London, U.K. — As Team GB climbs ever higher in the medal table, on the Beach the UK’s leading online travel agent, reveals the top sporting activities across some of Europe’s most loved destinations.

While soccer is the number one sport in the UK, a holiday in one of our best loved summer destinations can offer a variety of sporting experiences.

Croatia boasts an insatiable passion for one of the nations’ most loved sports; Tennis. With a beautiful climate throughout the summer, there is no better way to spend a holiday in Croatia, than taking part in a great game on court followed, by a refreshing ‘deuce’ at the poolside to cool off.

Bulgarians favour the highly disciplined sport of Boxing; perhaps not quite as relaxing as spending a day topping up the tan on Sunny Beach, it can be a great way to keep in shape whilst enjoying your holiday on the Black Sea coast.

The Portuguese prefer to take to the pedals, with cycling one of the nations’ favorite sport. With On the Beach witnessing a boost in bookings for self-catering holidays to the Algarve this summer, holidaymakers can follow suit and experience the true beauty of Portugal on the back of bike, which has the added bonus of catching even more rays.

To no surprise the gorgeous Greeks are keen volleyball enthusiasts, with plenty of picturesque beaches on offer to perfect their techniques. Cheap breaks to Crete and other Greek Islands will leave holidaymakers finding that the breathtaking Greek landscapes are not the only treat to the eyes while lapping up the sun.

Alistair Daly, Marketing Director at On the Beach commented “With many destinations around Europe offering cheap summer holidays, Brits should take advantage of the bargains and jet off to foreign shores; not only to sport a golden tan but to go for gold and enjoy the nations’ favorite sport too.”

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Glostrup, Denmark — FIFA published a preliminary decision to end the ongoing debate about how referees will one day evaluate whether the ball has crossed the goal line during games. FIFA has approved a system based on the Select iBall, the world’s first intelligent soccer ball due to its ability to communicate that it has crossed the goal line.  Select’s iBall is the ball in the GoalRef system which has been tested by FIFA over the past few months and has now been approved for a final test so that the system can one day be used during professional soccer games.

Peter Knap, CEO of Select, has been developing the extraordinary ball for years so it could live up to a variety of demands.  Knap states, “It’s challenging work to design an intelligent ball that can withstand Ronaldo’s kick and at the same time be able to communicate with a system on the goal line. At Select we have been developing the soccer ball for more than 65 years so we have a solid head start when it comes to ensuring quality in new solutions.”

As the company that developed the modern soccer ball, Select has a long heritage in the sport.  That heritage is what led the Danish company to create the world’s first intelligent soccer ball.  The FIFA announcement marks the first time an intelligent ball has received recognition from FIFA.

“With a certain sense of pride, we can now say that Select has been behind the four most important steps in the development of the modern soccer ball. It began with the first laceless leather ball, then the first ball with 32 panels, then the first synthetic leather ball, and now the world’s first intelligent ball. At Select we have a deep insight into the very nature of the sport that enables us to create the best professional sporting equipment,” says Peter Knap.

While the Danish company Select is the ball manufacturer behind the iBall, the complete GoalRef system has been developed in partnership with the German company Fraunhofer IIS, part of Europe’s largest application-oriented research organization, The Fraunhofer Society.

Project leader Ingmar Bretz from Fraunhofer IIS states, “For us to achieve this, having a reliable partner like Select has been essential. Select has years of development experience from the history of GoalRef and their knowhow within ball production has been vital for our success.”

The intelligent soccer iBall works through an internal web of copper wire, which uses induction to communicate with a panel of antennas mounted to the goal frame. The very same second the entire ball has passed the goal line, the system sends a signal to the referee’s wristwatch, and the referee can instantly call it as a goal.

FIFA’s decision is the finest proof yet that the technology behind the iBall can live up to all of the tough demands of modern soccer in terms of precision, speed and quality. With this acknowledgement, Select has achieved another milestone in the development of the soccer ball.

Image Courtesy of   fstockfoto  / Shutterstock.com

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The great finale has arrived. The moment that all soccer fans were waiting is finally here. The Euro 2012 has reached its end after nearly a month of competition, in which so many things have occurred. It may not have been the tournament where a lot of goals have been scored or where matches have been epic. But a final is a final, and more if the finalists are two great national teams like Spain and Italy. These two Mediterranean countries are now partying, enjoying the pregame, but the intoxication of joy can become tachycardia as the minutes passes. After 90 minutes one country will laugh and the other will cry. Bets say that the Spanish team is the favorite, but in soccer nothing is ever written, especially when Italy is playing.

Spain and Italy are two countries that in recent months are experiencing the worst economic times since the eighties. The two countries go hand in hand when asking for financial aid to Europe. Today, however, they will forget the solidarity they share.

Italy and Spain, two styles of strategies, although both efficient. The Spanish style is one of touch, elegant, dribbling and speed, against the Italian catenaccio, the claw and value, plus the kind of Pirlo and hunger of the striker Ballloteli. Two antagonist styles from the two best European teams that will face off in a game that has acquired a military component.

Spain may go down in history as the first selection in soccer history to win European Championship, World Championship, and European Championship in a row. Three big tournaments in 6 years, something that no team has ever achieved. The team will face its fourth European Championship final, after 1964, 1984, 2008 and aims to win its third European title and confirm the hegemonic cycle of Spanish soccer.

On the other side the Italian also want to write their name in soccer’s history after they defeated Germany in the semifinals, thanks to the two goals scored by Mario Balotelli.

Spain’s starting team is already decided according to Del Bosque’s second coach. Spain is expected to come out with their regular team and the only question is who will occupy the vacant seat on this selection, the forward position, harmed by the absence of Villa. However, it appears that the number 9 position will be occupied by the FC Barcelona player, Cesc Fabregas, despite not being a striker. The most knowledgeable soccer fans say that this post should go to the striker Alvaro Negredo, even though Del Bosque’s bet has paid off recently.

90 minutes of tension that will let one of these countries forget their financial situation for a couple of days. Then they will have to come down from the clouds…

Image Courtesy of  Continental AG UEFA EURO 2012 – Claudio Villa / Getty Images

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The Czech Republic, who were humbled in their opening game against Russia, took on Greece at the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw, Poland in search of their opening win in the tournament.

It did not take long before the Czech fans were celebrating as they took the lead in just the third minute of the game. Veteran player Tomas Hubschman unlocked the Greek defense with a pinpoint pass for Petr Jiracek, and Czech midfielder had little difficulty beating Kostas Chalkias with his left foot.

No sooner than the Czech fans’ cheers had died down, they were once more on their feet celebrating their second goal of the game. A drilled cross from Gebre Selassie was dealt with poorly by Greek goalkeeper Chalkias, who only managed to palm the ball into the path of the arriving Vaclav Pilar and the ball was bundled into the back of the net off of the knee of Pilar.

Chalkias’ nightmare start to the game came to an early end as he walked off with an injury to be replaced by Michalis Sifakis, who was almost immediately called upon to make a good diving save to prevent Tomas Rosicky from extending the Czechs’ lead.

Despite being down 2-0, and in desperate need of at least one goal before half time, the Greece team looked lethargic for the rest of the half, failing to trouble the Czech defense with any meaningful attacks. The closest Greece came to pulling a goal back was through Giorgos Fotakis, who headed the ball in at the far post from a cross, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside and ensure the score remained unchanged at the interval.

Instead of pressing hard to get back into the game in the second half, Greece was lucky to not be further behind when Selassie’s shot found its way to the feet of Milas Baros but the striker couldn’t connect properly with the ball and wasted a golden opportunity.

A lifeline was gifted the Greeks, however, when a cross was spilled by Czech goalkeeper, Petr Cech, following a mix up with Tomas Sivok, leaving Fanis Gekas with the easiest of finishes to give Greece their first goal.

The goal seemed to spur on Greece who was now in control of the game, but a combination of bad finishing and a lack of a final pass saw the Greeks spurn a host of chances as the game moved into the final 15 minutes.

Despite doing much better in the second half, Greece was unable to find a much needed equalizer, leaving them in the precarious position of needing to beat the strong Russia side in their last group game if they are to have any chance of qualifying for the knockout stages. The Czechs on the other hand are in a much better position going into their last game against Poland and, providing they can replicate their form from the first half of this game, will fancy their chances of qualifying from the group.

Image Courtesy of  photoplanet.am / Shutterstock.com

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Dispite the not so impressive lineup from EA’s shooters and other respective genres, probably the biggest event from the Press Conference was their sports games. It was clear that EA Sports has put a lot of time and effort into their sports games to really leave a mark this year at E3.

First, EA announced Madden 13. Powered by the Infinity Engine, Madden 13 shoots for the most realistic physics engine to date. Madden 13 also introduces Connected Career, which combines various career modes from past games and integrates them into an expansive social network career campaign. In Connected Career, the player chooses between a variety of players, from the current roster to popular legends, and works to level them up by completing various tasks to earn experience (XP). Players also have the option to retire their player if they feel they want to change their position, where players will still retain their XP and status.

Players can also manage their team via PC, tablet, or iPad, and can keep up to date on events, status updates, or high scores through the direct twitter feed built into the game. Madden 13 really seems to bring a new life into the sports genre. Also for the Madden series, EA announced Madden Social, a free-to-play Madden game for facebook and various mobile devices. Madden Social is set to launch in the fall.

EA Sports also announced their next game in the FIFA franchise with FIFA 13. The FIFA series promises a new, more in-depth feel to the world of soccer (football outside the US) by incorporating the moves and reflexes of Lionel Messi, one of the world’s greatest soccer players. By incorporating Messi’s playing style, FIFA 13 promises to be one of the most realistic soccer games to date. As for returning fans, those who have FIFA 12 data retain their XP and recieve bonus supplies upon installing FIFA 13. FIFA 13 offers a connection to FIFA games on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.

