23
May

Liga MX Liguilla: Cruz Azul take 1-0 lead over Club America

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Photo: Getty Images

By Kyle McCarthy

Cruz Azul claimed a 1-0 victory over bitter rivals Club América in the first leg of the Liguilla final on Thursday night, but the modest margin between the teams leaves both sides with a chance to lift the trophy.

Both sides failed to hit their best in a bland affair hindered by the rainy and slippery conditions at Estadio Azul and tempered by the looming second leg at Estadio Azteca on Sunday night.

América manager Miguel Herrera played his part in removing some of the excitement by naming a conservative side (the usual 5-3-2 setup with the now customary pair of holding midfielders) and telling his players to keep the match as narrow as possible inside their own half. The approach worked for the most part with in-form winger Pablo Barrera only a fleeting influence on the proceedings.

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23
May

Copa Libertadores Quarterfinal: Club Tijuana 2, Atletico Mineiro 2

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Photo Credit: Francisco Vega

By Kyle McCarthy

Everything proceeded according to plan for Club Tijuana for the opening hour of the 2-2 home draw with Atlético Mineiro in the first leg of their Copa Libertadores quarterfinal tie.

Xolos manager Antonio Mohamed watched his side expose and unsettle a Mineiro side visibly uncomfortable with the unique task presented at Estadio Caliente. The home side asserted control over the proceedings early in the match (Mohamed’s unexpected switch to a 3-4-3 at the outset and the subsequent return to the normal 4-3-3 after 25 minutes or so helped a great deal) and piled the pressure on the visitors.

It eventually told. Duvier Riascos handed Tijuana a deserved opener after 32 minutes. Fidel Martínez doubled the lead at the back post inside the first 10 minutes at the second half. And the Xolos looked like they would take a comfortable and ultimately necessary advantage to Brazil ahead of the second leg.

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23
May

Hitting the London Scene: Champions League Fever

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Photo: Thomas Hautmann / FOX Soccer

By Thomas Hautmann

The trip to London couldn’t have started any better. I succeeded in getting about two and a half hours of sleep on the flight, which is pretty much a minor miracle when you consider I sat only three seats away from an ominously wide-eyed baby girl who seemed ready to burst into tears at any second. Next there was no wait at the border patrol, and then I was startled to find my suitcase already waiting for me at baggage claim, which never ever happens.

A colleague of mine arrived on the next flight, so we cabbed it together to our hotel in Trafalgar Square. Besides finding constant amusement in the fact we were driving on the other side of the road, we were thoroughly entertained by our cabbie, Warren. While he gave us a “free” tour of all the famous London spots on the way, he also tells us, upon my asking, that he is a huge Millwall supporter and used to get into fights pretty much after every game. No really, straight out of Green Street Hooligans.

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23
May

Joe Hart takes a shot at (American) Football

If this whole world-class goalkeeper thing doesn’t work out for Manchester City keeper Joe Hart, he may have a future at wide receiver.

City is in the United States for their two friendly matches against Chelsea, as well as representing the club new MLS venture New York City FC.

Between their training and public appearances, the club stops by the New York Giants training facilities to visit and got a chance to catch some passes from Super Bowl winning quarterback Eli Manning. Hart, England’s number one keeper in front of goals, shows off some pretty shaky route running, but reaffirms that he has very capable hands. James Milner also makes an appearance by catching a post route pass from Manning and then quickly sees his life flash before his eyes as a Giants player puts himself in position for a tackle.

Here’s a full length video of the visit. Heck, you can even hear some Giants players tell our football heroes, “I play with you all the time in FIFA.”

23
May

Trecker’s Travels, Day Fifteen: Women’s UCL Final

Photo: Jamie Trecker / FOX Soccer

By Jamie Trecker

STAMFORD BRIDGE - There’s no Rafa, but Megan Rapinoe just went down the tunnel, kitted out, like all the Lyon players, in a chic white pantsuit. Lyon came dressed for business.

The women’s Champions League final is here tonight, and while it feels like an afterthought this weekend, there is little doubt that Lyon are taking this game very seriously. The Wolfsburg players came out in sweats and busied themselves by taking pictures and posting them on Instagram. Patrice Lair, Lyon’s non-nonsense coach, was having none of that and took his players into a huddle at the Shed End.

Lyon are wild favorites in this game: they are the back-to-back defending UWCL champions and come in riding a stunning run of form. The scorelines they have posted Europe seem like a bit of a joke: they’ve conceded only two goals while pasting teams 9-1, 11-0, 12-1 and 8-0.  At home, they are 20-0-0 in their league play and have an eye-watering goal difference of +115. Lair’s seriousness may have something to do with that.

And Rapinoe has a chance to make history tonight, becoming the first American to start and win a Champions League medal. Jovan Kirovski has a medal, but he did not start for Dortmund back in 1997; Ali Krieger has a medal, but the Champions League didn’t exist when she suited up for Frankfurt. (Rapinoe was delighted to learn this, joking that she finally has something to tease Krieger about.)

If things break her way, Rapinoe will also beat Neven Subotic, expected to start Saturday for Dortmund, to the punch. Subotic, as you may know, is the former USA U-20 player who was grossly mishandled by the U.S. national team program, and ended up declaring instead for Serbia.

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23
May

Check out this cool teaser video put together by mutd.com promoting a charity match involving former Manchester United and Real Madrid legends, to be played in early June at Old Trafford. Several of United’s past stars are seen gearing up for the big fight, interestingly set to the tune of Monday Night Football.

So who’ll be showing up to this classic? For United, how about Edwin van der Sar, Bryan Robson, Lee Sharpe, Denis Irwin, Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Jaap Stam. How does that sound? Oh yeah, and Paul Scholes will be joining the party as well for one last run-out.

Real Madrid meanwhile, plan to field the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Steve McManaman, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Fernando Redondo, Fernando Hierro and Claude Makelele.

To put it lightly, this should be quite the treat!

23
May

Oh boy.

A referee of a German amateur soccer game confused goalposts in perhaps the most unique officiating gaffe we’ve seen in a long time.

Altona striker Patrick Westermann unleashed an excellent half-volley from 30 yards out, dumbfounding the Marschlande keeper who just managed to palm it away for a corner. Or so he thought. Unfortunately, with the game being played on an (american) football pitch, the ball rebounded off the goal and back into play. Mistaking the yellow upright for the goal’s crossbar, the referee amazingly let the goal stand!

Weird, but a lesson learned.