletes to switch teams, therefore stopping exorbitant wage requests. The idea, however, may fall foul of European Union labor laws.
No matter what happens, Europe's domestic leagues look likely to remain world beaters. Click through BusinessWeek.com's slide show to see some of the stars headlining Euro 2008.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
U.S. MNT Ready for No. 1-Ranked Argentina on Sunday
READY FOR NO. 1 - The U.S. Men's National Team has returned to the United States to take on Argentina, the world's No. 1 ranked team, as their final preparation for World Cup Qualifying. Over 70,000 tickets have been sold for the blockbuster match to be held Sunday, June 8 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN Classic and Galavision. Fans can also follow online on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker.
QUICK HITS
* The U.S. group arrived into New Jersey on Thursday evening after a 21-hour trip from Santander.
* Kenny Cooper, Landon Donovan, Drew Moor and Sacha Kljestan are the four additions to the roster from the England match, while Carlos Bocanegra, Nate Jaqua and Josh Wolff were released. Bocanegra and Wolff were excused for family commitments. Cooper and Moor were added late, arriving on Saturday and bringing the roster to 21.
* The U.S. is 2-2-1 in 2008, with seven goals scored and five surrendered.
* Bob Bradley has used 37 different players through five matches this year and deployed five different lineups.
* Overall, the U.S. is 14-7-2 since Bradley took over in January of 2007, winning the Gold Cup last July and earning a place in the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa.
* Landon Donovan became the U.S. all-time leading scorer earlier this year when he netted a penalty against Sweden on Jan. 19 to take his career tally to 35 goals. Netting the game-winner in front of his home fans at The Home Depot Center, the 26-year-old surpassed Eric Wynalda to grab sole possession of the top spot. Re-live all of Donovan’s 35 goals with ussoccer.com’s interactive video chart.
* On the current roster, defender Michael Bradley and Oguchi Onyewu are tied for the team lead in minutes played in 2008, each registering 332 minutes over four matches. Onyewu’s goals in back-to-back matches against Mexico and Poland are good for the team lead this year.
* The U.S. has played top-ranked Argentina eight times in their history, holding a lifetime record of 2-6-0 against the South American juggernaut. Of those eight matches, only three have been played in the United States, with the other five taking place in neutral sites. The two U.S. victories include a 3-0 upset of the defending champions in the group phase of the 1995 Copa America, and a 1-0 win in 1999 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., when a Joe-Max Moore goal was the difference.
* The team’s last met during the 2007 Copa America, a young U.S. side hanging with Argentina for 60 minutes before falling 4-1 on June 28, 2007 in Maracaibo, Venezuela.
* Both Jay DeMerit and Eddie Johnson lined up for the U.S. that day, Johnson putting the U.S. in the lead with a penalty kick conversion in the ninth minute.
* The U.S. is playing their final match at Giants Stadium, which will be closed later this year. The team is 4-2-1 lifetime in East Rutherford, compiling a 3-0-1 record since 1990 that includes three shutouts. The largest attendance for a U.S. match at the stadium was on June 11, 2000, when 45,008 fans witnessed the U.S. produce a 3-0 dismantling of Mexico. Last time out, the U.S. needed penalty kicks to defeat Panama on June 24, 2007, in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final.
* In the past 12 months, the U.S. has played on four different continents (Africa, Europe, North America, and South America), played five times in Europe, competed in two major international tournaments, and won three straight road matches for the first time in team history.
* This is the 11th time the U.S. MNT will face the top-ranked team in the world since the FIFA rankings started in 1993. The first two were against Germany in 1993, with the other eight all against Brazil, including the last meeting on July 23, 2003, in Miami, Fla. (a 2-1 loss).
DONOVAN SET TO JOIN THE CENTURY CLUB: Should Landon Donovan play in the match against Argentina, he will add another remarkable statistic to his already impressive international résumé by becoming the fourth youngest male player of all-time to earn 100 caps. Only 10 other U.S. players have achieved that mark, with Kasey Keller being the most recent player to reach 100 appearances when he minded the net during last year’s Gold Cup semifinal victory against Canada. Cobi Jones remains the USA’s all-time capwinner with 164 appearances – still good for fourth most in the world - while Marcelo Balboa holds the distinction of become the first U.S. player, either male or female, to join the century club.
Youngest 100 Cap Winners
Name Nationality Birthdate 100th Cap
1. Cha Bum-Kun South Korea 5/22/1953 10/9/1977
2. Sami Al-Jaber Saudi Arabia 12/11/1972 5/27/1998
3. Mohammed Al-Khilaiwi Saudi Arabia 5/24/1971 9/27/1998
4. Cobi Jones USA 6/16/1970 2/10/1998
U.S. 100 Cap Winners
Name Caps Goals (SO) Era
1. Cobi Jones 164 15 1992-2004
2. Jeff Agoos 134 4 1988-2003
3. Marcelo Balboa 128 13 1988-2000
4. Claudio Reyna 112 8 1994-2006
5. Paul Caligiuri 110 5 1984-1998
6. Eric Wynalda 106 34 1990-2000
7. Kasey Keller 102 (47) 1990-
8. Earnie Stewart 101 17 1988-2006
9. Tony Meola 100 (32) 1988-2006
10. Joe-Max Moore 100 24 1992-2002
LANDON TOPS THE U.S. SCORING CHARTS: Landon has already recorded his name in the record books once this year, reaching the summit of the USA’s all-time goalscoring list. His game-winner in the 2-0 victory against Sweden on January 20 increased his career total to 35 goals in international play, pushing him past Eric Wynalda for the all-time lead. “I wouldn’t classify it as important but it’s something that I’m very proud of,” said Donovan of the record. “More so than scoring goals, being part of the team for a long time it’s something I’m proud of. For me, the most important part of any game is helping the team get a victory.” To view all 35 of Landon’s goals, click here.