EA announced that EA Sports and the UFC will be coming together to release future UFC games through EA Sports, a big break for the UFC in the gaming industry. The future looks bright for the UFC for breaking away from THQ (Toy Headquarters) and joining up with one of the biggest sports game developers of all time.

This year is going to be a hard act for EA to follow, because EA has recently been announced as the worst company in the United States next to previous winners such as AIG and BP. More details about EA’s worst company award can be found here. This year does seem to be the year for EA Sports. With so much involvement in the social aspect of their sports games, and the recent acquisition of the UFC franchise, this year’s lineup of EA Sports games may finally be more than just a glorified DLC expansion of the sports genre.

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Liverpool, England – Football brand stamps its mark with cutting edge kit that redefines high performance Warrior  has officially unveiled its highly anticipated 2012/13 Liverpool FC home kit. Combining revolutionary design and technology, the new kit is a celebration of the Club’s renowned heritage with inspiration drawn from Liverpool FC legends of old.

Developed out of the brand’s global football headquarters in Wilmslow, England, the new Liverpool FC kit has been constructed by a hand-picked team of design and development experts.

Head of Warrior Football Richard Wright believes the new LFC kit will smash expectations.

“By partnering our knowledge of making high performance sports apparel with Liverpool FC’s rich history, Warrior has successfully created a kit that will empower players with the means to dominate. Our goal is to breathe new life and energy into the game of football, to make people sit up and take notice by redefining expectations,” said Wright.

Warrior has stamped its mark on the Liverpool FC home kit by introducing a number of signature features.

Inspiration behind the kit was drawn from the 1964/65 version, worn under Club legend, Bill Shankly. The cult manager believed the high-risk red gave players a physical and psychological edge over their opponents.

The iconic amber yellow Liver Bird emblem has been re-introduced to the new kit, taking centre stage on the shirt as the Club’s crest. Reminiscent of the strip worn between 1976 and 1985 – a time recognised as one of Liverpool FC’s golden eras – the crest has been fully embroidered on to the shirt for only the second time in the Club’s history.

Marking a world-first in football, the kit has been designed using War-Tech, a revolutionary apparel system engineered by Warrior. At the heart of War-Tech lies Scafe, an innovative, antimicrobial fabric made with coffee grounds. As well as being environmentally friendly, Scafe is fast drying, assists with odor control and provides UV protection.

To further ensure the highest level of performance, the main body of the Liverpool FC shirt is designed with durable water resistant technology, a hydro-phobic development that rejects external moisture and helps maintain dryness. Under-arm four-way stretch mesh fabric also allows for full-range movement, functionality and air flow to help regulate temperature in key heat areas during games.

LFC captain Steven Gerrard, who was recently given the England captain’s arm band for the European Championships, believes the new Warrior kit is one of the best in the Club’s history.

“Warrior has designed a kit that embodies everything that is great about Liverpool Football Club,” said Gerrard. “I’m extremely happy with the reintroduction of the amber yellow Liver Bird crest and the stitching gives it that extra touch of quality. For fit, comfort and functionality, it’s one of the best kits I’ve worn – the fans will love it.”

Liverpool FC will wear the groundbreaking new-look home kit for the first time against Toronto FC on 21 July, during the Club’s summer tour of North America. The kit will be available to purchase from http://www.liverpoolfc.tv.

With a number of exciting club and player signings on the horizon, it is clear Warrior remains true to its brand philosophy of, we come not to play.

Image Courtesy of  Jaggat / Shutterstock.com

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On Tuesday May 1st, Roy Hodgson was named the new England manager, replacing Fabio Capello ahead of Euro 2012 this summer.

Hodgson met with the Football Association on Monday April 30th after being publicly announced as the leading and only candidate for the job. Talks continued into the following day, before Hodgson was called in front of the  media, as the FA confirmed his appointment.

The decision was met with some disapproval from the public, whom the majority of, had expected Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp to lead the country to the Euro’s in Poland/Ukraine this summer, after he had publicly declared his interest and desire to succeed Capello. Despite having successful stints at both Fulham and West Brom in England, Hodsgon has often been condemned for his poor reign at Liverpool, during which the 64 year old commanded a 35% win ratio, winning 7, drawing 4 and losing 9 of the twenty league matches under his stewardship.

Unsurprisingly, this poor run of form led to Hodgson’s dismissal and an immediate battering from the nations press. Despite this low point in Hodgson’s career, the remarkable story of what the Englishman has achieved prior to his management in England is impressive.

After a less than exciting playing career, Hodgson landed his first managerial role at Swedish side Halmstad BK, staying there for 5 years. In the years spent in Scandinavia, Hodgson managed to guide Halmstad  BK to their first championship title in what was considered an unbelievable achievement with a side that was tipped by many for relegation.

Following his success in Sweden, Hodgson was offered the opportunity to return to England with Bristol City, initially as assistant manager before taking the full time managers job shortly after. Despite his excitement at the role, Hodgson’s homecoming was unsuccessful, prompting an immediate return to Sweden.

Hodgson first job upon his return was at Oddevold before moves to Orebro and Malmo helped consolidate his Swedish legacy. His biggest achievement after his move back to Sweden was the five consecutive titles won with Malmo, after which he was offered a lifetime contract, an offer he politely declined.

After all the success in Sweden, extremely high taxes of around 65% saw Hodgson leave the country for Switzerland in search of a more financially rewarding home. Hodgson took over at Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax, leading the club to impressive European victories over Spanish giants Real Madrid and Celtic. Despite reasonable success with his new side during two years, Hodgson welcomed the prospect of managing the Swiss national side after being approached by the Swiss FA.

In his three years as the coach of the national side, Hodgson managed to secure qualification for World Cup 1994, losing only one game in a group that contained Portugal and eventual finalist Italy. During this magnificent run, Switzerland lost only once, rising through the FIFA World Rankings, sitting as high as third in the world at one point, a remarkable achievement for the Swiss and Hodgson himself. During the tournament in the USA, Switzerland made it to the last 16, where they were eliminated by a strong Spain side, in what was a definitive moment in Swiss soccer.

Following on from the World Cup, Switzerland, under Hodgson, sailed through qualification for the European Championship, held in England, only to see their iconic manager leave after calls from Italian giants Inter Milan.

After a less than successful, if glamorous stint in Italy, Hodgson was brought back to England with Blackburn Rover, leading this one time Premier League champions to sixth and qualification for the UEFA Cup. Despite this, Blackburn struggled the following season and Hodgson was relieved of his duties in November 1998.

This dismissal was followed by spells as caretaker at former club Inter Milan, Grasshopper, Copenhagen and Udinese. With some of these stints more successful than others, Hodgson found himself again in International management, as the new coach of the United Arab of Emirates. Hodgson spent two years in charge of both the senior and Olympic sides and despite initially struggling, Hodgson felt enriched after the experience.

 ”That was a period where I didn’t know where my career was going. But all these experiences enrich you and it was good to know I could get my message to players who many say are uncoachable. It’s hard work; they’re basically lazy. But I had them drilled and pressuring opponents almost like an English team. Most coaches who go there are just fannying around, but it’s not my nature” he said.

After leaving the U.A.E. and serving a short stay at Danish side Viking, Hodgson was appointed as the new manager of Finland. Despite failing to qualify for Euro 2008, Hodgson was praised by the nation for organizing their side in such a way that they could now develop and prosper under new management. After his contract ran out and the best effort from the Finnish FA to extend the said contract, Hodgson found himself back in England, as manager of Fulham.

In what was considered by many to be a somewhat surprise appointment, Hodgson, against all the odds managed to keep Fulham in the Premier League in his debut season, a feat which was epitomized by Fulham’s four victories in their final five games. The  following seasons saw a huge improvement by Hodgson’s men as they finished in a record high position of 7th, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.

Hodgson’s third year in charge proved to be the most successful, with Fulham enjoying an incredible European adventure, which saw them defeat holders Shaktar Donetsk, German side Wolfsburg and Italian giants Juventus, coming back from 4-1 on aggregate to win 5-4 after both legs. Despite their incredible journey, Fulham lost in the final to Atletico Madrid, 2-1.

At the end of that year, following Fulham’s season defining European run and their solid 12th place finish, Hodgson received the LMA manager of the year award. This achievement led to increasing speculation of a move away from Craven Cottage, rumors which soon materialized into his fatal spell at Liverpool.

Despite his apparent failure at Anfield, Hodgson has been able to revive his reputation in England, leading relegation threatened West Bromwich Albion to back to back mid-table finishes, as the Midlands side look to consolidate their Premier League status.

This remarkable career seems to have peaked with Hodgson’s appointment as England manager. Although the majority of the public and even some players seemed to be backing Harry Redknapp for the job, Hodgson’s wealth of experience, both at club soccer and internationally, stands the former Switzerland boss in good stead for his new position.

The press conference itself and images surfacing from shortly after his assignment, captured an Englishman delighted at the opportunity to lead his nation into a major tournament and an individual determined to do his very best to succeed where so many before him have failed.

Image Courtesy of   ajlisss

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Part two of our feature of players to watch at EURO 2012 takes us to Group B, the group of death. Denmark may have their fair share of talented young players coming through for this summer, but being put up against many people’s favorites (Germany, Holland, and Portugal) will make this group undoubtedly the most entertaining in the tournament. Here are eight possible players to keep an eye out for in Poland and Ukraine.

Kevin Strootman (PSV & Holland)

Kevin Strootman may already be 22, but that does not mean his potential is fulfilled already. The PSV midfielder has attracted the interest of top Premier League clubs and has had a meteoric rise since he left relegated Sparta Rotterdam 18 months ago. One season at Utrecht was enough to catch the eye of PSV, who took him on last season, and he has already made an impact in Holland.

Strootman broke into the Holland set-up last year and has made 11 appearances, making him almost certain to be going to the EUROs this summer. If Holland is to challenge for the tournament, nevermind making it out of a very tough group, Strootman in the midfield will be a key aspect of their side.

