Soccer Insider: June 28, 2009 - July 4, 2009
United Rewind
On the surface, a tie against Columbus -- the reigning MLS champion on a 5-1-5 run and unbeaten at home since June 2008 -- while Emilio, Moreno, Quaranta and Jakovic were missing isn't a bad result. (Rogers and Marshall were absent for the Crew, too.) However, United knows all too...
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Steve Goff
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July 4, 2009; 11:55 PM ET |
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Gold Cup: USA-Grenada
What do we know about the Spice Boyz, the USA's opening opponent in Group B play of the Gold Cup at Qwest Field in Seattle this evening? They're making their first Gold Cup appearance and are the least-populated nation (90,000) to ever qualify for the tournament. English Coach Tommy Taylor...
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Steve Goff
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July 4, 2009; 7:45 PM ET |
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Matchday #17: United-Crew
Happy Fourth of July! Greetings from central Ohio for tonight's Eastern Conference showdown between DCU (23 points) and Columbus (22). Most importantly, postgame fireworks (weather permitting -- rain in the forecast.) The Crew is unbeaten here since last June, leaving the club two games short of MLS's record home streak...
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Steve Goff
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July 4, 2009; 4:04 PM ET |
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Saturday Kickaround
*Read the United-Crew preview. *Check the Gold Cup outline. *Chris Leitch's own goal in second-half added time allowed Real Salt Lake to tie San Jose, 1-1, before 17,478 at Rio Tinto Stadium. The match included a sweet goal by Arturo Alvarez, seven yellow cards and a red to RSL's Fabian...
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Steve Goff
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July 4, 2009; 8:52 AM ET |
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D.C. United
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Gold Cup
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Moreno, Emilio Out
Greetings from RFK Stadium, where D.C. United just wrapped up a workout and is preparing to fly to Columbus for the 4th of July match against the Crew -- a game with first place at stake in the Eastern Conference. United is atop the division, but four other teams are...
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Steve Goff
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July 3, 2009; 11:01 AM ET |
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Video: Copa Libertadores
Quality video and audio from Cruzeiro's 2-2 tie at Gremio, a result that sent the club from Belo Horizonte to the Copa Libertadores finals against Argentina's Estudiantes on 5-3 aggregate:...
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Steve Goff
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July 3, 2009; 8:28 AM ET |
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Libertadores
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Weekend TV Listings
What are you going to watch? FRIDAY USL1, Cleveland-Austin 8 p.m. ET Fox Soccer Channel Gold Cup, Canada-Jamaica 8 p.m. Galavision Gold Cup, Costa Rica-El Salvador 10 p.m. Telefutura SATURDAY Brazil, Flamengo-Vitoria 5:30 p.m. GolTV MLS, Columbus-D.C. United 7 p.m. ESPN2 Gold Cup, Honduras-Haiti 7 p.m. Galavision Gold Cup, USA-Grenada...
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Steve Goff
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July 2, 2009; 10:46 PM ET |
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TV
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Bradley Speaks
During a pre-Gold Cup teleconference with reporters today, USA Coach Bob Bradley addressed a variety of topics ahead of Saturday's opener vs. Grenada in Seattle (7 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel): On Santino Quaranta's return to the national team..... "Toward the second half of last year and so far this...
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Steve Goff
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July 2, 2009; 5:26 PM ET |
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Gold Cup
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South African Safety
Clifton Broumand has attended every World Cup since 1982, a total of 82 matches over eight tournaments. As a fan who has navigated countless stadiums, taken late-night trains and rushed around unfamiliar cities, he has never had a major safety concern. But as the 2010 event in South Africa approaches,...
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Steve Goff
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July 2, 2009; 3:15 PM ET |
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2010 World Cup
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Confederations Cup
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Freedom Updates
Besides the 2-1 loss at Chicago last night, the Washington Freedom has been busy on the personnel front. Midfielder Joanna Lohman was waived, but if none of the other six clubs claims her, the Freedom plans to re-sign her to a developmental contract. Washington needed an opening on the 18-player...
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Steve Goff
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July 2, 2009; 1:48 PM ET |
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Freedom
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USA Gold Cup Additions
Given permission by CONCACAF to supplement its Gold Cup roster, the USA national team has added forwards Jozy Altidore and Conor Casey, midfielders Ricardo Clark, Benny Feilhaber and Sacha Kljestan, defender Jonathan Bornstein and goalkeeper Brad Guzan. However, according to the USSF, not all seven will be present for each...