AND MLS, WHILE HE’S AT IT: Donovan is also lighting it up in MLS, currently leading the league in both goals (9) and assists (6). Former U.S. international Roy Lassiter holds the record for most goals in a season with 27, a mark he achieved in 1996 with the Tampa Bay Mutiny. The assists record is held by three-time World Cup veteran Carlos Valderrama. The Colombian tallied 26 assists in 2000, also with the Mutiny. In the 13-year history of MLS, no player has simultaneously finished atop both the goals and assists charts.
KELLER GETTING CREDIT: Four-time World Cup veteran Kasey Keller will be recognized prior to the Argentina match to honor the achievement of reaching 100 caps. Currently with 102 appearances to his credit, this is the first match on U.S. soil that Keller has been available to be recognized since reaching the milestone in the USA’s 2-1 win against Canada on June 21, 2007, in the semifinal of the Gold Cup. The USA’s all-time leader for goalkeepers in wins, shutouts, and World Cup qualifying appearances is also the only three-time winner of U.S. Soccer’s Male Athlete of the Year award. Coincidentally, Keller was in goal for both of the USA’s victories against Argentina.
SERIOUS FREQUENT FLIER MILES: Brad Guzan has logged some serious frequent flier miles over the past couple of weeks, appearing in both of the USA's games in Europe without missing a beat for his club team. Guzan went the full 90 for Chivas in a 2-1 road loss to Colorado on May 24, hopped a plane for London and played 45 minutes for the MNT three days later. He then made the Transatlantic flight back to Los Angeles for Chivas USA's 2-0 win against Columbus on May 31, and then boarded another plane bound for Santander where he met up with the group and played another 45 minutes against Spain on June 4. Hours after the Spain game, Guzan completed this leg of the journey of more than 20,000 miles when he arrived in New York at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 5, and played 90 minutes against the Red Bulls that night. In what was surely a relief for the net minder, he gets to stay in New York for the USA's game against Argentina on Sunday before making his way back to Los Angeles on Monday ahead of his team's home game against Chicago on Thursday night.
DAMARCUS DOES ‘THE DOUBLE’: DaMarcus Beasley returned to the Rangers' starting lineup for the first time since November and made his return in style, playing a vital role in the Glasgow club's 3-2 victory against Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup Final on May 24 at Hampden Park. Beasley drew the foul that set up the first goal, then tallied a strike of his own to double Rangers' lead. Queen of the South fought back to tie the game, but Beasley helped write the final chapter by sending a corner kick in the direction of Kris Boyd, who fired home the winner for Rangers. The victory gave Rangers their second piece of silverware in 2008 after Walter Smith's side hoisted the League Cup in March.
NOT THE ONLY CHAMPION: Along with Beasley, two other U.S. internationals hoisted trophies in Europe this year. Oguchi Onyewu helped Standard de Liege to their first Belgian League championship in 25 years and a place in next season’s Champions League. In Denmark, defender Danny Califf captained Aalborg to their third-ever league title and the club’s first since 1999. The team tore through the Superligaen, collecting the fourth-most points in league history while setting club records for points, goals and away victories.
TEXT TO WIN: Just like Andros Limon, you’re a U.S. Soccer fan. Unlike Andros Limon, you’re probably not going to the USA-Argentina match at Giants Stadium for free after winning an Ultimate VIP Fan Experience ticket. So, what exactly did your normal, every day U.S. Soccer fan do to earn this fantastic prize? He did something you probably do every day – he sent a text message. Andros was the lucky winner in U.S. Soccer’s “Text to Win” contest, where fans simply text the word “SOCCER” for U.S. Soccer mobile alerts. He’ll travel to the match for free, get two premium tickets, a customized jersey, passes to the pre-match hospitality area, field passes to watch the game and much more. You could be the next winner, so keep an eye our for the next “Text to Win” contest on ussoccer.com.
MATCH MEMORIES: U.S. Soccer is now providing fans with the opportunity to capture, collect and share their unique National Team game experiences. Through a partnership with Panraven, fans can take photos and videos from National Team games and create online and hardbound scrap books that can be shared with family and friends. The free service allows you to customize and create a rich multimedia journal to display and preserve all your favorite U.S. Soccer memories. Check it out here.
IN FOCUS: USA-ARGENTINA
#1 IN THE WORLD: Alfio Basile's highly rated Argentina side comes into Sunday's game ranked number one in the world, a position it has held since late last year. With the Clausura winding down in Argentina, Basile has called in a squad consisting only of European based players for the game against the United States. There are three members of Italian Serie A champions Internazionale - Javier Zanetti, Julio Cruz and Nicolás Burdisso. The bulk of the roster comes from La Liga in Spain, with Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid's Sergio Agüero headlining the list.