Ricky Van Wolfswinkel (Sporting Lisbon & Holland)

The brilliantly named Ricky Van Wolfswinkel is another of the boys from Utrecht who has carried on building their reputation before being linked with every top Premier League club. Van Wolfswinkel moved to Sporting Lisbon last summer and has scored nine goals since. Like Strootman, he has all but claimed his place at EURO 2012.

The striker has been strongly linked with Manchester United and Tottenham, and if he continues to impress on the big stage this summer, the likes of him and Strootman could be the new generation of Dutch stars that bring silverware back to their country.

Daniel Wass (Evian & Denmark)

This may be one you have not heard of before, but right-back Daniel Wass is progressing nicely through his career at the moment. After impressing at home in Denmark for Brondby, Wass had done enough to attract the interest of Benfica. The Portuguese side snapped him up last summer, but loaned him out immediately to French side Evian. Wass has made eighteen appearances for the Ligue 1 side so far and has scored three goals from his attacking full-back role.

He does not have a guaranteed place in the Danish squad for the summer and has only made four international appearances. However, his impressive performances in France and his growing reputation means we could see a bit more of the 22-year-old in Poland and Ukraine.

Christian Eriksen (Ajax & Denmark)

My next few names seem painfully obvious, but it would be rude not to mention them anyway. Another one of the young Danish contingents who is certain to go to EURO 2012 is Christian Eriksen. The Ajax superstar came to the front last year when he started to impress in Holland and began to make an impact on the international stage. He has already claimed 21 caps for Denmark and will be central to his country’s hopes of progressing from a tough group this summer.

Eriksen is linked with almost every major club in Europe at the moment. If he does have an impressive summer, it is hard to imagine the little play-maker will still be at Ajax come the start of the new season.

Andre Schurrle (Bayer Leverkusen & Germany)

All the talk in Germany at the moment surrounds the excitement of Borussia Dortmund star Mario Goetze and their future star Marco Reus, but one man who has been making great progress for Bayer Leverkusen is Andre Schurrle.

Starting his career at Mainz, Schurrle soon was the center of attention and got a move to Leverkusen last summer. He has made more progress with the German giants this season and broke onto the international scene impressively, scoring five goals in his mere twelve caps for Germany.

Despite that, Schurrle is not a likely starter for Germany this summer, but it would be a surprise if he was not included in the squad and given some sort of role in the tournament.

Marco Reus (Gladbach & Germany)

I say Gladbach, but Marco Reus will be joining the ever-impressive Borussia Dortmund in the summer to play alongside the other German star, Goetze. He has scored 34 goals for Gladbach at the age of 22 and is another who might not make the German XI, but will surely make the final squad. Dortmund will be happy they already have him signed and sealed for next season, as he is sure to attract a lot of attention this summer.

There are only four appearances for Germany, but Reus has a big future. EURO 2012 may be the opportunity for the attacker to make an impact with Germany looking to replace the likes of Miroslav Klose et al., sooner rather than later.

Mario Goetze

The final of the new German threesome who will shake up EURO 2012 this summer is Mario Goetze, and he may be the most impressive of the three. Already a first teamer at German champions Dortmund, Goetze will be the subject of much interest this summer and could find himself in the first XI in Poland and Ukraine.

Goetze may not be at Dortmund for very much longer, although with the German side about to seal another Bundesliga title, maybe they can convince Mario to put off the attractions of Europe’s finest for one more season. However, an impressive tournament may put into play any plans Dortmund had to hang onto the midfielder.

Nelson Oliveira (Benfica & Portugal)

There probably will not be an awful lot different about Portugal’s squad compared to that of the 2010 World Cup. Nelson Oliveira is not even guaranteed to get a spot in the squad, in all honesty, but he did finally get his international debut this year, so will definitely be in contention. He is not a prolific goalscorer, but a hard worker upfront and holds the ball up well.

He scored in the Champions League last month to put Benfica through to the Champions League Quarter-Finals, and we might see a bit more of Oliveira this summer if Portugal feels the need to take him.

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April 14, 2012 witnessed the death of Italian footballer, Piermario Morosini. The midfielder who was on loan at Serie B side Livorno from his parent club Udinese, suffered a suspected cardiac arrest after just 30 minutes of his side’s league clash against Pescara. Morosini tried in vein to return to his feet but was unable to do so, prompting frantic scenes at the Stadio Adriatico, which saw a defibrillator used on the stricken midfielder, allowing him to leave the pitch, albeit on a stretcher, in a conscious state.

With Livorno leading 2-0, the match was abandoned after his team mates and opposition players remained visibly upset by the ordeal. Morosini was rushed to Santo Spirito hospital, but was announced dead before arriving.

The death of such a talented individual in the footballing community is punishment enough, but even more so when one looks at the life and hardship faced by Piermario Morosini and his family. Before the tender age of 15, Morosini’s mother passed away, with the misery compounded further by the loss of his father two years later, due to heart problems. In 2004, Morosini was forced to deal with the suicide of his handicapped brother, leaving him to look after his other sibling, his younger sister who was also handicapped.

A young man, who for many in football was considered one of the happiest individuals around, Morosini was perceived as a gentleman who never abandoned his smile. He was loved by a community and demonstrated tremendous virtues as a down to earth and visibly blessed man. He admitted he was fortunate, telling a close friend “I do the job that I always wanted to do and I have a girlfriend who loves me, why should I seek anything else?”

A workhorse in the middle of midfield, Morosini was respected immensely by his peers and his coaches. Renowned for his determination, Morosini won 18 caps for the Italy Under 21 side after representing every age group since the age of 16. Morosini was seen as a consistent performer, indispensable on the field and vital in the dressing room. His former Atalanta youth coach Giancarlo Finardi spoke of him fondly. “When I asked [the players] who was going to be captain, they answered ‘Mario’ in unison.”

Football was considered by many to be the fundamental driving force behind Morosini’s success in life. The focus demonstrated throughout his career was thought by many to be a result of the hard times he had been forced to face.

Morosini admitted, ”I have often wondered why it all happened to me, but I can never find an answer and this makes me hurt even more. But life goes on.” The midfielder felt as if he owed a lot to his family, dedicating his career and success to his deceased parents. “I would like to become a good player for them especially because I know what would make them happy.”

The emphasis that football held in his life truly is outstanding. Former team mate Marco Motta optimized his determination and commitment, “He was really a man. He lived through great adversity,” said Motta. “After his father’s death that occurred during the week, many had advised him not to play. On Sunday, calmly, he chose to take his place in midfield. This was symbolic of a person who lived for football. He wanted to realise his dreams, play with the pros and also for his parents. He never lost his smile. I, however, lost a friend.”

Morosini’s death came less than a month after English midfielder Fabrice Muamba ‘died’ for 78 minutes after collapsing in Bolton’s FA Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur. Although Muamba is set to recover after a lengthy stay in hospital, both incidents have helped raise awareness in the sport concerning heart deficiencies.

Udinese captain and former team mate of Morosini, Antonio Di Natale, is now set to look after the former Livorno midfielder’s handicapped sister, with financial support from Udinese in a remarkable gesture of support to a team mate and a friend who was loved by all. Livorno, his final club has expressed their deepest wishes, retiring the number 25 shirt in his honour.

The loss of such a talented and energetic individual is one that will affect many throughout the footballing world. Morosini’s influence throughout his career is undeniable, receiving great honours and commanding respect from all those around him. The condolences demonstrated have been those of emotional goodbyes and thanks for a football player who lived for the game and dedicated his whole life to the well being of others.

Thousands are expected to pay tribute to him at his funeral in Bergamo on Thursday 19th April, in the city where he was born.

May he rest in peace.

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Genius in sports does not come around every day, and when it does, it should not be hard to recognize and appreciate. When an athlete accomplishes things in a sport that have never been done before and does it in a way that has rarely ever been seen, it is important to not only stand up and applaud that greatness, but to make sure everyone else sees it and understands what is being accomplished.

Lionel Messi is probably the greatest athlete of today, yet outside of those who understand and love the sport he dominates, his genius is swept aside as just another athlete playing a meaningless sport. Of course, soccer, or football as it is call outside of the U.S., is one of the most popular sports in the world, yet you would not know it listening to analysts discuss the sport.

Soccer gets a bad rap for many reasons here in the U.S., but instead of welcoming the washed-up players from Europe who are past their prime, the greatest soccer player to have come along in decades while he is still ripe with potential should be celebrated.

Messi stands at 5 feet 7 inches tall. It would be hard to look at the man and think that you are looking at the greatest athlete playing any sport today. He has a slight build with the face of a young boy, not yet a man, but do not be fooled. He has been described as an assassin on the field, and at 24 years old, the 7-year pro has surpassed legends.

Messi is now the all-time leading scorer for his club team, Barcelona, with 234 goals, and the first player to score 5 goals in a single game in that league. Accomplishments left to those at the twilight of their careers, not a young player yet to reach his prime. He has won the FIFA Ballon d’Or three times, an award given to the best player each season, and is likely to win his fourth this year.

Soccer played at the highest level by the best players is the most beautiful sport in the world to watch, and Messi reinforces that every time he gets on the field. Watching the boy genius play is like watching Barry Sanders make a great unexpected cut on the football field or even watching Michael Jordan suspended in the air on his way to the basket.

Those are not images seen every day in sports, but when they do happen, they should be appreciated because they may never be seen again. As sports fans here get sidetracked by Linsanity and Tebowmania, the real once-in-a-generation story does not get the attention it deserves. We do not play football in America, so it is only right we give it another name. Soccer in America is the reason why Messi does not get the love and recognition he truly deserves.

During the week when the record was set by Messi, ESPN, who covers all sports, barely dedicated a segment to the story. In fact, a quick video was put up along with the record-breaking goal, and that was that. That is all soccer is worth in the realm of American sports, even if the great Lionel Messi is the topic.

There have been many sports analysts during World Cup events and Olympic events who have said that America does not need to be good at soccer because of all the other sports which the U.S. dominates. There is an arrogance that goes along with the ideas that Americans have about soccer and why American soccer players are not as good as other nations.  Sadly, this will not change anytime soon.