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Steve Goff
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July 2, 2009; 11:35 AM ET |
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CONCACAF
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Schelotto in Demand
The Insider has learned that Columbus star Guillermo Barros Schelotto, the reigning MLS most valuable player and among the top midseason favorites for the award this year, is again attracting interest from his native Argentina. One club has stepped forward, though its identity was not immediately made available. Schelotto has...
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Steve Goff
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July 2, 2009; 11:19 AM ET |
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MLS
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Thursday Kickaround
*The Washington Freedom made history last night, but not anything to boast about. In the 45th game of WPS's inaugural season, the Freedom became the first team to relinquish a lead and lose -- a 2-1 defeat at last-place Chicago in front of 4,127 at Toyota Park. Teams have overcome...
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Steve Goff
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July 2, 2009; 8:40 AM ET |
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Freedom
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USL
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D.C. United's Taste Test
From Washingtonian magazine's "Best Of....." issue this month: dc united guac0001.pdf...
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Steve Goff
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July 1, 2009; 9:45 PM ET |
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D.C. United
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DCU, USA, Esky, Ricketts, Revs
*D.C. United will definitely play a Salvadoran club in the preliminary stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. The home leg will definitely be July 28 at RFK Stadium. The return leg will definitely be Aug. 4 at Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador. The opponent, however, is definitely unresolved. United was...
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Steve Goff
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July 1, 2009; 7:43 PM ET |
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CONCACAF
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Wednesday Kickaround
*CONCACAF announced yesterday that the USA would be allowed to add seven players to its Gold Cup roster because of the strain caused by the recently completed Confederations Cup. However, "We never asked for the additional spots on the roster," USSF spokesman Neil Buethe said. The USA didn't decline CONCACAF's...
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Steve Goff
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July 1, 2009; 10:38 AM ET |
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Gold Cup
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Libertadores
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U.S. Open Cup
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U.S. men's national team
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World
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United Rewind
On a night when four MLS clubs became U.S. Open Cup upset victims, D.C. United got a scare at "home" from the lowest-tier team still alive in the tournament. Don't let the 2-0 final score against the Ocean City Barons fool you. DCU labored to break down an amateur side...
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Steve Goff
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July 1, 2009; 12:15 AM ET |
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D.C. United
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Matchnight: United-Barons
Greetings from Maryland SoccerPlex. While I wouldn't want to come all the way out here regularly, a periodic visit for a Freedom match or United nonleague game offers the opportunity to take the serene route across the Potomac via White's Ferry, past corn fields, stables, sod farms and old churches,...
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Steve Goff
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June 30, 2009; 5:35 PM ET |
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D.C. United
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CONCACAF Done With Sudamericana
Clubs from the CONCACAF region will no longer play in Copa Sudamericana, the second-tier South American competition. The governing body announced minutes ago that, after committing in 2005 to four years of participation, it will no longer send teams to Sudamericana. The main reason: a busier schedule caused by Champions...
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Steve Goff
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June 30, 2009; 1:06 PM ET |
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CONCACAF
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Previewing the Barons
What do a fourth-grade teacher, a civil engineer, a youth coach and a collection of college-age guys have in common? They are all members of the Ocean City Barons, an amateur team from a resort town on the New Jersey shore that upset two USL2 opponents to set up a...
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Steve Goff
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June 30, 2009; 11:35 AM ET |
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ESPN's USA-Brazil Numbers (continued)
The final national ratings are now in for ESPN's coverage of the USA-Brazil Confederations Cup final on Sunday: While the overnights of major markets was a 2.74 rating, the overall nationwide figure was 2.61, which is 2.56 million households and nearly 4 million actual viewers. These numbers are for ESPN...
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Steve Goff
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June 30, 2009; 10:21 AM ET |
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Confederations Cup
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TV
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Tuesday Kickaround
*Following up on reports that Olympiakos has taken interest in USA forward Jozy Altidore, the Insider has learned that the Greek club has, indeed, stepped forward for a possible loan arrangement with Villarreal. An English club (reportedly Fulham) and multiple La Liga teams are also in the mix for a...