Argentina Squad vs. United States
GOALKEEPERS (2): Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe), Oscar Ustari (Getafe)
DEFENDERS (8): Nicolás Burdisso (Inter Milan), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna), Martín Demichelis (Bayern Munich), Jonás Gutiérrez (Mallorca), Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid), Gonzalo Rodríguez (Villarreal), Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol), Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Éver Banega (Valencia), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Maximiliano Rodríguez (Atléico Madrid), José Sosa (Bayern Munich)
FORWARDS (5): Fernando Cavenaghi (Bordeaux), Julio Cruz (Inter Milan), Sergio Agüero (Atlético Madrid), Lisandro López (Porto), Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
TUNING UP MEXICO: Argentina tuned up for Sunday's match against the United States by thrashing Mexico 4-1 in front of 68,498 fans at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Argentines outclassed the Mexicans, jumping out to a 3-0 halftime lead courtesy of goals from Nicolás Burdisso, Lionel Messi and Maxi Rodríguez. Though Mexico pulled a goal back through Antonio Naelson, it was always going to be a consolation strike, and Argentina strolled to a comfortable victory. With incoming Mexico manager Sven-Goran Eriksson looking on from the stands, Sergio Agüero added to Argentina's lead late on to secure a 4-1 scoreline.
PABLO PUMPED UP: While no one needs any extra incentive to get motivated to play Argentina, there’s no one more psyched for the matchup than Pablo Mastroeni. Born in Mendoza, Argentina, he moved to Phoenix at the age of four and became a U.S. citizen in 2001. A member of the 2002 and 2006 World Cup teams, Mastroeni made his first appearance of 2008 for the U.S. in the 1-0 loss to Spain in Santander, having arrived in Spain just over 24 hours before kickoff. Pablo has faced his native country once before, starting in the USA’s 1-0 to Argentina on Feb. 8, 2003, in Miami.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: Including DeMerit, Johnson, and Mastroeni, a total of eight players have previous experience against Argentina. Six players were on the field in February of 2003, while Eddie Lewis is the only active player to have tasted victory against the world’s current top-ranked team. He started in the 1-0 victory on June 13, 1999, in Washington, D.C., giving way to substitute Joe Max-Moore who scored the game’s only goal. The breakdown:
Date Venue Result U.S. Players
June 13, 1999 Washington, D.C. 1-0 W Eddie Lewis
Feb. 8, 2003 Miami, Florida 0-1 L DaMarcus Beasley, Danny Califf, Landon
Donovan, Tim Howard, Pablo Mastroeni
June 28, 2007 Maracaibo, Venezuela 1-4 L Jay DeMerit, Eddie Johnson
THE BIG ONE: Argentina is in the United States as part of preparations for CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying, which resumes later this month. The marathon qualifying tournament began last year in South America, and was the first region to start the road to the 2020 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Currently in second place after four matches, Argentina hosts Ecuador in Buenos Aires on June 15, before traveling to face regional rival Brazil on June 18 in Belo Horizonte. The meeting between the two world powerhouses will be the first since Brazil’s 3-0 victory in the 2007 Copa America Final in Maracaibo, Venezuela.
CONEMBOL World Cup Qualifying Standings
Round 1
1. Paraguay 4 3 1 0 9 1 10
2. Argentina 4 3 0 1 8 2 9
3. Brazil 4 2 2 0 8 2 8
4. Colombia 4 2 2 0 3 1 8
5. Venezuela 4 2 0 2 6 6 6
6. Uruguay 4 1 1 2 8 5 4
7. Chile 4 1 1 2 4 7 4
8. Ecuador 4 1 0 3 6 12 3
9. Peru 4 0 2 2 2 8 2
10. Bolivia 4 0 1 3 3 13 1
AND THEN THE GAMES THAT MATTER: For all the hype and challenge of the trio of friendlies, they merely set the table for the most important matches of the year to date. The U.S. opens qualifying play for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in a Second Round series with Barbados that begins Sunday, June 15, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. (tickets). Kickoff for the first leg of the series is set for 2 p.m. PT, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Galavision. The second leg will be played on June 22 in Barbados, with details still to be finalized. Barbados will warm up with two friendlies on June 6 and June 9 away to Bermuda. Their hosts have also earned their way into the second round of qualifying where they will take on Trinidad & Tobago.
LAST TIME...
