Soccer By Ives

Gold Cup: USA vs. Grenada (Match Night Commentary)

 

The U.S. men's national team plays its first match since the Confederations Cup as it begins CONCACAF Gold Cup play tonight vs. Grenada.

Most of the U.S. team's top stars are sitting this tournament out, leaving the event as an opportunity for young players to prove they belong, and veterans a chance to show they still have what it takes to contribute to the first team.

Grenada isn't expected to offer up much of a test, not with standouts Shalrie Joseph (injured knee) and Jason Roberts (declined call-up) missing from the squad. With Grenada beatable, and a much tougher test looming on Wednesday, look for Bob Bradley to field a young group tonight.

I will be providing commentary throughout the evening so please feel free to follow the pre-game and in-game action here. As always, you are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action:

MLS Matchday 16: Your Running Commentary

 

Tonight is a U.S. national team match-day, but that isn't stopping Major League Soccer from playing five matches tonight, including three at the same time as the USA-Grenada match. American soccer fans--at least the ones who follow MLS--will be torn between watching their own teams or watching a USA B-Team against an overmatched opponent.

USA-Grenada will get top billing tonight, but for those of you interested in the MLS action, there is plenty to choose from. D.C.-Columbus starts things while Chicago-Colorado is probably the match of the night.

Here is today's schedule:

Tonight's MLS Matches

• D.C. United at Columbus Crew (7pm, ESPN2)

• Chicago Fire at Colorado Rapids (9pm, Direct Kick)

• Houston Dynamo at Kansas City Wizards (9pm, Direct Kick)

• New York Red Bulls at FC Dallas (9pm, Direct Kick)

• New England Revolution at Los Angeles Galaxy (11pm, FSC)

I will be doing a live commentary of the USA-Grenada match, but those of you who will be watching tonight's MLS matches and want to keep up on those matches can do so here. Please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below (I will check in with scoring updates throughout the evening).

Enjoy tonight's action.

Jaqua accused of sexual assult in lawsuit

 

                                        Photo by ISIphotos.com

Seattle Sounders forward Nate Jaqua has been slapped with a civil lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting a college student in Portland two years ago.

The $10 million lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, almost two years to the day when the accuser says Jaqua raped her in a cemetary.

This story first emerged on Thursday on various websites, and SBI was furnished with a copy of the criminal complaint on the same day. We won't get into the graphic details of the complaint (though you can find them elsewhere) but we were waiting for Jaqua to give his side of things, which is presented in the Seattle Times story linked above.

The lawsuit was filed a day ater Jaqua was named MLS player of the week for his two-goal performance in Seattle's 3-1 victory against Colorado. The timing was eerily similar to the timing surrounding a complaint against Seattle forward Fredy Montero, who was named MLS player of the month just before accusations that he stalked and assaulted a woman. Those accusations led to an investigation by Seattle police, but no charges were filed in the case.

Gold Cup Rewind: Costa Rica stunned, Canada wins

 

New Toronto FC signing Ali Gerba helped the Canadian national team kick off the Gold Cup with a 1-0 victory against Jamaica on Friday night in the tournament's first match.

Canada is joined atop Group A by El Salvador, which used a late goal from Osael Romero to knock off Costa Rica, 2-1, in the nightcap at Home Depot Center.

El Salvador faces Canada on Tuesday night at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio with the winner guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals. Jamaica faces Costa Rica in the first match on Tuesday night, with the loser in real jeopardy of being eliminated.

Here are highlights from Friday's matches:

WPS Week 15: A Look Ahead

 

By CHRISTA MANN

 

The Chicago Red Stars opened Week 15 on Wednesday with the league's first-ever come from behind victory.  With three more games on tap for this holiday weekend, let's hope for a few more surprises from some unsuspecting Women's Pro Soccer teams. 

Today, New Jersey's Sky Blue FC will kick things off against the Boston Breakers and the Bay Area's FC Gold Pride returns from a bye week to host the St. Louis Athletica. Sunday features the top rated L.A. Sol in its third and final meeting against the Washington Freedom, so overall there should be some pretty good match-ups.

As Washington approaches Sunday's game, the Freedom looks to not only bounce back from its two previous L.A. losses but to also rebound from a not so fortunate midweek result.