The eye test is all it takes to realize that this is no ordinary man. Lionel Messi is superman and his kryptonite might very well be the international stage, the only place left where his greatness has yet to make its mark. However, maybe that will change in 2014.

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Atletico Madrid drew at Sanchez Pizjuan against Sevilla on Saturday. Simeone’s team dominated the first half while Sevilla controlled the second half. The draw was a fair result for both squads who did not show enough ambition to claim the victory by maintaining the fight for the champions league place, which belongs to Malaga, four points ahead.

First Half

The Argentinean Toto Salvio connected a header into the bottom corner after a lovely delivery from the left wing by Gaby in the eight minute. Sevilla, despite their supporters, could not keep the ball and generate any danger to the Belgian keeper, Courtois.

Atletico Madrid won the battle to Seville in the midfield with four players (Tiago, Gabi, Mario and Koke) against Ratikic and Medel, who were unable to stop the charges of Salvio and Adrian from the wings.

Salvio was the biggest problem for the Sevilla defenders; The Argentinean had two more chances to extend Atletico’s advantage, but an inspirited Palop saved them. Atletico seemed to run out of stamina after half an hour.

Reyes, playing against his former club, tried a curly shoot from the right side but he missed the goal by inches in the 34th minute. Before the end of the first half, Kanoute came closer to making the equaliser but his header went away from the goal.

Second Half

Sevilla’s manager Michel introduced midfielder Trochoswki to balance his team and get more possession of the ball. Also Kanoute went to the top diamond position to give a hand creating more play for his teammate.

Soon the change improved Sevilla’s performance and Navas was the sharpest player in the right flank, creating many problems for Atletico’s defenders. Sevilla drew the match in the 53th minute when Navas whipped an excellent cross to stricker Baba who only had to choose side to score.

Simeone did not have any answers to stop the Sevilla offensive. Reyes shot a free kick from the right side but Courtois rejected it in the 60th minute. Twelve minutes later, Navas again delivery a perfect ball to Reyes’s head but the Atletico keeper saved it perfectly.

Sevilla almost got the win in the 89th minute, but the referee, Alfonso Álvarez disallowed correctly Manu del Moral’s goal for offside. The result left both Sevilla and Atletico Madrid levelled on 33 points in 11th and 10th respectively.

After the match, Simeone and Michel agreed that the result was fair for both teams and they still have their hopes to reach champions Leagues position.

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Stuart Pearce’s tenure as England manager started with a last gasp defeat after his side came back from 2-0 down in the dying minutes, only to be denied in the last minute by a deflected Arjen Robben effort. Two goals in two minutes from Robben and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had given Holland a commanding lead, but late goals from Gary Cahill and Ashley Young seemed to have given England a draw. But straight from the kick-off, Robben curled the ball home via Cahill’s head to ensure Holland walked away with the victory.

It was an even start as both sides felt each other out early on, Arjen Robben causing the most problems for England, testing Joe Hart out and running at Micah Richards. England linked up well, Danny Welbeck dropping deep to aid play but Holland stood tall with De Jong and Van Bommel coming out on top in the midfield battle in the early stages.

New captain Scott Parker was making his presence felt, launching himself in front of two powerful shots which were goal bound. The game was majorly played in midfield in the first half an hour, and England had to make a change with Steven Gerrard being replaced by Daniel Sturridge. The Liverpool skipper had played 120 minutes on Sunday, and there was no need to take any risks on the midfielder.

England perhaps felt they had momentum as the first half came to a close, but Stekelenburg had nothing major to do in the Holland goal as the game reached the halfway point. James Milner replaced Gareth Barry at half-time, with Huntelaar and Schaars replacing Van Persie and Pieters for the away side.

Daniel Sturridge had been England’s brightest spark since coming on, and he forced Stekelenburg in to an early save in the second half, but the Roma number one got down well to push the shot away. But Holland weren’t playing the game lying down, England’s attacking football allowed space to open up for the visitors, and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar went close with a rasping 20-yard effort as the game began to stretch.

And the open game played right in to Holland’s hands when Arjen Robben picked the ball up unmarked inside his own half, running to the edge of the England box and firing the ball low beyond a sprawling Joe Hart.

England were on the back foot and Holland pounced straight away, Dirk Kuyt’s pinpoint cross finding Huntelaar who made it 2-0. Attention turned to the aftermath of the goal as Chris Smalling and Huntelaar lay sprawled on the pitch, both bleeding badly after a clash of heads, Smalling was stretchered off and replaced by fellow United defender Phil Jones, whilst Huntelaar also had to be replaced after just fifteen minutes, Twente’s Luuk De Jong taking his place.

During the stoppage, Stewart Downing also entered the fray replacing Adam Johnson, and almost had an instant impact, volleying wide from inside the box. England seemed to have lost their way slightly, but Sturridge missed a glorious chance when Leighton Baines’ miss-hit reached the Chelsea striker. He only managed to scuff it in to the hands of Stekelenburg.

Sunderland striker Fraizer Campbell came on for his senior debut with ten minutes to go, but the game was already beyond an England side struggling to cope with Holland’s counter attacks. It was time for some cheer when Gary Cahill of all people was put through, before turning inside and slotting the ball into the net to give the home crowd something to shout about. Replays showed the Chelsea defender may have been offside.

The goal rejuvenated England but Sturridge limped off after trying to get in the way of a Dirk Kuyt effort, Theo Walcott his replacement for the last couple of minutes. Four minutes of stoppage time proved enough time for England to grab an equaliser as Phil Jones found United team mate Ashley Young who dinked the ball beautifully over the onrushing Stekelenburg to level the scores in a dramatic turnaround.

The drama didn’t end there. In the 92nd minute Holland went straight up the other end, Emanuelson’s cross finally found its way through to Arjen Robben, the winger cutting inside and his shot took a crucial deflection off Cahill and Holland were once again in front in an enthralling match. The action ended there as Stuart Pearce’s first game ended in defeat, despite a valiant effort from the home side to come back from 2-0 down.

England: Hart, Richards, Cahill, Smalling (Jones 64), Baines, Gerrard (Sturridge 32 (Walcott 88)), Parker, Barry (Milner 46), Johnson (Downing 65), Welbeck (Campbell 80), Young. Subs: Green, Cole, Lescott, Carson.

Netherlands: Stekelenburg, Boulahrouz (Vlaar 82), Heitinga, Mathijsen, Pieters (Schaars 46), Van Bommel, De Jong, Robben, Sneijder (Emanuelson 76), Kuyt, van Persie (Huntelaar 46 (de Jong 64)). Subs: Krul, Strootman, Wijnaldum, Bruma, John, Narsingh.

Referee: Felix Brych (Germany)

Attendance: 76,238

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Zenit St. Petersburg were able to come away with a late win at the bone-chilling Stadion Petrovskiy in a 3-2 victory over Benfica in their first leg in the Champions League’s round of 16, giving them a tiny lead going da Luz in March. It was a hard-fought battle, but the -10 degree weather seemed to take its toll on the Portuguese side and give the advantage to the hometown team Zenit.

“Our team has great character and incredible heart,” said Zenit head coach Luciano Spalletti in a post game interview, “we did what we were planning to do, what we were supposed to do, despite the poor condition of the pitch Benfica was the first team on the scoreboard after Maxi Pereira was able to score in the 20^th minute off a rebound after a free-kick that seemed to slip out of the Zenit goalkeepers hands.

Roman Shirokov was able to tie the game up for Zenit seven minutes later after an amazing volley that he received from a crossing pass. The goal was the last goal of the half, but both teams had several scoring chances before the halftime whistle was blown. After several more chances from both sides at the beginning of the second half. Sergei Semak was able to give Zenit the lead in the 71^st minute with a beautiful back-heel shot that tricked the Benfica goalkeeper and rolled into the bottom left corner.

Fifteen minutes later, Benfica was able to tie the game up after another error from the Zenit goalkeeper which led to Oscar Cardozo picking up the dropped ball and putting it in the back of the net. Both teams pushed hard for the goal that would give them the one-goal lead going into the second leg, but Zenit would be the only team to capitalize thanks to Shirokov scoring his second goal of the night one minute after Benfica tied the game up.

“We changed the course of the match, scoring the winning goal,” said Spalletti, “we have to get that in the return match. I leave that for the match in Lisbon.” Benfica will host Zenit on March 6 at da Luz, in the second leg of the tournament between the two teams.

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DHL, the world’s leading express and logistics company, delivered Manchester United’s Champ19ns Trophy Tour to Mumbai for a special event with employees and customers. The DHL Champ19ns Trophy Tour event in Mumbai included a football clinic with two Manchester United Legends Denis Irwin and Quinton Fortune with children of the Magic Bus Foundation and the DHL football team.

This is the first time the club has toured India with the trophy, and is part of a global tour which will visit 27 Asian and African destinations, covering over 48,000 miles. Malcolm Monteiro, SVP & Area Director, South Asia, DHL Express said: “DHL and Manchester United are two strong brands recognized globally and the partnership is between two organizations that have similar characteristics at their core such as teamwork, passion, speed and can-do-spirit.”

Malcolm added, “The DHL Champ19ns Trophy Tour is a perfect chance to demonstrate how we work within our global network of 220 countries to bring the trophy to our customers, employees and fans around the world.”

Manchester United Legends Denis Irwin and Quinton Fortune shared a lot of tips on the field with the children of Magic Bus Foundation and the DHL football team who were very excited to be there. The two legends along with the club’s famous mascot, Fred The Red, was also on hand along with the Trophy to sign signature cards, engage with the children and DHL employees about what it’s like to play for the most popular club in the world.

DHL is the global market leader in the logistics industry and “The Logistics company for the world”. DHL commits its expertise in international express, air and ocean freight, road and rail transportation, contract logistics and international mail services to its customers.