On the field for the USA
June 4, 2008 – Estadio El Sardinero, Santander, Spain – International Friendly
Spain 1 Xavi 79’
USA 0
ESP: 1-Iker Casillas (Capt.); 11-Joan Capdevila (3-Fernando Navarro, 53), 4-Carlos Marchena, 5-Carlos Puyol, 15-Sergio Ramos; 12-Santi Cazorla, 8-Xavi Hernandez, 14-Xabi Alonso (19-Marcos Senna, 46), 21-David Silva (22-Ruben De La Red, 58); 9-Fernando Torres (17-Daniel Güiza, 46), 10-Cesc Fabregas (18-Álvaro Arbeloa, 84)
Head Coach: Luis Aragones
USA: 1-Tim Howard (18-Brad Guzan, 46); 6-Steve Cherundolo (5-Frankie Hejduk, 46), 22-Oguchi Onyewu, 3-Carlos Bocanegra (Capt.), 12-Heath Pearce; 8-Clint Dempsey (25-Pablo Mastroeni, 86), 26-Maurice Edu, 4-Michael Bradley, 11-Eddie Lewis (16-Josh Wolff, 70); 9-Eddie Johnson, 19-Freddy Adu (7-DaMarcus Beasley, 46)
Head Coach: Bob Bradley
On the field for Argentina
June 4, 2008 – Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California – International Friendly
Argentina 4 Nicolás Burdisso 11', Lionel Messi 17', Maxi Rodríguez 29', Sergio Agüero 71'
Mexico 1 Antonio Naelson 61'
ARG: 1-Roberto Abbondanzieri; 8-Javier Zanetti (Capt.), 2- Martín Demichelis, 22- Fabricio Coloccini. 4-Nicolás Burdisso; 7-Maxi Rodríguez (16-Jonás Gutiérrez, 73), 5-Fernando Gago (15-Ever Banega, 78), 14-Javier Mascherano, 18-Lionel Messi (Lisandro López, 84); 9-Julio Cruz (20-Fernando Cavenaghi, 60), 11-Sergio Agüero (17-José Sosa, 84)
Head Coach: Alfio Basile
MEX: 1-Oswaldo Sánchez; 5-Ricardo Osorio (Capt.), 2-Jonny Magallón, 3-Carlos Salcido (15-Fernando Arce, 60); 6.- Gerardo Torrado (14-Gonzalo Pineda, 73); 11-Carlos Vela, 7-Antonio Naelson 8-Luis Pérez (9-Jared Borgetti, 66), 16-Sergio Amaury Ponce (4-Aarón Galindo, 46), 18-Andrés Guardado (20-Adrián Aldrete, 56); 21-Sergio Santana (10-Cesar Villaluz, 46)
Head Coach: Jesús Ramírez
Vs. Argentina
June 28, 2007 – Estadio Juan Panchencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela – 2007 Copa America
USA 1 Eddie Johnson 9’ pen
Argentina 4 Hernan Crespo 11’, 64’; Pablo Aimar 78’, Carlos Tevez 85’
USA: 18-Kasey Keller (capt.); 2-Marvell Wynne, 3-Jay DeMerit, 12-Jimmy Conrad, 13-Jonathan Bornstein; 5-Benny Feilhaber, 19-Ricardo Clark (17-Kyle Beckerman, 79), 14-Ben Olsen (11-Eddie Gaven, 62), 21-Justin Mapp; 20-Taylor Twellman (8-Herculez Gomez, 69), 9-Eddie Johnson
Head Coach: Bob Bradley
ARG: 1-Robert Abbondanzieri; 8-Javier Zanetti, 2-Robert Ayala (capt.), 15-Gabriel Milito, 6-Gabriel Heinze; 14-Javier Mascherano, 20-Juan Sebastian Veron, 19-Esteban Cambiasso (16-Pablo Aimar, 58), 10-Juan Roman Riquelme; 18-Lionel Messi (11-Carlos Tevez, 79), 9-Hernan Crespo
Head Coach: Alfio Basile
QUICK HITS
* The U.S. group arrived into New Jersey on Thursday evening after a 21-hour trip from Santander.
* Kenny Cooper, Landon Donovan, Drew Moor and Sacha Kljestan are the four additions to the roster from the England match, while Carlos Bocanegra, Nate Jaqua and Josh Wolff were released. Bocanegra and Wolff were excused for family commitments. Cooper and Moor were added late, arriving on Saturday and bringing the roster to 21.
* The U.S. is 2-2-1 in 2008, with seven goals scored and five surrendered.
* Bob Bradley has used 37 different players through five matches this year and deployed five different lineups.
* Overall, the U.S. is 14-7-2 since Bradley took over in January of 2007, winning the Gold Cup last July and earning a place in the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa.
* Landon Donovan became the U.S. all-time leading scorer earlier this year when he netted a penalty against Sweden on Jan. 19 to take his career tally to 35 goals. Netting the game-winner in front of his home fans at The Home Depot Center, the 26-year-old surpassed Eric Wynalda to grab sole possession of the top spot. Re-live all of Donovan’s 35 goals with ussoccer.com’s interactive video chart.
* On the current roster, defender Michael Bradley and Oguchi Onyewu are tied for the team lead in minutes played in 2008, each registering 332 minutes over four matches. Onyewu’s goals in back-to-back matches against Mexico and Poland are good for the team lead this year.
* The U.S. has played top-ranked Argentina eight times in their history, holding a lifetime record of 2-6-0 against the South American juggernaut. Of those eight matches, only three have been played in the United States, with the other five taking place in neutral sites. The two U.S. victories include a 3-0 upset of the defending champions in the group phase of the 1995 Copa America, and a 1-0 win in 1999 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., when a Joe-Max Moore goal was the difference.
* The team’s last met during the 2007 Copa America, a young U.S. side hanging with Argentina for 60 minutes before falling 4-1 on June 28, 2007 in Maracaibo, Venezuela.
* Both Jay DeMerit and Eddie Johnson lined up for the U.S. that day, Johnson putting the U.S. in the lead with a penalty kick conversion in the ninth minute.
* The U.S. is playing their final match at Giants Stadium, which will be closed later this year. The team is 4-2-1 lifetime in East Rutherford, compiling a 3-0-1 record since 1990 that includes three shutouts. The largest attendance for a U.S. match at the stadium was on June 11, 2000, when 45,008 fans witnessed the U.S. produce a 3-0 dismantling of Mexico. Last time out, the U.S. needed penalty kicks to defeat Panama on June 24, 2007, in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final.
* In the past 12 months, the U.S. has played on four different continents (Africa, Europe, North America, and South America), played five times in Europe, competed in two major international tournaments, and won three straight road matches for the first time in team history.
