Sunday Kickaround
Greetings again from Cary, where rain and fog are providing a dreary backdrop for today's NCAA championship game.....
*Second-seeded Virginia aims for its first title since 1994. Top-seeded and unbeaten Akron looks for its first -- period. Coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
*The last team to claim the crown without a loss? Steve Sampson's Santa Clara side in 1989, which shared the championship with Bruce Arena and Virginia on an arctic-cold afternoon at Rutgers. (No PKs back then.) ... Virginia is attempting to become the third straight ACC team to win the title and fourth different ACC squad to claim it this decade (North Carolina in 2001, Maryland in '05 and '08, Wake Forest in '07).
*Akron Coach Caleb Porter was asked during Saturday's media availability about job opportunities elsewhere. With the biggest match of his coaching career 24 hours away, he offered a predictable response: "I have been contacted, yes, by Indiana. I have already made a statement I am not interested. I prefer not to answer any more questions on that. This is the College Cup press conference, and I think my players and myself should be talking about that. I'm focused on Akron right now. I love this team. I love being in Akron. My wife does as well. The administration is committed to our program. The alumni is behind us, the community is behind us. I have not thought or talked to anybody else whatsoever. All the rumors out there are purely speculation. That happens when you've had a year like we have had."
*Atlante does CONCACAF proud with a 3-0 victory over Auckland City in front of a sparse crowd in the UAE. Next: Wednesday's semifinal against Barcelona.
*Highlights from Real Madrid's 3-2 win at Valencia:
By
Steve Goff
|
December 13, 2009; 8:47 AM ET
Categories:
CONCACAF
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College Soccer
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FIFA
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Spain
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Posted by: fallschurch1 | December 13, 2009 9:26 AM | Report abuse
At the same time, though, he didn't say, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm planning on winning this and a lot more College Cups with the Zips." Which, if he were Nick Saban, would mean precisely crap. Anyway, I'm not reading too much into his statement one way or the other.
Posted by: TheAMT | December 13, 2009 10:22 AM | Report abuse
Vamos Los Che!
Posted by: TheWashDipsSince88 | December 13, 2009 10:23 AM | Report abuse
That Garay header was the header of a real man. He had Marchena allll over him and still put it past the goalie in a tough spot from a good distance.
Posted by: JacobfromAtlanta-ish | December 13, 2009 10:25 AM | Report abuse
I don't buy it. Coaches in all sports lie about this sort of thing. He could still go to DC United. Or he could still even go to IU.
Posted by: DCUMD | December 13, 2009 11:16 AM | Report abuse
104 days until United's first 2010 league match!
Posted by: Curious99 | December 13, 2009 11:53 AM | Report abuse
Got to bury that one! UVa looking good today.
Posted by: Reignking | December 13, 2009 1:38 PM | Report abuse
Hunter Jumper is a hack.
Posted by: DadRyan | December 13, 2009 1:53 PM | Report abuse
Caleb Porter's half time interview was about the most informative response I've ever seen on a TV interview during a game. He's certainly articulate and knew what he wanted.
Posted by: mbyrd28 | December 13, 2009 2:04 PM | Report abuse
word mbyrd.
Posted by: DadRyan | December 13, 2009 2:08 PM | Report abuse
Surprised the field looks as playable as it does. Weather looks miserable.
Posted by: JkR- | December 13, 2009 2:24 PM | Report abuse
This game needs a goal....
Posted by: JkR- | December 13, 2009 2:34 PM | Report abuse
For UVa, of course.
Posted by: Reignking | December 13, 2009 2:40 PM | Report abuse
Man do I hate those crosses to no one...pick your head up!
Posted by: Reignking | December 13, 2009 2:55 PM | Report abuse
Overtime again.
Posted by: Reignking | December 13, 2009 3:07 PM | Report abuse
So close so many times. Go 'Hoos!
Posted by: ldmay | December 13, 2009 3:11 PM | Report abuse
The zips are totally dictating play at the end of regulation. UVA has gone into a defensive shell....would be unfortunate for Akron if they gave up a golden goal.
Posted by: FrancoNiell | December 13, 2009 3:13 PM | Report abuse
wow. UVA been taking diving lessons from Ronaldo?
Posted by: FrancoNiell | December 13, 2009 3:21 PM | Report abuse
The groundskeepers do a great job all year in Cary, JkR-.
Posted by: sitruc | December 13, 2009 3:33 PM | Report abuse
Just some sloppy play on that left side killing UVa...
Posted by: Reignking | December 13, 2009 3:34 PM | Report abuse
And now, PKs.
Posted by: ldmay | December 13, 2009 3:38 PM | Report abuse
PKs
Posted by: Reignking | December 13, 2009 3:38 PM | Report abuse
Maybe Restrepo can shut them out ;)
Posted by: Reignking | December 13, 2009 3:43 PM | Report abuse
First Akron PK saved!
Posted by: sitruc | December 13, 2009 3:43 PM | Report abuse
Oh what an awful shot for Villanueva...could've won it.
Posted by: Reignking | December 13, 2009 3:45 PM | Report abuse
So, Onalfo anyone?
Posted by: joshuaostevens | December 13, 2009 3:45 PM | Report abuse
Oh no.
Posted by: Reignking | December 13, 2009 3:46 PM | Report abuse
Akron hits the post and then somebody continues to disappoint. Then another clincher is saved for Akron to sky the final PK. UVA wins 3-2 on Pks.
Posted by: sitruc | December 13, 2009 3:47 PM | Report abuse
He Baggios it!
Posted by: Reignking | December 13, 2009 3:47 PM | Report abuse
Wow. Awful PKs all around.
Posted by: ldmay | December 13, 2009 3:47 PM | Report abuse
Keep an eye for Goff interviewing Caleb ;)
Posted by: Reignking | December 13, 2009 3:48 PM | Report abuse
But still glad for my 'Hoos.
Posted by: ldmay | December 13, 2009 3:48 PM | Report abuse
And Akron loses the only game that really mattered. Does the lose make it more or less likely that Porter comes to DC as has been rumoured?
Posted by: owendylan | December 13, 2009 3:49 PM | Report abuse
Nice work by restrepo getting in Gavin's head there.
I don't see Porter leaving this team right now, do you?
Posted by: joshuaostevens | December 13, 2009 3:49 PM | Report abuse
terrible way to crown a champ...
Posted by: FrancoNiell | December 13, 2009 3:51 PM | Report abuse
Glad the Hoos won it, but I must say they didn't play anywhere near their best in these past two games. Their flank play was pretty awful today, whereas it's been their bread and butter all season. They definitely peaked in the early rounds. Also...
"wow. UVA been taking diving lessons from Ronaldo?"
Teal Bunbery was flopping all game long, even warranting several "get up" gestures from the ref.
Overall I was very, very impressed by Akron, but they never seemed to have the killer instinct that their offensive record allegedly indicates. Too content to dictate pace, and yet not do anything too risky or threatening
Posted by: carmines757 | December 13, 2009 4:31 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
Porter: "I have not thought or talked to anybody else whatsoever."
That sounds categorical, and that entire statement of his sure doesn't make it sound like he's considering a switch. He went much further than just "let's concentrate on this game, and I love Akron," which you would think would be the diplomatic answer if he was going to be hired by United.