A global network composed of more than 220 countries and territories and about 300,000 employees worldwide offers customers superior service quality and local knowledge to satisfy their supply chain requirements. DHL accepts its social responsibility by supporting climate protection, disaster management and education.

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL. The Group generated revenue of more than 51.5 billion euros in 2010.

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As the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea prepares to kick off, some of football’s biggest stars have been practicing more than just their moves on the football pitch; they’ve also been practicing delivering messages about malaria control.

Andrew (Dede) Ayew, midfielder from Ghana, Gervinho, forward from Cote d’Ivoire, and Moussa Sow, forward from Senegal, were just a few of the tournament stars who delivered malaria prevention and treatment messages in new United Against Malaria (UAM) public service announcements (PSAs) that will air throughout Africa during the tournament.

Other UAM champions who lent their voice to the new PSAs include Jordan Ayew, striker from Ghana, Charles Kabore, midfielder from Burkina Faso, and Asamoah Gyan, striker from Ghana. The PSAs focus on the importance of malaria prevention and treatment for children in Africa, “because all children deserve a chance at greatness, just like their heroes on the football pitch.” Although preventable and treatable, a child in Africa dies every 45 seconds from malaria.

“Malaria still kills many children in Africa, and it’s important that we educate fans on how to protect themselves and their families,” said Ghana Football Association President and CAF Executive Committee member Kwesi Nyantakyi, whose national team starred in a UAM PSA ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. “Until we have no children dying from malaria in Africa, we need to spread the word about ways to prevent and treat this disease.”

The new PSAs will be shown at half-time during matches aired in Ghana, Senegal and many other African countries through local and cable television stations.

“We are so grateful to the players and their national associations for their commitment to the fight against malaria,” said David Kyne, United Against Malaria Campaign Manager. “Their support offers us an unparalleled opportunity to reach millions of viewers watching the tournament to deliver messages about the prevention and treatment of malaria.”

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The Football Association of Wales revealed Sunday that football manager Gary Speed was found dead at 07:08 GMT on 27^th November at his home in Huntington, Chester.

Speed boasted an exemplary international career. Over a period of fifteen years, he won 85 caps for his country and also played for Leeds, Everton, Sheffield United, Newcastle and Bolton. After taking on his first managerial role with Sheffield United and accepting an MBE in the 2010 Birthday Honours for his services to football, he was appointed as Wales’ manager almost one year ago with the brief to prepare the senior squad for qualification to the FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Cheshire police were called to Speed’s home in the morning of 27^th November after receiving information of a sudden death at an address in Huntington. A spokeswoman for Cheshire police announced that there were ‘no suspicious circumstances’ surrounding his death, and confirmed it to be an apparent suicide.

A minute’s silence was announced at the Premier League Swansea match against Aston Villa on Sunday, following which, supportive chants and rounds of applause resonated around the stadium.

Tributes to Speed began to pour in within minutes of hearing the news. Former team mate Ryan Giggs said: “I am totally devastated. Gary Speed was one of the nicest men in football and someone I am honoured to call a team-mate and friend. It goes without saying my thoughts are with his family at this tremendously sad time.”

Alan Shearer who played alongside Speed during his time at Newcastle said: “Gary was a magnificent person, bright, fun and a wonderful family man – he lit up every room he walked into.”

Comments however have not been restricted to those issued from former team mates. Labour leader Ed Miliband tweeted that Speed was a ‘[f]antastic servant of Leeds’ and will be ‘[m]ourned by football’, with Welsh politicians Cheryl Gillian, Kirsty Williams and Carywn Jones also expressing their condolences.

The FAW also publically extended their sympathies. Speed leaves a wife and two children, and the FAW called for everyone to respect the family’s privacy at such a difficult time. They further commented that ‘this tragedy [...] is a huge loss not only for his family and friends but for the nation as a whole.’

Cheshire police confirmed that a family tribute will be released at a later date.

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Manchester United triumphed 2-0 over Romanian side Otelul, in what was a controversial and close fought encounter for the English champions, with both sides finishing with ten players apiece.

Having not recorded a victory in their opening two group games, there was a certain level of pressure on United to secure the three points at the Bucharest National Stadium, and while they may have enjoyed having a superior support than the home side, many of United’s foreign stars will not have enjoyed the freezing temperatures they had to endure.

The first half started fairly uneventfully, with both sides feeling each other out and cautious not to make any mistakes. There were few chances of note to speak of, and United striker Wayne Rooney often found himself marked out of the game by a proficient Otelul defence. The visitors best chance of the half came close to the end, with Nani cutting back the ball for the waiting Michael Carrick, but the midfielder was wasteful, blazing the ball over the bar.

The game exploded into life in the second half however, and by the 64^th minute, United had the lead they were craving. The referee awarded a penalty after Rooney’s cross was judged to have been handled by Otelul captain Sergiu Costin, and the England international had no difficulties firing the ball into the back of the net, sending goalkeeper Branko Grahovac the wrong way in the process.

United’s joy soon turned bitter-sweet however, when centre-back Nemanja Vidic, returning from injury, was sent off for an unneeded and clumsy challenge on Gabriel Giurgiu, leaving his side with the unenviable task of holding on to their lead with just ten men and over twenty minutes left to play.

With Otelul pushing hard for an equaliser, any potential United blushes seemed to be saved when Milan Perendija was given a second booking, therefore reducing the home side to ten men aswell, effectively killing off any chance of an Otelul comeback.

Rooney then went on to add another penalty in the dying minutes, a result of a trip from Liviu Antal on the striker, and in the process, became the highest scoring Englishman in Champions League history.

United now sit two points behind Benfica in second place in the group, but will have taken confidence from this victory, and will look to upset Benfica in the coming weeks as they attempt to finish the group strongly and head into the knockout rounds with the easier draw that finishing top of the group promises.

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After an entire game of attack and tension, France reached its goal of a spot at the European Football Championship 2012 by tying with Bosnia Herzegovina in the minute 77, by a penalty.

During the first half of the match, the Bosnian team showed an incredible counterattack, putting a lot of pressure on France while maintaining resistance on their own front.

France has already won two Eurocup titles; first in 1984 in France, and then in 2000 in Belgium and The Netherlands.

In the first half of the game, 39 minutes in, the Bosnian team scored the first goal of the game by Edin Dzeko. France’s defense remained strong, but it needed an alternative for the pass to reach for the goal. On the second half of the game, France showed an incredible pressure, not stopping and making several goal attempts, attacking continuously the Bosnian goalkeeper.

Bosnia and Herzegovina under manager Safet Sušić was classifying for the victory but on the 77th minute, France scored a penalty by Nasri, tying with their opponents. Bosnia Herzegovina did not show the same energy in the second half of the game. On the contrary, France reacted to the first half, regrouped and started to attack constantly.

The end of the match was a positive results for the French team, placing them inside the Eurocup. The Euro 2016 hosting has already been given to France.

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Champions League soccer has started up again, and last week showed great matches that foreshadowed how great the championship will get once we get into the knockout stages. Here is a quick recap of the matches played last week’s Tuesday.

CSKA Moscow 2:3 Inter Milan

Inter Milan fill in a second place in Group B after winning their second match in the group stages against CSKA Moscow. Lucio foreshadowed how the match was going to end when he put the ball in the back of the net six minutes into the first half. Giampaolo Pazzini added another goal to Inter Milan’s side in the 23^rd minute, while CSKA Moscow showed no signs of catching up.

However, CSKA Moscow was able to put a goal on the scoreboard just before the end of the first half, thanks to a shot from Alan Dzagoev. The second half of the match was a hard fought battle until the 77^th minute, when Vagner Love was able to tie up the match for CSKA Moscow at two goals apiece.

Although the tying goal seemed to give a shimmer of hope to the Russians, Inter Milan’s Mauro Zarate was able to score a minute later, securing Inter Milan the victory.

Bayern Munich 2:0 Manchester City

Bayern Munich was able to stay top of the lead in Group A after a two goal win against Manchester City. Mario Gomez scored two goals in seven minutes for Bayern Munich at the end of the first half, and the German side was able to hold the lead against a strong-sided Manchester City.

The English side was unable to control their discipline throughout the match, which led to stoppage of play that slowed the momentum of any Manchester City attack. The constant stoppage of play left the second half of the match uneventful.

Napoli 2:0 Villarreal

Napoli was able to convert two goals in the first 20 minutes and secure the win at home against a strong Villarreal team. Marik Hamsik was able to put a shot in the back of the net after 14 minutes of what seemed a close match.

Three minutes later, after a foul committed in the box by Villarreal player Gonzalo, Edinson Cavani was able to score on the penalty shot to double Napoli’s lead. The rest of the match was a struggle, with Villarreal trying desperately to capitalize on their attacking attempts and Napoli holding the fort down in defense.

Real Madrid 3:0 Ajax

Real Madrid continues to lead their group after getting a second win against Ajax. Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo was first to score within 25 minutes of the first half. The rest of the first half was an equal battle; however, Real Madrid would capitalize on another scoring chance four minutes before the end of the first half off the boot of Kaká.

This gave Real Madrid a two goal lead going into the second half. The final goal of the match came only four minutes into the second half, when Karim Benzema put the ball in the back of the net and secured the win for the Spanish side.

Ajax played strongly throughout the match, but was unable to capitalize on scoring chances. The Dutch team is still in the running to place for the knockout stages as long as they can pull themselves out of this scoreless draught.

Trabzonspor 1:1 Lille

Trabzonspor made their way to the top of their group by obtaining a necessary point in their draw against the French Lille. The Turkish team did not get off to a good start, with Lille’s Moussa Sow scoring the first goal in the 30^th minute of the match. Trabzonspor and Lille continued to battle throughout the first half, but both teams were able to put the ball in the net.

The tying goal came after a foul by a Lille defender in their penalty box, leading to a penalty kick. Trabzonspor’s Gustavo Colman stepped up and put the ball passed the Lille goalkeeper in the 75^th minute. After another 15 minutes of good soccer, no one on either side was able to capitalize on their scoring chances, leading to the 1-1 draw.