* This is the 11th time the U.S. MNT will face the top-ranked team in the world since the FIFA rankings started in 1993. The first two were against Germany in 1993, with the other eight all against Brazil, including the last meeting on July 23, 2003, in Miami, Fla. (a 2-1 loss).
DONOVAN SET TO JOIN THE CENTURY CLUB: Should Landon Donovan play in the match against Argentina, he will add another remarkable statistic to his already impressive international résumé by becoming the fourth youngest male player of all-time to earn 100 caps. Only 10 other U.S. players have achieved that mark, with Kasey Keller being the most recent player to reach 100 appearances when he minded the net during last year’s Gold Cup semifinal victory against Canada. Cobi Jones remains the USA’s all-time capwinner with 164 appearances – still good for fourth most in the world - while Marcelo Balboa holds the distinction of become the first U.S. player, either male or female, to join the century club.
Youngest 100 Cap Winners
Name Nationality Birthdate 100th Cap
1. Cha Bum-Kun South Korea 5/22/1953 10/9/1977
2. Sami Al-Jaber Saudi Arabia 12/11/1972 5/27/1998
3. Mohammed Al-Khilaiwi Saudi Arabia 5/24/1971 9/27/1998
4. Cobi Jones USA 6/16/1970 2/10/1998
U.S. 100 Cap Winners
Name Caps Goals (SO) Era
1. Cobi Jones 164 15 1992-2004
2. Jeff Agoos 134 4 1988-2003
3. Marcelo Balboa 128 13 1988-2000
4. Claudio Reyna 112 8 1994-2006
5. Paul Caligiuri 110 5 1984-1998
6. Eric Wynalda 106 34 1990-2000
7. Kasey Keller 102 (47) 1990-
8. Earnie Stewart 101 17 1988-2006
9. Tony Meola 100 (32) 1988-2006
10. Joe-Max Moore 100 24 1992-2002
LANDON TOPS THE U.S. SCORING CHARTS: Landon has already recorded his name in the record books once this year, reaching the summit of the USA’s all-time goalscoring list. His game-winner in the 2-0 victory against Sweden on January 20 increased his career total to 35 goals in international play, pushing him past Eric Wynalda for the all-time lead. “I wouldn’t classify it as important but it’s something that I’m very proud of,” said Donovan of the record. “More so than scoring goals, being part of the team for a long time it’s something I’m proud of. For me, the most important part of any game is helping the team get a victory.” To view all 35 of Landon’s goals, click here.
AND MLS, WHILE HE’S AT IT: Donovan is also lighting it up in MLS, currently leading the league in both goals (9) and assists (6). Former U.S. international Roy Lassiter holds the record for most goals in a season with 27, a mark he achieved in 1996 with the Tampa Bay Mutiny. The assists record is held by three-time World Cup veteran Carlos Valderrama. The Colombian tallied 26 assists in 2000, also with the Mutiny. In the 13-year history of MLS, no player has simultaneously finished atop both the goals and assists charts.
KELLER GETTING CREDIT: Four-time World Cup veteran Kasey Keller will be recognized prior to the Argentina match to honor the achievement of reaching 100 caps. Currently with 102 appearances to his credit, this is the first match on U.S. soil that Keller has been available to be recognized since reaching the milestone in the USA’s 2-1 win against Canada on June 21, 2007, in the semifinal of the Gold Cup. The USA’s all-time leader for goalkeepers in wins, shutouts, and World Cup qualifying appearances is also the only three-time winner of U.S. Soccer’s Male Athlete of the Year award. Coincidentally, Keller was in goal for both of the USA’s victories against Argentina.
SERIOUS FREQUENT FLIER MILES: Brad Guzan has logged some serious frequent flier miles over the past couple of weeks, appearing in both of the USA's games in Europe without missing a beat for his club team. Guzan went the full 90 for Chivas in a 2-1 road loss to Colorado on May 24, hopped a plane for London and played 45 minutes for the MNT three days later. He then made the Transatlantic flight back to Los Angeles for Chivas USA's 2-0 win against Columbus on May 31, and then boarded another plane bound for Santander where he met up with the group and played another 45 minutes against Spain on June 4. Hours after the Spain game, Guzan completed this leg of the journey of more than 20,000 miles when he arrived in New York at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 5, and played 90 minutes against the Red Bulls that night. In what was surely a relief for the net minder, he gets to stay in New York for the USA's game against Argentina on Sunday before making his way back to Los Angeles on Monday ahead of his team's home game against Chicago on Thursday night.
DAMARCUS DOES ‘THE DOUBLE’: DaMarcus Beasley returned to the Rangers' starting lineup for the first time since November and made his return in style, playing a vital role in the Glasgow club's 3-2 victory against Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup Final on May 24 at Hampden Park. Beasley drew the foul that set up the first goal, then tallied a strike of his own to double Rangers' lead. Queen of the South fought back to tie the game, but Beasley helped write the final chapter by sending a corner kick in the direction of Kris Boyd, who fired home the winner for Rangers. The victory gave Rangers their second piece of silverware in 2008 after Walter Smith's side hoisted the League Cup in March.
NOT THE ONLY CHAMPION: Along with Beasley, two other U.S. internationals hoisted trophies in Europe this year. Oguchi Onyewu helped Standard de Liege to their first Belgian League championship in 25 years and a place in next season’s Champions League. In Denmark, defender Danny Califf captained Aalborg to their third-ever league title and the club’s first since 1999. The team tore through the Superligaen, collecting the fourth-most points in league history while setting club records for points, goals and away victories.