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Steve Goff
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June 30, 2009; 9:09 AM ET |
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2010 World Cup
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Confederations Cup
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D.C. United
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MLS
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U.S. Open Cup
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Castillo for USA?
U.S.-born Mexican player Edgar Castillo, 22, says he wants to take advantage of the new FIFA rule concerning dual eligibility and play for the USA. Call me cynical, but.....so what? He doesn't play for Mexico during troubled times; what makes anyone think he would help the American program? I'm not...
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Steve Goff
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June 29, 2009; 6:53 PM ET |
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Mexico
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Miami Likes Soccer
According to the overnight figures from major TV markets, the USA-Brazil match on ESPN yesterday earned a 2.74 rating. The complete numbers will be available tomorrow, but this game seems certain to join World Cup games against Germany (2002), Ghana (2006) and Colombia (1994) in the top four for all-time...
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Steve Goff
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June 29, 2009; 4:00 PM ET |
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Confederations Cup
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TV
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Red Bulls Moves
Goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul, who made 47 appearances for Colorado the previous two seasons, has agreed to terms with the New York Red Bulls, New York-based agent Ron Waxman told the Insider. Expect a formal announcement soon. Coundoul, 27, has not played for any club this year after turning down a...
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Steve Goff
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June 29, 2009; 3:30 PM ET |
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MLS
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ESPN's World Cup Gameplan
One day after attracting what is believed to be its largest audience for a non-World Cup men's soccer game ever, ESPN announced today that its coverage of the 2010 World Cup will include a nightly 30-minute show, and pre-, halftime and post-match shows, with additional studio programming and "World Cup-branded...
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Steve Goff
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June 29, 2009; 3:09 PM ET |
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2010 World Cup
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A Few Minutes With Tom Soehn
[UPDATE: I'm hearing that rookie defender Anthony Peters, a 6-foot-5 developmental player who didn't make much of an impression, has been waived, leaving DCU with two roster openings.] What do you expect from the amateur Ocean City Barons tomorrow? "I know they are going to come out hungry and be...
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Steve Goff
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June 29, 2009; 12:14 PM ET |
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D.C. United
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U.S. Open Cup
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United News & Notes
Striker Luciano Emilio, who missed DCU's previous match with a bruised knee, underwent an MRI exam on Saturday and said he has a bone bruise, a ligament strain and some meniscus concerns. He won't play tomorrow against the Ocean City Barons in the U.S. Open Cup at Maryland SoccerPlex and,...
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Steve Goff
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June 29, 2009; 11:20 AM ET |
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D.C. United
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Red Bulls in Europe
The Insider has confirmed that Red Bulls sports director Jeff Agoos is planning to head to Europe next week on a scouting mission. MLS's international signing period opens July 15, and with an 0-9-1 road record (one goal scored), two victories in league play, three overall and the CONCACAF Champions...
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Steve Goff
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June 29, 2009; 11:11 AM ET |
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MLS
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Monday Kickaround
While the USA-Brazil match dominated the spotlight over the weekend, there was plenty of other futbol taking place: *In MLS late last night, Todd Dunivant's redirect in the first half helped Los Angeles end Houston's 11-game unbeaten streak, 1-0 at Home Depot Center. Donovan Ricketts made several outstanding saves for...
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Steve Goff
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June 29, 2009; 9:32 AM ET |
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Confederations Cup
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D.C. United
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MLS
,
Mexico
,
SuperLiga
,
USL
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Women
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USA-Brazil Rewind
Luis Fabiano ties the score with a header in the second half. (Laurence Griffiths -- Getty Images) Here's the analogy I'll use to explain to casual sports fans why the USA relinquished a two-goal lead and lost to Brazil, 3-2, in the Confederations Cup final: Think of the NCAA...
By
Steve Goff
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June 28, 2009; 5:15 PM ET |
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Brazil
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Confederations Cup
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U.S. men's national team
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Matchday: USA-Brazil
CONFEDERATIONS CUP FINAL Where: Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg. When: Kickoff at 2:30 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN, Univision. FINAL: Brazil 3, USA 2. 90+: USA not creating anything, time running out. 90TH: Donovan floats ball for Dempsey, too far, Brazil goal kick. 88TH: Donovan corner kick, Onyewu seven-yard header streaks over...
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Steve Goff
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June 28, 2009; 12:25 PM ET |
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Brazil
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Confederations Cup
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