SOCCER WORLD

I enjoyed the experiences and showing how far American soccer has come.

The team certainly put down a marker with its performances….

That was a great experience for us to play against England’s top class clubs on their turf. It was just great we were able to pull off some great wins but it was a shame we could not play at Anfield, but it was a tour that helped us as team, we grew in confidence and it helped us with our mentality as a team and coming together.

We played well considering we had not played together much, we learnt a lot from Portugal and took it to England and showed what we learned and brought it together in the two games. I was able to get some success, the two goals against Manchester United…I was really happy about!

What has been the impact on yourself with those performances?

My confidence levels have definitely grown since that game, you don’t expect to go to Manchester United and score two goals that can help the team.

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A-LEAGUE soccer teams Sydney FC and Queensland Roar will give Macarthur’s soccer fans a treat on Saturday at Campbelltown Stadium.

The two clubs will clash in a pre-season competition with the game set to start at 7pm.

The afternoon’s curtain-raiser will be a game between two under-18 teams, Narellan Rangers and Eschol Park Wolves. Anyone keen to see some terrific local junior talent should be at the ground in time for the 4.20pm start.

Tickets will cost $15 for adults and $9 for children or concessions.

Pre-sale group tickets are available – buy 10 tickets and get two free. Corporate boxes are available with packages including a three-course meal and beverages.

Details: 46454358. .

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Kreutzmann scored his latest Monday morning in a friendly game against the Muncy High School soccer team, bending a shot perfectly over the wall and into the back of the net. He had scored a goal in similar fashion in a game Saturday night, at the Balls Mills Soccer Complex.

It feels wonderful. Michael explained. I don’t really know how to put it into words. English words, that is, because Michael and his 17 teammates are members of the TuS Ocholt German soccer club, who have been in Muncy since Friday on an AYSO soccer ambassadors program.

Monday game was held at the Muncy Sports Dome. Despite being a closely-contested match, it ended 5-1 to the Americans, who took better advantage of their scoring opportunities. Despite the loss, the second in a row for the German club after an earlier 2-1 loss to Williamsport, the boys from Ocholt say they are having a great time in the States.

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NEWLY-CROWNED International Copa Coca-Cola champions, U-17 soccer team, had a wonderful day yesterday as the National Assembly accorded them a hero’s welcome in Dodoma.

Members of Parliament temporarily put aside a debate on the 2008/09 budget estimates of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to congratulate the team, dubbed ’Dream Team’, for winning the trophy in Brazil.

’’Your victory is significant because it helped to market our country abroad,’’ Deputy Speaker Anna Makinda told the youngsters.

Makinda exhorted them to remain focused and down to earth so as to excel in both football and studies.

As a mark of appreciation for the team’s achievement, the MPs will award the players about 3.2m/-, according to the Deputy Speaker.

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SINGAPORE: No Asian team has won the football gold medal since the sport was included in the Olympics 100 years ago, and barring an upset they will struggle to breakthrough in Beijing.

Regional sides have had some success over the years, with Japan taking the bronze in 1968 in Mexico City, when they beat the host nation 2-0 in the play-off match.

And on three occasions Asian teams have finished in fourth place – India in 1956 in Melbourne, Australia in 1992 at Barcelona (they were then affifilated with Oceania rather than Asia), and Iraq four years ago in Athens.

But the ultimate prize has eluded Asia.

Once again, traditional heavyweights Japan, South Korea, and Australia are in the draw after coming through qualifying while China go in as hosts.

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New England Revolution midfielder Steve Ralston and FC Dallas midfielder Juan Toja were added to the Major League Soccer All-Star team Thursday to replace players who will miss the game to prepare for the Olympics.

New England coach Steve Nicol, who is the coach of the MLS All-Stars, had to replace Sacha Kljestan, Michael Parkhurst and Robbie Rogers, who were named to the U.S. Olympic team roster Thursday.

The MLS All-Stars play West Ham United on July 24 at BMO Field in Toronto at 7 p.m. (ET).

Bornstein, a 23-year-old defender for Chivas USA, was the MLS Rookie of the Year in 2006. A relatively unknown player entering his rookie season in 2006, he proved his versatility and catapulted his career to become a regular for the U.S. mens national team.

The 34-yeard old Ralston, one of just four active players to have played in the league in all 13 seasons, is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career.

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It is well documented Blatter is not a fan of soccer at the Olympics, as he fears it might someday rival the World Cup in terms of prestige, but as long as FIFA created the provision allowing for teams to take three overage players, the least he could do is put a little bit of teeth behind it.

Free Cristiano Ronaldo!

Blatter also took time out of his busy schedule to offer up one of the most utterly ridiculous comments in history, when asked about Cristiano Ronaldo’s proposed move to Real Madrid.

Blatter not only urged Manchester United to let the Portuguese star leave, he claimed refusing to do so would be akin to slavery. The fact that Ronaldo willingly signed a five-year contract at the start of last season was apparently lost on him. And I can’t think of too many slaves who were paid millions of dollars for their services.

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Seitz, who won a NCAA soccer championship as a freshman at the University of Maryland, has been a fixture on the U.S. National Team for years.

Action News had video of him at practice in 2001 when he was a member of the 16 and under USA National Squad.

Thursday, Seitz said scoring an Olympic berth is a dream come true.

“Ever since the first camp my rookie year here with the 23s, I’ve been looking forward to this as an opportunity, and it’s a great honor,” Seitz said. “Growing up as a kid, all you think about as a kid is the Olympics. You look forward to the Olympics as a kid, watching it on TV and so forth. So to actually have an opportunity to go and participate is just a great honor.”

Seitz is the third former San Luis Obispo High student headed to Beijing.

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Lautoka soccer striker, Netani Momaivalu and his 20-year-old friend Kaliova Rasaku have been convicted of murder by the Lautoka High Court.All the three assessors found both the men guilty of one count of Murder after which presiding Judge Justice Kishore Govind remanded both of them in custody.They will be sentenced on Monday.Momaivalu was represented by Ba lawyer, Doctor Samsud Dean Sahu Khan while DPP lawyer, Wilisoni Kurusiqila represented the state.The two punched and stoned 37 year old Sukamanu Kitione to death last year. The incident took place when the two who were drinking at a bus shelter attacked the deceased as he got off from a minivan.Police recovered some items from the scene which led to the arrests. .

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Coach Fabio Capello, who made the announcement on today, has now chosen four different captains for his four games in charge.

A permanent captain will not be appointed until England’s 2010 World Cup qualifiers in September against Andorra and Croatia, but Beckham is one of the candidates, Capello told reporters.

“Never say never,” he said. “This is a new moment for the England team.”

Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard led England for the 2-1 victory over Switzerland, Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand was captain for the 1-0 loss to France and Chelsea’s John Terry had the armband for Thursday’s 2-0 victory over the United States at Wembley, where Beckham played the first half.

Beckham, who has already led his country 57 times, was last England captain at the 2006 World Cup where the team went out in the quarterfinals to Portugal after a penalty shootout.

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