TEXT TO WIN: Just like Andros Limon, you’re a U.S. Soccer fan. Unlike Andros Limon, you’re probably not going to the USA-Argentina match at Giants Stadium for free after winning an Ultimate VIP Fan Experience ticket. So, what exactly did your normal, every day U.S. Soccer fan do to earn this fantastic prize? He did something you probably do every day – he sent a text message. Andros was the lucky winner in U.S. Soccer’s “Text to Win” contest, where fans simply text the word “SOCCER” for U.S. Soccer mobile alerts. He’ll travel to the match for free, get two premium tickets, a customized jersey, passes to the pre-match hospitality area, field passes to watch the game and much more. You could be the next winner, so keep an eye our for the next “Text to Win” contest on ussoccer.com.
MATCH MEMORIES: U.S. Soccer is now providing fans with the opportunity to capture, collect and share their unique National Team game experiences. Through a partnership with Panraven, fans can take photos and videos from National Team games and create online and hardbound scrap books that can be shared with family and friends. The free service allows you to customize and create a rich multimedia journal to display and preserve all your favorite U.S. Soccer memories. Check it out here.
IN FOCUS: USA-ARGENTINA
#1 IN THE WORLD: Alfio Basile's highly rated Argentina side comes into Sunday's game ranked number one in the world, a position it has held since late last year. With the Clausura winding down in Argentina, Basile has called in a squad consisting only of European based players for the game against the United States. There are three members of Italian Serie A champions Internazionale - Javier Zanetti, Julio Cruz and Nicolás Burdisso. The bulk of the roster comes from La Liga in Spain, with Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid's Sergio Agüero headlining the list.
Argentina Squad vs. United States
GOALKEEPERS (2): Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe), Oscar Ustari (Getafe)
DEFENDERS (8): Nicolás Burdisso (Inter Milan), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna), Martín Demichelis (Bayern Munich), Jonás Gutiérrez (Mallorca), Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid), Gonzalo Rodríguez (Villarreal), Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol), Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Éver Banega (Valencia), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Maximiliano Rodríguez (Atléico Madrid), José Sosa (Bayern Munich)
FORWARDS (5): Fernando Cavenaghi (Bordeaux), Julio Cruz (Inter Milan), Sergio Agüero (Atlético Madrid), Lisandro López (Porto), Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
TUNING UP MEXICO: Argentina tuned up for Sunday's match against the United States by thrashing Mexico 4-1 in front of 68,498 fans at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Argentines outclassed the Mexicans, jumping out to a 3-0 halftime lead courtesy of goals from Nicolás Burdisso, Lionel Messi and Maxi Rodríguez. Though Mexico pulled a goal back through Antonio Naelson, it was always going to be a consolation strike, and Argentina strolled to a comfortable victory. With incoming Mexico manager Sven-Goran Eriksson looking on from the stands, Sergio Agüero added to Argentina's lead late on to secure a 4-1 scoreline.
PABLO PUMPED UP: While no one needs any extra incentive to get motivated to play Argentina, there’s no one more psyched for the matchup than Pablo Mastroeni. Born in Mendoza, Argentina, he moved to Phoenix at the age of four and became a U.S. citizen in 2001. A member of the 2002 and 2006 World Cup teams, Mastroeni made his first appearance of 2008 for the U.S. in the 1-0 loss to Spain in Santander, having arrived in Spain just over 24 hours before kickoff. Pablo has faced his native country once before, starting in the USA’s 1-0 to Argentina on Feb. 8, 2003, in Miami.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: Including DeMerit, Johnson, and Mastroeni, a total of eight players have previous experience against Argentina. Six players were on the field in February of 2003, while Eddie Lewis is the only active player to have tasted victory against the world’s current top-ranked team. He started in the 1-0 victory on June 13, 1999, in Washington, D.C., giving way to substitute Joe Max-Moore who scored the game’s only goal. The breakdown:
Date Venue Result U.S. Players
June 13, 1999 Washington, D.C. 1-0 W Eddie Lewis
Feb. 8, 2003 Miami, Florida 0-1 L DaMarcus Beasley, Danny Califf, Landon
Donovan, Tim Howard, Pablo Mastroeni
June 28, 2007 Maracaibo, Venezuela 1-4 L Jay DeMerit, Eddie Johnson
THE BIG ONE: Argentina is in the United States as part of preparations for CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying, which resumes later this month. The marathon qualifying tournament began last year in South America, and was the first region to start the road to the 2020 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Currently in second place after four matches, Argentina hosts Ecuador in Buenos Aires on June 15, before traveling to face regional rival Brazil on June 18 in Belo Horizonte. The meeting between the two world powerhouses will be the first since Brazil’s 3-0 victory in the 2007 Copa America Final in Maracaibo, Venezuela.