 

Happy 4th of July from SBI

It is the Fourth of July, the day to celebrate our country's independence, as well as to enjoy a holiday.

There is plenty of soccer to watch today between your trips to the beach, the park and the grill, between MLS action and the U.S. national team's opening Gold Cup match against Grenada.

We here at SBI are enjoying the holiday as well, but we will also be bringing you coverage of all the day's soccer action. Be sure to check in throughout the day.

Have a Happy Independence Day.

U.S. going Fourth with Gold Cup opener

 

Photo by ISIphotos.com

BY DYLAN BUTLER

SEATTLE -- Brad Evans has seen his share of special moments at Qwest Field, but hearing the national anthem on the Fourth of July while wearing the U.S. National Team jersey will no doubt be a highlight of his young career.

"It's going to be pretty emotional, for sure," the Seattle Sounders FC standout said. "You just have to soak it in because it's all going to go by in a snap of a finger. Soak it in the best you can and hopefully put out a good performance and get a good result."

That's just what the U.S. is looking to do against Grenada in its first post-Confederations Cup match tonight (9pm, Fox Soccer Channel). The team's magical run to the Confederations Cup final has raised awareness and piqued interest in the team and sport here. Now the United States is looking to build on that performance.

2009 Gold Cup set to kick off

 

The 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup kicks off tonight as 11 teams try to take the crown away from the U.S.national team.

The United States is fresh from its Confederations Cup final appearance and will be fielding a B team in this tournament. It is not alone in that regard, with Mexico also leaving most of its top European players home. Costa Rica, leaders in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, is also missing some players but has a close to full-strength squad, which should make the World Cup Qualifying group leaders the favorite to edge out traditional powers Mexico and USA for the title.

For a good preview of the tournament, give Jeff Carlisle's ESPN.com Gold Cup preview a read. For a more U.S.-focused story, you can read my ESPN.com piece on the U.S. Gold Cup team. For all the info you might need on the tournament, there's no place better than the Gold Cup website.

The action kicks off tonight at Home Depot Center with Group A, the tournament's Group of Death (if you can have one in this tournament) as Canada and Jamaica get things started with one of the better match-ups of the first round.

Here is this weekend's schedule of Gold Cup matches:

MLS Matchday 16: A Look Ahead

 

Confederation Cup players are back but many more Gold Cup call-ups leave their teams as we head into the second half of the MLS season.

This week's slate of games features one very good Eastern Conference clash, one reunion in Dallas and quality inter-conference battle in Colorado as the Chicago Fire take on the Rapids in a tilt loaded with quality match-ups.

Here is this weekend's MLS schedule:

TONIGHT

San Jose Earthquakes at Real Salt Lake (10pm, Direct Kick)

SATURDAY

D.C. United at Columbus Crew (7pm, ESPN2)

Chicago Fire at Colorado Rapids (9pm, Direct Kick)

Houston Dynamo at Kansas City Wizards (9pm, Direct Kick)

New York Red Bulls at FC Dallas (9pm, Direct Kick)

New England Revolution at Los Angeles Galaxy (11pm, FSC)

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Here is a rundown of this weekend's top individual match-ups to watch:

Bradley discusses Torres

 

                                                       Photo by ISIphotos.com

Why hasn't Jose Francisco Torres been playing for the U.S. national team lately?

That question has been on the minds of many observers who have wondered about Torres' lack of playing time in recent weeks, including zero appearances in the Confederations Cup. The Pachuca midfielder hasn't played since being replaced at halftime of the U.S. team's loss to Costa Rica, a game where he actually impressed despite a shaky start, and that extended absence has left fans and media wondering what happened.

U.S. coach Bob Bradley spoke to the media on Thursday and provided his first in-depth public comments on Torres and his status with the national team. It certainly sheds some light on where the young midfielder stands with the U.S. team.

“Jose has had a very, very busy schedule with his club team and in discussions we felt that it was important that he have a little bit of a break before things start up again," Bradley said. "When we look at all the different factors, certainly the idea that next summer, players will be coming right from their clubs into training camp that leads into the World Cup.

"You have to make very difficult decisions about whether a player can go a couple years without a break or there’s a need in some cases for a player to have a little bit of a break now before he begins an important stretch."