Manchester United 3:3 FC Basel

The match between Manchester United and FC Basel was one of the most exciting matches of last week’s Champions League matchups. With Manchester United needing a win and FC Basel hoping to secure their spot at the top of the group, both teams put on a show for the fans.

Manchester United’s Danny Welbeck came out flying in the first half, scoring two goals in the 16^th and 17^th minute. With the tension starting to show on many of the FC Basel squad, the first half ended with FC Basel trailing by two goals. However, FC Basel’s Fabian Frei was able to score in the 58^th minute.

Two minutes later, FC Basel striker Alexander Frei tied up the match after putting a shot passed Manchester United’s David De Gea. Alexander Frei would then come back 16 minutes later to score again, giving FC Basel the 3-2 lead.

With Manchester United frantically trying to recuperate and secure a point, the English were finally able to break down the Swiss defense and score in injury time off the boot of Ashley Young.

Lyon 2:0 Dinamo Zagreb

Lyon were able to get their first win of the Champions League season to bump them up to second place in their group, while Dinamo Zagreb lose for a second time to put them at the bottom of the group.

Lyon seemed to be the stronger side throughout the match, coming close on several attacking chances. The French side was able to capitalize on a scoring chance in the 23^rd minute off the boot of Bafetimbi Gomis, giving them the lead. The second and final goal of the match was scored by Lyon’s Bakary Kone in the 42^nd minute.

Dinamo Zagreb did not have many opportunities to score during the match; but when they did, the Croatian side was unable to get a good handle of the ball in order to get it passed the Lyon goalkeeper.

Otelul Galati 0:1 Benfica

The Romanian team Otelul Galati had a hard time trying to break down the Benfica defense, being unable to get many scoring chances by the visibly stronger side. Both teams went back and forth on the attack, testing each other, until Bruno César was able to find a weak point and get a goal in the 40^th minute for Benfica.

Otelul Galati and Benfica seemed evenly matched going into the game, but the Portuguese side was able to hold their ground and secure the win that brings them to second place of the group.
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With many of the stars having a good trip with their international teams the week before, this past week brought about some great matches that have caused some big changes in the standings. This includes Chelsea regaining a top three position, Stoke City taking the fourth place position, and Liverpool slipping down two spots to fifth place.

However, Manchester United and Manchester City are still going head to head for the leading position in the league, making the space between the leaders and the followers in the standings quite large.

Arsenal 1:0 Swansea City

Arsenal came out in better form than they had in their 8-2 loss to Manchester United two weeks ago, allowing them to move up in the standings and maybe motivate the team to reach their usual top four position once again.

The win was not a pretty win, with the only goal coming in the 40^th minute from Andrei Arshavin after a terrible mistake between Swansea goalkeeper Michael Vorm and one of his defenders. This left the net wind open for Arshavin to help Arsenal win a big three points that they desperately needed.

Everton 2:2 Aston Villa

After an entertaining match that saw several goals and drama with penalties, neither Everton nor Aston Villa was able to come away from the match with a win.

The first goal of the match came off the boot of Everton forward Leon Osman in the 19^th minute. This gave Everton the lead going into the second half. However, Aston Villa was able to equalize in the 63^rd minute when midfielder Stilian Petrov was able to get past Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Drama came five minutes later with a penalty kick awarded to Everton’s Leighton Baines who was able to hit the back of the net. After a strong battle in the closing minutes of the match, Aston Villa was able to equalize yet again from a shot off the boot of Gabriel Agbonlahor in the 83^rd minute, giving both teams a point in the standings.

Manchester City 3:0 Wigan Athletic

Sergio Aguero, Manchester City’s most popular newcomer from this past transfer window, showed he was more than worth the money paid for him by contributing all three of the goals in their win against Wigan Athletic.

Aguero scored early in the first half, putting the ball in the back of the net in the 13^th minute. It wasn’t until the second half when Aguero would put in two more goals to finish his hat trick and stop any chance of Wigan making a comeback in the latter half of the game. With this win, Manchester City sits in second place due to goal difference between Manchester United.

Sunderland 1:2 Chelsea

Chelsea moved back into the top four of the Premier League with their win against Sunderland, who they outplayed the entire match. The first goal of the game was scored by Chelsea defender John Terry in the 18^th minute, and was the only goal scored in the first half. Daniel Sturridge, in covering for the injured Didier Drogba, put the second goal in for Chelsea in the 50^th minute.

Although there was a glimmer of hope shown in Sunderland when substitute Ji Dong-Wong scored in the last minute of the match, Chelsea was able to defend well through injury time and secure the win.

Wolverhampton 0:2 Tottenham

Although the game was uneventful in the first half, Tottenham’s Emmanuel Adebayor was able to secure a goal and the lead in the 67^th minute. Jermaine Defoe, Tottenham’s second forward paired up with Adebayor, scored the second goal in the 80^th minute.

Tottenham was able to rally in the last half hour of the match in order to secure the win against Wolverhampton, and also move farther away from regulation.

Stoke City 1:0 Liverpool

The one and only goal was scored from a penalty kick off the boot of Stoke forward Jonathan Walters in the 21^st minute. The rest of the match was evenly battled between the two sides; however, Liverpool was unable to capitalize on chances while Stoke’s defense showed to be the stronger of the two teams.

Liverpool slipped down the standings with their first loss of the season to Stoke City, although both teams were evenly matched throughout the entire game.

Bolton 0:5 Manchester United

Javier Hernandez came out in form for his first start this season scoring in the first five minutes of the match. Wayne Rooney also continued his form with a goal in the 20^th minute, then another goal five minutes later. Hernandez scored his second goal of the match in the 58^th minute with no sign of Bolton having a chance to get one in the net.

Finally, Rooney finished his hat trick in the 68^th minute, making it back to back hat tricks for the player. Another high scoring match leaves Manchester United at the top of the standings, along with making more room in between them and other teams in the middle of the standings.

Norwich City 0:1 West Bromwich Albion

Thanks to a very early first half goal, West Brom was able to get their first win of the season while visiting Norwich City on Saturday. Peter Odemwingie was able to capitalize on a mistake in the third minute of the game between one Norwich defender and backup goalkeeper Declan Rudd, filling in the first spot due to John Ruddy’s suspension.

This one goal was all West Brom needed in order to get their first win, allowing them to forget about their three game losing streak and hopefully keep away from the relegation zone.

Fulham 1:1 Blackburn

With the two teams sitting in the relegation zone, and in desperate need of a couple points, the battle between Fulham and Blackburn concluded in a draw that keeps both teams without a win so far this season.

Although putting up a great fight at the beginning of the match, Blackburn was the first to score with a blistering shot off the boot of Ruben Rochina in the 32^nd minute. Thankfully, Fulham were able to come back six minutes later from the help of Bobby Zamora, making it all even going into the uneventful second half.

Queens Park Rangers 0:0 Newcastle United

With five newly transferred players in the starting squad for Queens Park Rangers, Newcastle United had the mindset of coming out of the match with a win since the players would not be in sync with each other. However, QPR were the team to watch this match due to having the most scoring chances in the match even though they could not capitalize on any of them.

Newcastle move up to sixth place, leaving them secure until next weekend.

Marius Wigen / Shutterstock.com

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With the threat of Hurricane Irene heading towards the east coast, only six out of the scheduled nine matches were played this week due to the possibility of putting the players and fans at risk.

However, out of the matches that were played, the Seattle Sounders got an easy win against the east coast leaders Columbus Crew, proving that the eastern conference has some catching up to do if they want to compete well in the playoffs this year.

Seattle Sounders 6:2 Columbus Crew

Lamar Neagle helped secure a shocking victory for the Seattle Sounders by getting his first career hat trick. Neagle scored twice in the first half, and scored his third goal in the 70^th minute. Mauro Rosales scored in the 16^th minute after being awarded a penalty kick and Michael Fucito put a goal in the back of the net just before halftime.

Columbus Crew’s Josh Gardner contributed a goal for both teams, scoring a goal in the 73^rd minute then putting in an own-goal shortly after.

Toronto FC 1:1 San Jose Earthquake

Toronto scored halfway through the first half in a hard-fought battle to try and secure a well-earned three points. However, a strong attacking San Jose was finally able to equalize before the final whistle sounded. Eric Avila scored in the 33^rd minute, looking like the goal that would carry Toronto to victory.

However, Chris Wondolowski was able to equalize in the 87^th minute, leaving both teams frantically fighting for their second goal that never came in the final three minutes.

Vancouver Whitecaps 1:0 Houston Dynamo

After a long-fought battle, Vancouver was able to pull off the victory with a goal in the 86^th minute. Vancouver’s Shea Salinas came into the match as a substitute in the 33^rd minute for John Thorrington.

After several attempts by both Vancouver and Houston, Salinas was able to score in the 86^th minute, not leaving enough time for Houston to recover.

Chicago Fire 2:0 Colorado

Two goals from the Chicago Fire in the first half left the last half of the match uneventful. Chicago’s Dominic Oduro scored in the 17^th minute, while Cory Gibbs scored 20 minutes later just before the end of the half.

Over 20 fouls were committed during the match, not allowing the game to flow and keep the fans entertained throughout the second half.

Sporting Kansas City 2:3 FC Dallas

Sporting Kansas City gave up in the second half of the match, allowing FC Dallas to comeback from a 2-0 deficit to lose by one goal. Bobby Warshaw scored his first career goal with FC Dallas in the second minute of stoppage time, giving FC Dallas the victory.

Kansas City scored in the 22^nd minute from Kei Kamara, and Omar Bravo doubled Kansas City’s score in the 68^th minute. But FC Dallas rallied in the final minutes with two goals from Daniel Hernandez and Maicon Santos, and won the match with the final goal by Warshaw.