CONEMBOL World Cup Qualifying Standings
Round 1
1. Paraguay 4 3 1 0 9 1 10
2. Argentina 4 3 0 1 8 2 9
3. Brazil 4 2 2 0 8 2 8
4. Colombia 4 2 2 0 3 1 8
5. Venezuela 4 2 0 2 6 6 6
6. Uruguay 4 1 1 2 8 5 4
7. Chile 4 1 1 2 4 7 4
8. Ecuador 4 1 0 3 6 12 3
9. Peru 4 0 2 2 2 8 2
10. Bolivia 4 0 1 3 3 13 1
AND THEN THE GAMES THAT MATTER: For all the hype and challenge of the trio of friendlies, they merely set the table for the most important matches of the year to date. The U.S. opens qualifying play for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in a Second Round series with Barbados that begins Sunday, June 15, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. (tickets). Kickoff for the first leg of the series is set for 2 p.m. PT, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Galavision. The second leg will be played on June 22 in Barbados, with details still to be finalized. Barbados will warm up with two friendlies on June 6 and June 9 away to Bermuda. Their hosts have also earned their way into the second round of qualifying where they will take on Trinidad & Tobago.
LAST TIME...
On the field for the USA
June 4, 2008 – Estadio El Sardinero, Santander, Spain – International Friendly
Spain 1 Xavi 79’
USA 0
ESP: 1-Iker Casillas (Capt.); 11-Joan Capdevila (3-Fernando Navarro, 53), 4-Carlos Marchena, 5-Carlos Puyol, 15-Sergio Ramos; 12-Santi Cazorla, 8-Xavi Hernandez, 14-Xabi Alonso (19-Marcos Senna, 46), 21-David Silva (22-Ruben De La Red, 58); 9-Fernando Torres (17-Daniel Güiza, 46), 10-Cesc Fabregas (18-Álvaro Arbeloa, 84)
Head Coach: Luis Aragones
USA: 1-Tim Howard (18-Brad Guzan, 46); 6-Steve Cherundolo (5-Frankie Hejduk, 46), 22-Oguchi Onyewu, 3-Carlos Bocanegra (Capt.), 12-Heath Pearce; 8-Clint Dempsey (25-Pablo Mastroeni, 86), 26-Maurice Edu, 4-Michael Bradley, 11-Eddie Lewis (16-Josh Wolff, 70); 9-Eddie Johnson, 19-Freddy Adu (7-DaMarcus Beasley, 46)
Head Coach: Bob Bradley
On the field for Argentina
June 4, 2008 – Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California – International Friendly
Argentina 4 Nicolás Burdisso 11', Lionel Messi 17', Maxi Rodríguez 29', Sergio Agüero 71'
Mexico 1 Antonio Naelson 61'
ARG: 1-Roberto Abbondanzieri; 8-Javier Zanetti (Capt.), 2- Martín Demichelis, 22- Fabricio Coloccini. 4-Nicolás Burdisso; 7-Maxi Rodríguez (16-Jonás Gutiérrez, 73), 5-Fernando Gago (15-Ever Banega, 78), 14-Javier Mascherano, 18-Lionel Messi (Lisandro López, 84); 9-Julio Cruz (20-Fernando Cavenaghi, 60), 11-Sergio Agüero (17-José Sosa, 84)
Head Coach: Alfio Basile
MEX: 1-Oswaldo Sánchez; 5-Ricardo Osorio (Capt.), 2-Jonny Magallón, 3-Carlos Salcido (15-Fernando Arce, 60); 6.- Gerardo Torrado (14-Gonzalo Pineda, 73); 11-Carlos Vela, 7-Antonio Naelson 8-Luis Pérez (9-Jared Borgetti, 66), 16-Sergio Amaury Ponce (4-Aarón Galindo, 46), 18-Andrés Guardado (20-Adrián Aldrete, 56); 21-Sergio Santana (10-Cesar Villaluz, 46)
Head Coach: Jesús Ramírez
Vs. Argentina
June 28, 2007 – Estadio Juan Panchencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela – 2007 Copa America
USA 1 Eddie Johnson 9’ pen
Argentina 4 Hernan Crespo 11’, 64’; Pablo Aimar 78’, Carlos Tevez 85’
USA: 18-Kasey Keller (capt.); 2-Marvell Wynne, 3-Jay DeMerit, 12-Jimmy Conrad, 13-Jonathan Bornstein; 5-Benny Feilhaber, 19-Ricardo Clark (17-Kyle Beckerman, 79), 14-Ben Olsen (11-Eddie Gaven, 62), 21-Justin Mapp; 20-Taylor Twellman (8-Herculez Gomez, 69), 9-Eddie Johnson
Head Coach: Bob Bradley
ARG: 1-Robert Abbondanzieri; 8-Javier Zanetti, 2-Robert Ayala (capt.), 15-Gabriel Milito, 6-Gabriel Heinze; 14-Javier Mascherano, 20-Juan Sebastian Veron, 19-Esteban Cambiasso (16-Pablo Aimar, 58), 10-Juan Roman Riquelme; 18-Lionel Messi (11-Carlos Tevez, 79), 9-Hernan Crespo
Head Coach: Alfio Basile
México vs. Perú en amistoso
Eriksson volverá a estar en la tribuna
CHICAGO - Luego de la derrota por 4-1 que le propinó Argentina el pasado miércoles en San Diego, la selección mexicana enfrentará este domingo en el Soldier Field a Perú, que en el papel luce más modesta y se le puede ganar.
Último partido previo a eliminatoria mundialista
Este será el segundo encuentro de preparación del Tricolor prvio a su arranque en la ronda eliminatoria de la Concacaf hacia la Copa del Mundo Sudáfrica 2010, en partidos contra Belice, el día 15 en Houston, Texas, y el 21 en Monterrey.
