Soccer Insider - A soccer blog by The Washington Post's Steve Goff - May 2, 2010

Matchnight: D.C. United-FC Dallas

Greetings from Frisco. Was D.C. United's victory Wednesday the beginning of a renaissance or a brief interruption in a troubling season? Will FC Dallas maintain momentum after winning at in-state rival Houston three days ago? Both sides are playing their fourth match in 11 days, a stretch that began with...

By Steve Goff | May 8, 2010; 7:50 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (99)
Categories: D.C. United | Tags: D.C. United, FC Dallas, MLS
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WPS Matchday: Freedom-Breakers

Greetings from Maryland SoccerPlex, where the Freedom just wrapped up a nice Mother's Day opening in which the mothers and host mothers of some players were recognized. I just arrived after Redskins minicamp -- a quick one-hour jaunt down the Dulles Toll Road, Beltway and I-270 North -- and the...

By Paul Tenorio | May 8, 2010; 6:56 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (16)
Categories: Freedom , Women | Tags: Maryland SoccerPlex, WPS, Washington Freedom
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United's Quaranta has surgery for MRSA infection

D.C. United midfielder Santino Quaranta underwent surgery Saturday morning after being diagnosed with MRSA, a strain of staph bacteria resistant to common antibiotics. The procedure was performed by club doctor Chris Annunziata at Virginia Hospital Center, where Quaranta was admitted Thursday night. "It's so dangerous; it could have been a...

By Steve Goff | May 8, 2010; 5:52 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: D.C. United | Tags: D.C. United, MLS, MRSA, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Santino Quaranta, soccer
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Video: Wind-aided goal in Toronto

With the wind gusting between 38 and 48 mph at lakefront BMO Field, Nick LaBrocca's cross becomes a goal for Toronto FC against the Chicago Fire:...

By Steve Goff | May 8, 2010; 4:59 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: MLS | Tags: Chicago Fire, MLS, Toronto FC, soccer
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Saturday kickaround

Greetings from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, where I arrived this morning for D.C. United's match against FC Dallas tonight. Too bad the game won't actually be played in the heart of the area. Frisco awaits! Ideal weather conditions now and also for the 8 p.m. kickoff (9 p.m. ET): 68...

By Steve Goff | May 8, 2010; 1:52 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: D.C. United , FIFA , Mexico , USA World Cup bid | Tags: D.C. United, El Tri, MLS, Meadowlands Stadium, Mexico, Soccer, World Cup
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Stuart Holden, World Cup, Mexico, D.C. United

*USA midfielder Stuart Holden, sidelined since March after suffering a broken leg in the friendly against the Netherlands, might play for Bolton in the season finale Sunday against Birmingham. *Two brothers, two World Cup squads, a face-to-face meeting in South Africa? It might happen. *Did FIFA almost pull the World...

By Steve Goff | May 7, 2010; 4:31 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (26)
Categories: 2010 World Cup , Americans Abroad , D.C. United , FIFA , Freedom , MLS , Mexico , U.S. men's national team , USL , Women | Tags: Bill Hamid, D.C. United, FIFA, MLS, Meadowlands Stadium, Soccer, Stuart Holden, World Cup
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Quaranta, Najar sidelined for D.C. United

D.C. United midfielder Santino Quaranta was hospitalized Thursday night with an infection in his leg and will not accompany the club to Texas for Saturday's match against FC Dallas, Coach Curt Onalfo said. "He has an in-grown hair that is infected. It's really nasty," Onalfo said. "The worry is that...

By Steve Goff | May 7, 2010; 11:46 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (56)
Categories: D.C. United | Tags: Andy Najar, Curt Onalfo, D.C. United, FC Dallas, MLS, Santino Quaranta
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Details of MLS expansion to Montreal

This morning, MLS formally introduced Montreal as the league's 19th club. It will begin play in 2012, a year after expansion teams in Vancouver and Portland get started. *Saputo Stadium, on the grounds of Olympic Park, will undergo about $22 million in renovations to expand to 20,000 seats from 13,000....

By Steve Goff | May 7, 2010; 10:52 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (32)
Categories: Canada , MLS | Tags: Expansion team, Major League Soccer, Montreal, Olympic Stadium, Saputo Stadium, Soccer
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Friday kickaround

*The long-awaited announcement of Montreal as the next MLS expansion club, starting play in 2012, will take place at 10 a.m. ET. Montreal's entry will bring the league total to 19. Who gets No. 20? Atlanta? Florida? A second New York area team? *The Post profiles Centreville High School's Jenna...

