Sunday Soccer Bloggin'
I'm skipping church today to watch the Arsenal - Man U. game. What a geek I am. The best thing about watching European soccer in the winter: You can get 2 games under your belt before settling down to watch a single NFL playoff game that will take the same amount of time as the two soccer games. Having your cake and eating it to.
The Bob Bradley Era, as long or short as it will be, got off to a nice start in L.A. yesterday. The US National team in its first game since its humiliating display in Germany last summer overcame a slow start to win impressively 3-1 against a very young Denmark side in friendly. This was not an international fixture date, so US players playing abroad were not available. There is a lot of Chicago flavor in the USA coaching staff and the mostly MLS side that started yesterday. Head Coach, Bob Bradley was the head coach for the Fire from the team's inception in 1998 to 2004. During that time he took the team to one MLS championship, two championship games, and two US Open Cup titles. Bradley's Assistant Coach, Peter Novak, was a legendary midfielder for the Fire before retiring in 2003 and going on to coach DC United to a title in 2005.
The squad yesterday started three current or former Fire players. And Fire midfielder, Justin Mapp made an amazing, mazy run down the sideline, blowing past three defenders before crossing to Johnathan Bornstein for an easy tap-in in the goal mouth to put the US up 2-1.
A great open field run by Kenny Cooper put the US up 3-1. Cooper is a guy to watch and a potential future legend in US soccer. He is 6' 2" 210lb. and has great foot skills and speed.
Lastly, I urge you to read a wonderful story in the Sunday NYT, Refugees Find Hostility and Hope on Soccer Field is an alternately uplifting and frustrating story of a group of refugees from the harshest countries in the world, adjusting to their new lives in suburban Atlanta.
Update: Well worth playing hooky for. Arsenal came back from 1-0 down with two goals in the last 10 min including a 93rd minute game-winner from Therri Henri. Great stuff! Off to shovel snow. Welcome back from Hawaii, McDermotts. HA!
The Bob Bradley Era, as long or short as it will be, got off to a nice start in L.A. yesterday. The US National team in its first game since its humiliating display in Germany last summer overcame a slow start to win impressively 3-1 against a very young Denmark side in friendly. This was not an international fixture date, so US players playing abroad were not available. There is a lot of Chicago flavor in the USA coaching staff and the mostly MLS side that started yesterday. Head Coach, Bob Bradley was the head coach for the Fire from the team's inception in 1998 to 2004. During that time he took the team to one MLS championship, two championship games, and two US Open Cup titles. Bradley's Assistant Coach, Peter Novak, was a legendary midfielder for the Fire before retiring in 2003 and going on to coach DC United to a title in 2005.
The squad yesterday started three current or former Fire players. And Fire midfielder, Justin Mapp made an amazing, mazy run down the sideline, blowing past three defenders before crossing to Johnathan Bornstein for an easy tap-in in the goal mouth to put the US up 2-1.
A great open field run by Kenny Cooper put the US up 3-1. Cooper is a guy to watch and a potential future legend in US soccer. He is 6' 2" 210lb. and has great foot skills and speed.
Lastly, I urge you to read a wonderful story in the Sunday NYT, Refugees Find Hostility and Hope on Soccer Field is an alternately uplifting and frustrating story of a group of refugees from the harshest countries in the world, adjusting to their new lives in suburban Atlanta.
Update: Well worth playing hooky for. Arsenal came back from 1-0 down with two goals in the last 10 min including a 93rd minute game-winner from Therri Henri. Great stuff! Off to shovel snow. Welcome back from Hawaii, McDermotts. HA!
Labels: Football
posted by -cman- at 1/21/2007 09:48:00 AM
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