Argentina goleó a México en San Diego
El 17 de abril, el técnico Jesús Ramírez tuvo en Seattle un triunfal debut como interino tras la salida de Hugo Sánchez con voctoria 1-0 sobre un combinado de China con más jóvenes que elementos de talla internacional, además de que ese país no goza de un alto nivel competitivo en este deporte.
Pero el "mazazo" al trabajo de Chuy se registró el pasado miércoles en San Diego, California, donde un poderoso cuadro argentino se impuso 4-1 con tantos de Nicolás Burdisso, Lionel Messi, Maxi Rodríguez y Sergio "Kun" Agüero, mientras Antonio Naelson "Sinha" hizo el descuento.
Varios factores incidieron en el mal resultado de los tricolores, como el hecho del poco tiempo que tuvieron para trabajar juntos y por consiguiente la falta de coordinación, sobre todo en la defensiva, mientras que en el ataque es obvio que en México faltan goleadores.
Y otro, y definitivo, es el poderoso equipo que ha formado el técnico de Argentina, Alfio Basile, de cara a la reanudación de la eliminatoria mundialista, para recibir el próximo 15 a la representación de Ecuador.
Sin embargo, pese a las desventajas, Chucho Ramírez imprime un sello de fútbol abierto, vertical, alegre y cerca estuvo de tener un marcador diferente ante los albicelestes, por eso será difícil que cambie su estilo de juego ante los peruanos.
Aunque tampoco va ser un partido fácil, lo cierto es que el conjunto "inca" no es tan poderoso como el argentino y por eso Ramírez y compañía tienen más facilidades de obtener un resultado positivo de cara a la eliminatoria.
Su contraparte, José del Solar, tiene bien claro que "a quien tenemos que ganar es a Colombia. No me preocupo mucho por México, y no es que le dé poca importancia al partido, sino que me importa más cómo llegamos ante Colombia".
Perú reanuda la eliminatoria el próximo sábado ante el visitante Colombia y vaya que necesita el triunfo, pues luego de cuatro juegos es penúltimo en la clasificación de 10 participantes.
Para los mexicanos representa llegar bien al arranque de la ronda eliminatoria de la Concacaf, ante una Selección de Belice que en el papel no debe representar mayor problema.
Las selecciones de México y Perú se han enfrentado en 24 ocasiones, de las cuales 10 han sido victorias para los tricolores, ocho para el cuadro inca por seis igualadas.
CHICAGO - Luego de la derrota por 4-1 que le propinó Argentina el pasado miércoles en San Diego, la selección mexicana enfrentará este domingo en el Soldier Field a Perú, que en el papel luce más modesta y se le puede ganar.
Último partido previo a eliminatoria mundialista
Este será el segundo encuentro de preparación del Tricolor prvio a su arranque en la ronda eliminatoria de la Concacaf hacia la Copa del Mundo Sudáfrica 2010, en partidos contra Belice, el día 15 en Houston, Texas, y el 21 en Monterrey.
Argentina goleó a México en San Diego
El 17 de abril, el técnico Jesús Ramírez tuvo en Seattle un triunfal debut como interino tras la salida de Hugo Sánchez con voctoria 1-0 sobre un combinado de China con más jóvenes que elementos de talla internacional, además de que ese país no goza de un alto nivel competitivo en este deporte.
Pero el "mazazo" al trabajo de Chuy se registró el pasado miércoles en San Diego, California, donde un poderoso cuadro argentino se impuso 4-1 con tantos de Nicolás Burdisso, Lionel Messi, Maxi Rodríguez y Sergio "Kun" Agüero, mientras Antonio Naelson "Sinha" hizo el descuento.
Varios factores incidieron en el mal resultado de los tricolores, como el hecho del poco tiempo que tuvieron para trabajar juntos y por consiguiente la falta de coordinación, sobre todo en la defensiva, mientras que en el ataque es obvio que en México faltan goleadores.
Y otro, y definitivo, es el poderoso equipo que ha formado el técnico de Argentina, Alfio Basile, de cara a la reanudación de la eliminatoria mundialista, para recibir el próximo 15 a la representación de Ecuador.
Sin embargo, pese a las desventajas, Chucho Ramírez imprime un sello de fútbol abierto, vertical, alegre y cerca estuvo de tener un marcador diferente ante los albicelestes, por eso será difícil que cambie su estilo de juego ante los peruanos.
Aunque tampoco va ser un partido fácil, lo cierto es que el conjunto "inca" no es tan poderoso como el argentino y por eso Ramírez y compañía tienen más facilidades de obtener un resultado positivo de cara a la eliminatoria.
Su contraparte, José del Solar, tiene bien claro que "a quien tenemos que ganar es a Colombia. No me preocupo mucho por México, y no es que le dé poca importancia al partido, sino que me importa más cómo llegamos ante Colombia".
Perú reanuda la eliminatoria el próximo sábado ante el visitante Colombia y vaya que necesita el triunfo, pues luego de cuatro juegos es penúltimo en la clasificación de 10 participantes.
Para los mexicanos representa llegar bien al arranque de la ronda eliminatoria de la Concacaf, ante una Selección de Belice que en el papel no debe representar mayor problema.
Las selecciones de México y Perú se han enfrentado en 24 ocasiones, de las cuales 10 han sido victorias para los tricolores, ocho para el cuadro inca por seis igualadas.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Friday, June 6, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Por que no jugar futbol con el Wii Fit de NINTENDO
Por que no jugar futbol con el Wii Fit de NINTENDO
BUENA OPCIÓN...
BUENA OPCIÓN...
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