By Steve Goff | May 7, 2010; 8:42 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (57)
Categories: 2010 World Cup , Americans Abroad , Canada , England , MLS , Mexico , Preps , U.S. Open Cup , Women | Tags: FIFA, Fabio Capello, Gareth Barry, Major League Soccer, Montreal, Soccer, U.S. Open Cup, WPS, World Cup
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Weekend soccer TV listings

More than 35 matches available. What are you going to watch? FRIDAY Friendly, Mexico-Ecuador 9 p.m. ET, Telemundo SATURDAY England, Blackpool-Nottingham Forest 7:45 a.m. Fox Soccer Plus Germany, Werder Bremen-Hamburg 9:30 a.m. GolTV Germany, Hertha Berlin-Bayern Munich 9:30 a.m. ESPN Deportes England, Leeds-Bristol 10 a.m. FSP Germany, Mainz-Schalke 11:30 a.m....

By Steve Goff | May 6, 2010; 9:35 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (20)
Categories: TV | Tags: AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Fox Soccer Channel, GOL TV, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Real Madrid
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Manchester United coming to America

Manchester United has finalized plans to play four preseason matches on a North American tour this summer. It will be the club's first visit here in six years. All games will be staged at large venues. July 16: vs. Celtic at Rogers Centre (SkyDome) in Toronto July 21: vs. Philadelphia...

By Steve Goff | May 6, 2010; 2:08 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (38)
Categories: England , MLS | Tags: Kansas City Wizards, MLS, Major League Soccer, Manchester United, Philadelphia Union, Toronto FC
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MLS, Greece, Rossi, Germany, Red Bulls, 6-6

*MLS says it will make a "big" announcement at noon today. Expansion to Montreal? [UPDATE: Two-hour delay, now 2 p.m. It's not expansion.] *The Greek league playoff matches, including AEK Athens hosting Aris with Americans Freddy Adu and Eddie Johnson, have been postponed because of civil unrest sparked by the...

By Steve Goff | May 6, 2010; 10:28 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (47)
Categories: Americans Abroad , Germany , Greece , Italy , MLS , Scotland | Tags: Giuseppe Rossi, MLS, Scottish Premier League, Soccer, World Cup
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Early Thursday kickaround

*Americans abroad: Wednesday MF Clint Dempsey 90 minutes in Fulham's 1-0 loss to Stoke D Carlos Bocanegra not in 18 for Rennes' 3-1 loss at Marseille Thursday MF Benny Feilhaber for Aarhus vs. Sonderjyske MF Alejandro Bedoya for Orebro at Helsingborg D Clarence Goodson for Start at Lillestrom Fs Freddy...

By Steve Goff | May 6, 2010; 1:50 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: 2010 World Cup , Americans Abroad , Argentina , Real Madrid , Spain | Tags: Cristiano Ronaldo, Freddy Adu, Milwaukee Bucks, Real Madrid, Soccer, World Cup
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D.C. United rewind

Post photographer Toni Sandys captured the moment in the second half when D.C. United's Bill Hamid kept the ball from crossing the goal line despite his momentum carrying him into the net on Ryan Smith's lofted ball from the left flank. Hamid was busy in his professional debut, making two...

By Steve Goff | May 6, 2010; 12:31 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (42)
Categories: D.C. United , MLS | Tags: Bill Hamid, D.C. United, Danny Allsopp, Kansas City Wizards, Major League Soccer
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D.C. United owner speaks out

D.C. United owner Will Chang addressed several issues concerning his winless club before Wednesday night's match against the Kansas City Wizards. "It's disappointing. It's painful. This is like your kid going through hard times. I lose sleep over it. I am feeling the pain like everyone else around here." Chang,...

By Steve Goff | May 5, 2010; 5:55 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (44)
Categories: D.C. United | Tags: D.C. United, MLS, Will Chang
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Matchnight: United-Wizards

Greetings from RFK Stadium on another sumptuous day/evening along the banks of the mighty Anacostia. United has not fared well on the field, but it has enjoyed nice weather for each of the four league matches at home. So they've got that going for them. Which is nice. It's a...

By Steve Goff | May 5, 2010; 5:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (45)
Categories: D.C. United | Tags: Bill Hamid, D.C. United, Kansas City Wizards, MLS, Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Troy Perkins
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Wednesday kickaround

*Forward Brian Ching is close to returning to the field for the Houston Dynamo, boosting his chances for selection to U.S. World Cup training camp, which will begin May 16. *The MLS players have ratified the collective bargaining agreement with the league, but surprisingly with several dissenters. The final approval...

By Steve Goff | May 5, 2010; 9:17 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (65)
Categories: 2010 World Cup , Americans Abroad , Books , D.C. United , MLS , TV , U.S. men's national team | Tags: Brian Ching, D.C. United, MLS, World Cup
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World Cup viewing in Washington, alfresco

If you can't gain entry into a stadium for a World Cup match, the next-best venue is at Fan Fest, the outdoor viewing parties that began sprouting up in South Korea in 2002 and continued in Germany four years later. In '02, as the surprising Korean team advanced further...

By Steve Goff | May 5, 2010; 12:22 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (33)
Categories: 2010 World Cup , FIFA | Tags: Dupont Circle, FIFA, Fan Fest, South Africa, World Cup, soccer
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D.C. United's Onalfo disciplined by MLS

D.C. United Coach Curt Onalfo has been fined $1,000 and suspended for an additional U.S. Open Cup game for leaving the bench area and improper behavior during last week's tournament match against FC Dallas at RFK Stadium. The ejection in the 32nd minute for disputing a foul called against United...