Chivas USA 0:1 Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake scored in the 10^th minute off the boot of Alvaro Saborio, and held the lead for the remaining 80 minutes to secure the win visiting Chivas USA.

Real Salt Lake played a man down for 67 minutes after Nat Saborio was given a red card and sent off in the 24^th minute. All in all, it was a defensive battle throughout the match, leaving not many attacking chances.

Due to the unsafe weather conditions caused by Hurricane Irene; the matches involving DC United, Portland Timbers, New York Red Bulls, Los Angeles Galaxy, Philadelphia Union and New England Revolution were postponed.

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After a week filled with the usual stars shining, cross-town rivals Manchester United and Manchester City sit at the top of the standings while Liverpool and Chelsea battle for third and fourth place.

Not coming as a surprise, due to all of the drama surrounding Arsenal’s manager Arsene Wenger, the usual top tier team is sitting in 17th place. Along with this, Tottenham sits in last place after three weeks, the lowest the team has ever been in the standings in the last couple of years.

Aston Villa 0:0 Wolverhampton

Coming off of an easy 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers last week, Aston Villa went into this week eager to get another three points to keep them in the middle of the standings.

However, it was not the case after a drawn out 90 minutes of play leaving both Villa and Wolverhampton scoreless. Aston Villa controlled the second half of play, but were unable to capitalize on chances against an unwavering Wolverhampton defense.

Wigan Athletic 2:0 Queens Park Rangers

A very hard-fought battle between two evenly matched teams was altered by the foot of Wigan’s Franco Di Santo, who scored one goal in each half to give his team the win. Queens Park Rangers didn’t go down without a fight, with Adel Taarabt hitting the post twice in the first half that could have given the new boys to the English Premier league the draw.

Chelsea 3:1 Norwich City

Being the clear favorites against the newly promoted Norwich City, Chelsea showed their superiority with a well thought win. Norwich City showed signs of upsetting the powerhouse from Stamford Bridge, when Grant Holt scored in the 63^rd minute, Chelsea goalkeeper Hilario made an amateur mistake that almost equalized the two teams at two goals apiece, and Didier Drogba was knocked unconscious in an aerial effort against Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy.

However, Frank Lampard scored a penalty kick after Ruddy was given a red card and thrown out of the match to double the score. Finally, Juan Mata scored on his debut in the 90^th minute to secure the win.

Blackburn Rovers 0:1 Everton

Out of all the matches this weekend, Blackburn versus Everton was one of the most entertaining. Blackburn’s goalkeeper Paul Robinson and Everton’s goalkeeper Tim Howard kept both teams in the match, making amazing saves throughout. Blackburn missed two penalty kicks in the match, which were costly mistakes that wouldn’t be seen until a penalty kick was given in injury time to Everton.

Mikel Arteta went to the spot and fired home to give Everton the win.

Swansea City 0:0 Sunderland

Two teams without wins this season were unable to capitalize on their chances to add another draw to both teams record. The best chances came from Swansea’s Danny Graham and Sunderland’s Asamoah Gyan, who both miscalculated attempts that were either saved or went wide of goal.

Swansea, who have yet to score their first Premier League goal this season, have their next chance against Arsenal next week.

Liverpool 3:1 Bolton Wanderers

Liverpool makes a great move to third place this weekend after goals from newcomers Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam help secure the win. Martin Skyrtel also scored in the 52^nd minute to contribute to the Liverpool victory. Bolton’s Ivan Klasnic scored the only goal for Bolton in injury time, stopping the possible clean sheet for Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina.

West Brom 0:1 Stoke City

Confusion between West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster and center-back Gabriel Tamas led to Stoke substitute Ryan Shotton sneaking in and scoring a late goal in the final minutes of the match to steal away three points away from a game that should have ended as a draw.

Work from Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, and West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster kept both teams in the game. However, Stoke came out of the game with the win.

Tottenham Hotspur 1:5 Manchester City

Tottenham found their way to the bottom of the table this weekend, after failing to defend against a stronger Manchester City offense. Edin Dzeko scored four goals helped by Samir Nasri, the newcomer from Arsenal who made his debut with Manchester City Sunday.

Younes Kabou scored the final goal for Manchester City, taking them to the top of the standings, just behind their rivals Manchester United due to goal difference.

Newcastle 2:1 Fulham

Newcastle lengthens their unbeaten streak with two goals from Leon Best. American star Clint Dempsey scored the only goal for Fulham, but it was not enough to secure the win.

With a club that is having a lot of non-soccer related drama, including the confrontations between management and Joey Barton and Nile Ranger being arrested, Newcastle show signs of survival in the Premier League with this win against Fulham.

Manchester United 8:2 Arsenal

With a final score that you would expect at the end of a match versus a bottom-ranked Premier League team, Manchester United ran over Arsenal taking them once again to the top of the Premier League. Wayne Rooney came out of the match with a hat-trick, and also securing his 150^th goal in the Premier League.

Newcomer Ashley Young also scored two goals, while Danny Welbeck, Nani, and Ji-Sung Park scored to give Arsenal the biggest loss it has ever had with manager Arsene Wenger.

Jaggat / Shutterstock.com

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Now it’s no secret at all that the US dominates 4 of the major sports. When it comes to football, basketball, and baseball we are the cream of the crop. We have the best leagues and the best talent of any other country where these sports are played.

In hockey I would give the edge slightly to Canada, but the US is a very close second. Then you get to the sport of soccer. Not only are we not number 1 or number 2, we aren’t in the top 10 or the top 25 for that matter.

The most recent FIFA world rankings have the USA ranked 30th and this past MLS all-star game made this ranking even more painfully apparent. What we saw was a team comprised of the best the MLS has to offer, and even with the help of once successful European players Thierry Henry and David Beckham we saw a squad that was out played and out matched.

Aside from a few early chances by the All-Stars, the Red Devils had no problem pouring it on the clearly weaker MLS squad. Rooney and Berbatov were able to set up a trailing Anderson for the first goal of the match 20 minutes in.

Seconds before halftime Park was able to beat Sean Franklin in the box and place a shot past goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón. Not even substitutions could help the MLS squad turn there luck around in the second half. Seven minutes in Berbatov off of a nice feed from Rooney was able to knock home his own attempt which struck the crossbar to put Man U. up 3-0. Second-half sub Welback sealed the deal when a shot from just outside the box was deflected by a defender on its way into the net.

Now I understand that the MLS doesn’t have just US players and that many of USA’s better players play elsewhere, but that right there points to the problem. Our best players go to play where the better game and talent is, Europe.

The players from overseas that come here do so in the twilight of their careers and are still some of the best players in our league. Take Beckham out of this game and we probably don’t have half as many decent scoring opportunities as we did. If we as US soccer fans are to take anything from this match it’s that we are still vastly far behind the upper echelon of the soccer world. Still don’t believe me when I say that we are out of our league then think about this.

The best of the best of our entire league couldn’t even scratch a goal against a club team from theirs. We are still many years away from reaching the top tier and every year we are reminded just how far away we are when our MLS All-Stars suit up against some of the best in the world and every year they get manhandled.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/60278244@N00/5988841058/

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After such a great tournament in which we witnessed such brilliant play and dramatic conclusions, I find myself thinking about the future of Women’s soccer; specifically, soccer in the U.S.  If we want to be honest about what we saw, we must admit that the American players choked.  Most people have a hard time using that word to describe our female athletes, especially after what was accomplished against Brazil- but history doesn’t exclude any athlete, no matter who it is, from the scrutiny or criticism other athletes face in every other sport.

For Soccer to elevate to the heights which we see in other countries, it is imperative that we continue to want to see this sport succeed and invest the money and time necessary.  Sadly though, I don’t see that happening anytime soon in America outside of the national team.

As mentioned before, Americans love to win and seem to disregard the sports in which they don’t do as well as other countries; we can afford to do that mainly because of the many options we have at our disposal when it comes to sports.   We have had the advantage in women’s soccer up until this point but still managed to lose.  I wrote in a previous article that the world is catching up- it’s not a bad thing unless you’re an American sports fan I guess and don’t like competitive games.  We shouldn’t be surprised though if you place sports in the same world as everyday life.  The world is progressively coming closer in terms of exchange and interdependence; the world of soccer or sports in general is no different, the sad part is Americans aren’t realizing this until it is too late.

The American arrogance involved in sports is of course misguided, but the world’s vision on improving themselves in the sports arena is becoming more apparent and focused.  U.S soccer in terms of the women, will continue to improve on the national level and gain popularity throughout the world because of the financial backing involved and because of the talent on the field; but so will the rest of the countries which they will have to compete with- something they must accept and deal with.

You may be wondering how a team who hasn’t beaten the U.S team in 25 games managed to do what they did this weekend; my answer to that is, the same way every miracle happens in the sports world-a little bit of luck mixed with incredible skill and preparation.  I enjoyed watching this game simply because I love watching great skill and because I love to see how different countries interact with one another in the realm of sports.  The way a team represents its country tells you a lot about the country itself over a long stretch, not within one game or two.

And of course, how can you not be happy for a team like Japan after the long road to get to this point.  This is being described as the coming out party for great soccer, (of course an American idea) but that is far from the truth.  This type of soccer is as easy as breathing for the rest of the world.  Maybe they mean for Women’s soccer and not Soccer as a whole; that’s a better way to put it I guess.  That still seems like a shot to the rest of the world.  In a sense saying, it’s about time they catch up to us not realizing again that we don’t always win.  Not surprising because America is all about dominance, real or not, as long as the perception is there.

Japan needed this more than the U.S did and it’s interesting how sports always seem to reflect a sense of good will and timely victories; only in sports is everything possible.

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Not where they wanted to be of course, but someone must finish 3^rd in this beautifully played Women’s World Cup.  Sweden ranked fifth coming in, expected to make it further then they did, especially after beaten the U.S team the last 2 times they played each other.  France on the other hand laid an egg against the U.S team in the pivotal semifinal game.

