U-20 Friendlies, NAIA in AL, and New NPSL Team in Atlanta?

U-20 Friendlies

 There will be lots of high quality soccer in the south this week beginning with the Torneo de las Americas outside of Atlanta featuring the U-20 teams from the United States, Columbia and Mexico.  The tournament culminates with a meeting of neighboring rivals USA and Mexico on Sunday afternoon at the new soccer stadium in Kennesaw, GA.  But the games won't end there as Mexico and Columbia will travel up to Chattanooga to face each other next Tuesday night.   If you're not able to make it to Sunday's match in Kennesaw, here's your chance to catch some of the next World Cup's stars less than a two hour drive from Huntsville.



NAIA Championships in Alabama

I've already told you that the NAIA Women's Championship will be held in our backyard, but the 2010 NAIA Men's Soccer Championship will also be held in Alabama.  Orange Beach will host the final 16 teams in a knockout style tournament.

 As for the Women's tournament, Decatur's Jack Allen Soccer Stadium will feature four games daily at 10 AM, 1, 4 and 7 PM on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  The four teams that make it through will meet in the semifinals at 1 and 3 PM on Friday.  The championship will be held on Saturday night.  Come out to Jack Allen or follow the action here.  I hope to see you out there as I'll be calling several of the games including the semifinals and finals.

New NPSL Team in Atlanta?

Atlanta FC no more?

The latest rumor has it that Atlanta FC will be replaced in the NPSL Southeast Region by a team called Diablos Atlanta.  It appears the club will be led by former Mexican International Jose Manuel Abundis.  Plans are for the Diablos to play it's home matches in ReMax Stadium.  The stadium is also the home of the Atlanta Silverbacks who are to play their first season in the new NASL next year.

Remembering 2002 and Other Stuff

Remembering the US run in the 2002 World Cup

2002 was a special year for the US in the World Cup in South Korea. The team was packed with exciting players who may not have been superstars, but were a special group of players. After squeaking through the group stage, they posted the first of the many "Dos a Cero" victories over Mexico in the round of 16. Then, they took on the mighty, mighty Germans, who they outplayed. Here's recently fount these highlights of that match.

USA outplays Germany, but still comes up short

I watched the match with several thousands of my fellow soccer fanatics at RFK Stadium's big screen TV. And I remember thousands going nuts when Tony Sanneh's header hit the net. We all thought it went in, but it wasn't and the US were suddenly out.

I still get miffed about the Tortsten "Fingers" Fring's no-call handball. After the Hand of Gaul, the Irish now know how we feel.


USSF Deny USL and NASL


The USSF has refused to sanction either the USL or the upstart NASL as a legitimate Division 2 league. Instead they have been given a week to work out their differences. What isn't clear is what will happens when they do or do not work out those differences? Here's a pretty good podcast discussing the situation.


US Soccer Dissing About The South

With the possibility that there will be no second division soccer in the US this year, the folks at MLSTalk have written about US Soccer's forgotten land; the south.


PDL More Important Than Given Credit

Here is an article that discusses the importance of the USL's Premier Developement League. A mostly amature league that has quietly developed players for years to prepare them for the big time leagues, including a large amount MLS current crop of players. The NPSL is a direct competitor with the PDL and is trying to duplicate some of its success developing players for the higher level of professional soccer.