By Steve Goff | May 4, 2010; 4:10 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (23)
Categories: D.C. United , MLS | Tags: Curt Onalfo, D.C. United, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Major League Soccer, Soccer
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D.C. United news & notes

*D.C. United technical director Chad Ashton returned this morning from a scouting mission in Argentina after attending about 15 matches in a two-week span. He will head to Europe and then Africa in the coming weeks. "There are a lot of good players -- the hard part is getting them...

By Steve Goff | May 4, 2010; 1:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (33)
Categories: D.C. United | Tags: Argentina, Chad Ashton, Curt Onalfo, D.C. United, MLS, Troy Perkins
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A few minutes with D.C. United's Kevin Payne

I will have plenty of D.C. United notes to share ahead of Wednesday's match against the Kansas City Wizards at RFK Stadium. But first, with United off to the worst start in club history, team president Kevin Payne addressed several issues following Tuesday morning's training session. Explaining the defeats..... "Three...

By Steve Goff | May 4, 2010; 12:25 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (61)
Categories: D.C. United | Tags: D.C. United, Kevin Payne, MLS
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Tuesday kickaround

*Germany's World Cup goalkeeping situation took a turn for the worst with the news that Bayer Leverkusen's Rene Adler will not be available. *Japan has abandoned its 2018 World Cup bid but remains in contention for 2022. "We were told European countries would be in a fierce tussle for 2018...

By Steve Goff | May 4, 2010; 9:02 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (19)
Categories: 2010 World Cup , Americans Abroad , Barcelona , FIFA , Germany , Italy , Real Madrid , Spain , TV | Tags: Barcelona, FIFA World Cup, Germany, Glasgow Celtic, Glasgow Rangers, Inter Milan, Japan, La Liga, Lazio, Maurice Edu, Real Madrid, Roma, Serie A
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Brazil's 2014 World Cup effort 'running late'

Less than six weeks before the World Cup to set to begin, questions are surfacing about the progress of stadium construction. No, not the venues this summer; the Brazilian facilities for the 2014 tournament. While final preparations are being made in South Africa, FIFA is raising concerns about the next...

By Steve Goff | May 3, 2010; 8:27 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (22)
Categories: 2010 World Cup , Brazil , FIFA , Germany , Netherlands , South Africa , Spain | Tags: Brazil, Kevin Kuranyi, Pep Guardiola, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Soccer, South Africa, Spain, World Cup, Xavi Hernandez
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Monday kickaround

*D.C. United and Real Salt Lake will play their U.S. Open Cup qualifier June 2 at RFK Stadium, the first of two meetings in four days. The clubs will face one another again June 5 in a league match in Washington. *On Tuesday, United will announce details of its June...

By Steve Goff | May 3, 2010; 2:57 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (45)
Categories: Americans Abroad , D.C. United , Italy , MLS , U.S. Open Cup , U.S. men's national team , USA 2nd division , USL | Tags: AC Milan, Clarence Goodson, D.C. United, El Salvador, Oguchi Onyewu, Real Salt Lake, Santino Quaranta, U.S. Open Cup
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MLS weekend flashback

Red Bulls 2, D.C. United 0: 12,089 at RFK Stadium Troy Perkins says DCU may need to start sacrificing goats and chickens to break out of its funk. Chivas mascot and Washington's political chickenhawks stage protest and are joined at rally by sympathetic cats and rats who dwell at RFK....

By Steve Goff | May 3, 2010; 10:59 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (47)
Categories: D.C. United , MLS | Tags: D.C. United, Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan, MLS, Real Salt Lake, Troy Perkins, World Cup
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Americans abroad

Clint Dempsey scored the opening goal for Fulham in a 3-2 victory over West Ham. (Photo by Tom Hevezi -- Associated Press) With the World Cup approaching, our Sunday roundup is limited to players in contention for a U.S. roster slot, well-known veterans and other notable performances. Oguchi Onyewu...

By Steve Goff | May 2, 2010; 4:08 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (59)
Categories: Americans Abroad | Tags: Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley, Eddie Johnson, Freddy Adu, Jonathan Spector, Jozy Altidore, Tim Howard, World Cup, soccer
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Video: 5 red cards in MLS

The Philadelphia Union might not be the worst club in MLS (D.C. United is), but the expansion team might be the dumbest. Two weeks after Danny Califf was sent off for elbowing Toronto FC's Julian de Guzman in the head, Stefani Miglioranzi was deservedly tossed for a brutal two-footed charge...

By Steve Goff | May 2, 2010; 12:21 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: MLS | Tags: Los Angeles Galaxy, Major League Soccer, New England Revolution, Philadelphia Union
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Network News

Soccer Insider: May 2, 2010 - May 8, 2010