This game although not for the cup itself is very important; no team wants to leave any tournament losing 2 games in a row…especially the way these two teams lost.  This is an opportunity to leave things on the highest note possible at this point and try to salvage what they can.

The game is tamed in the beginning as both teams feel each other out and the players seam focus; the French defenders are a little shaky after allowing the most goals in the tournament.  I expected more from Georges, but she hasn’t played at a high level.  Neither of these keepers has showed enough in order to place any confidence in them, the French goal keeper has played horribly up to this point, but hasn’t been tested much within the first 20 minutes of this third place game.

While watching this game, it is clear that these teams are here for a reason…they are not as technical or tactical as the Japanese team, nor are they as balanced and strong as the U.S team.

The game remained stagnant up until the 29^th minute when a beautiful ball split the two back defenders from France and Schelin placed the ball over the goalkeeper to put the Swedes up 1.  During the same play, the goal keeper was taken off the field and Necib was also taken out after her knee was causing her problems after a collision several minutes before.   Schelin has definitely outplayed these French defenders this half.  The French team has responded very well to the goal but have no goal to show for their efforts.

This half comes to an end with a blown opportunity from the Swedes.  The Swedes are somewhat in control, although, this game is far from over; their opponents can’t seem to get much going even after having some good shots on goal.

We are now in the second half; France starts strong looking to even things up.  We have our second goal of this game with France tying the game in 56^th minute; interestingly enough, the goal was a brilliant shot by Thomis who replaced Necib in the first half after her knee troubles.  The game is nearing the stretch run in which, one of these teams must do something extraordinary.

Sweden’s luck failed them in the 63rdminute with a great chance on goal; Thomis has taken control of this game and is leaving her mark out there…she has changed the pace and had a great chance against the keeper shortly after Sweden’s unfortunate crossbar incident.

Things took a turn toward controversy in the 67^th minute with an unfortunate red card given to Swedish player Oqvist.  She was caught retaliating while being tangled on the floor with French player Bompastor.  The red card was unmerited but the referee made the decision and they must deal with it (of course an American referee at that)

Now the Swedes must find a way to play and win with 10 players.

This bronze medal game is going to come down to the last minutes, its only right given what we’ve seen this tournament.  The pivotal goal comes in the 82^nd minutes and I know I’ve said this several times but, this goal is the best goal of the tournament.  The goal was scored by Swedish player Marie Hammarstrom after performing a gorgeous set of moves which she finished off with a laser shot…the goal keeper could have done better but the goal itself was more than brilliant.

2-1 and the match is over, Sweden has won a well deserved 3^rd place match and their celebration officially begins.  only one game remains for the cup between the U.S team and Japan; history tells us who should win but in the world cup, the victor is not determined by history-we will see if how things unfold but it should be a great game to watch.

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The United States Women’s Soccer team defeated France by a score of 3-1 in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup to move on to their first final’s appearance since their dominant 1999 victory.

In incredible fashion, which seems to be the way they like to do it, the Americans snatched the game away from France in the last minutes despite being dominated for much of the match.

The U.S. Had previously lost two consecutive semi-final matches in the World Cup, and weren’t going to go down this time without a serious fight.

On the heels of one of the best matches in World Cup history, the United States was forced to put their celebrations aside and prepare for a tough French team that had been playing well to this point in the tournament.

Though they have usually been a second-half team, the U.S.A. struck early in this one, taking a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute. Heather O’Reilly made a quick move down the sideline past the French defense and launched a low cross to the feet of Lauren Cheyney who was able to make a beautiful touch, redirecting the ball to the far side of the net, just past the French goalkeeper.

Pia Sundhage seemed to have her team much more focused at the start of this match, playing with the same intensity that fans saw in the second half and overtime of the incredible quarter-final game against Brazil. Sometimes teams have a bit of a hangover after a match such as that, especially one which lasts a whopping 123 minutes plus penalty kicks. The U.S. looked like they were as fresh as ever, but the tides would soon turn.

The French saw their first realistic opportunity pass byjust after in the 29^th minute when Louisa Necib, the talented French midfielder, saw Hope Solo charge at her inside the box and deflect the shot out of play.

France was knocking on the door with serious momentum in the 32^nd minute when a short free kick ended up hitting the crossbar behind the American goalie. It seemed as though one goal would not be enough to hold down this inspired French team.

Finally in the 37^th minute the U.S. snatched back some momentum when Christie Rampone made a rare long run down the sideline, crossing a high ball toward Wambach on the far post who just missed, heading her own ball off the crossbar. It was only a matter of time til Wambach would get one on target.

All throughout the first half the French squad dictated the style of play and were able to fire countless shots from range against the United States defense, but the shots would need to come from much closer to get past the remarkable Solo.

It was an incredible half to watch from a fan’s standpoint with tons of shots and offensive opportunities. Though France surely outplayed the United States with regards to time of possession and shots on goal, the U.S. came away with the one goal advantage on the scoreboard, and had many scoring threats of their own in his back-and-forth match. This game was far from over.

The second half began with no immediate substitutions from either side and the incredibly play continued right from the whistle.

France immediately came out firing again, sending numbers at the Americans just about every time they touched the ball, but the American back line continued to be strong in front of their star goalie and seemed to sense that it would be on their shoulders to win this game for the United States.

After all of the legitimate chances France had, the 54^th minute brought about a broken play to finally breach the U.S. defense. France’s star left back Sonia Bompastor attempted to cross a curling ball in front of goal causing Hope Solo to pick up the forward trying to get on the end of the cross. Unfortunately for the Americans, the ball sailed over the hopeful forward and trickled into the net for an equalizing goal. No matter how, the score was now level.

Carli Lloyd was subbed out for the first time in this World Cup in the 64^th minute in favor of Megan Rapinoe with hopes of creating a spark for the U.S. attack in addition to getting some fresh legs into the game.

Rapinoe certainly had a positive impact on the squad forcing many balls into the middle and in the 78^th minute earned the U.S a corner with another one of her quick runs.

Abby Wambach came to the rescue once again for the Americans with her incredible strength and leaping ability. On that corner she was able to strike the ball with great pace into the back of the net. 2-1, advantage America.

Wambach had reportedly been bothered by a nagging right achilles injury causing her to miss some practice time throughout this World Cup tournament. Regardless, when she’s on the field, she will always be a key target on the offensive end with her incredible heading abilities. Coming into the game Wambach needed only one goal to tie the United States World Cup record of twelve held by Michelle Akers and with her second incredibly clutch moment of the tournament she had done so.

The French defense was quickly breaking down and speedy forward Alex Morgan was able to take advantage immediately after the Wambach goal. She was able to lift the ball just over the keeper’s fingertips, floating it into the net and putting the game away for the Americans after being dominated for so much of the match. The U.S. Was surely headed to Frankfurt.

As the final whistle blew jubilation came over the players and fans once again as they now knew they would be onto their third World Cup final.

One of the biggest pre-game stories was how U.S. defender Rachel Buehler, was replaced by Becky Sauerbrunn due to Buehler’s suspension thanks to a red card in the second half against Brazil. Buehler had struggled mightily to this point but coach Pia Sundhage was rolling the dice on Sauerbrunn who had been yet to make any touches in this years World Cup.

Sauerbrunn made her coach look so wise with her decision by playing up to her potential and beyond. The young defender showed that she could be the future replacement for captain Christie Rampone when she decides to retire. The question now will be who to start on the back line for the finals match-up.

Speaking of the captain, not nearly enough credit has been given to Christie Rampone throughout these matches. The 36 year old has played multiple spots on the defensive end for the United States and has been a rock along the back line. At her age she is still just as fast as she ever was, and might be playing the best soccer of anybody in the tournament. She will surely be a key component should the team want to come away from the finals victorious.

Hope Solo, who has recently become one of my more popular players in the world shined again in her 100^th international appearance. Remarkably in those 100 games she has had 55 shutouts with only 6 defeats to her name, proving why she is constantly referred to as the best goalkeeper in the world. This performance surely backed up her reputation, keeping countless French chances out of the net en route to another clutch U.S. Victory.

Fight, heart, determination and character. Not enough adjectives can be given to describe this United States team. It has been a fairy tale run to this point, qualifying last even as number one in the world. Notching incredible late victories in the knockout stages, and moving on to yet another World Cup final.

When you think you have the U.S.A. Down and out, they shine the brightest.

Coach Pia Sundhage was asked what made the difference in the match she replied simply with “a big heart.” They will surely come out with that same heart in the finals looking to win their first World Cup in 12 years.

The final battle for the cup will be played in the beautiful Frankfurt stadium on Sunday, July 17^th.

The article 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup: The U.S. Team Marches Onto The World Cup Finals appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

What if all the pressure was on? What if everything rested on your shoulders? Would you falter?  What if you were in an epic battle for World supremacy? If your country, your home was counting on you to succeed; could you handle that? All by yourself…or should I say; SOLO?

Sorry to disappoint Star Wars fans, but this isn’t the Solo you were expecting. We’re talking about Hope Solo; the starting goal keeper for the women’s US National team.  In USA’s match against Brazil, Solo made a spectacular penalty kick save to give the United States the edge in their comeback thriller making her an instant American hero. As great as that save was, it was merely an exclamation point on the play Solo has displayed through this World Cup. Her leadership skills and spectacular skill set has made her the undisputed top women’s goalie in the world today; so where has she been our whole lives?

Hope Amelia Solo grew up in Richland, Washington.  She grew up in a rough child hood setting where the game of soccer was her only constant. When she was six years old, her parents divorced and she lived solely with her mother. Her father was a Vietnam veteran who was homeless for most of his life but stayed a major influence in Hopes life until his sudden death in 2007. Hope became a soccer star while she was in high school but oddly enough not as a goalie. Solo was a forward for Richland High School scoring 109 career goals and becoming a two time All-American.  Solo received a full scholarship to University of Washington where they decided her athletic, and quick reaction abilities would make her a stand out keeper. They were right.

Solo became the Huskies all time leader in saves and shutouts and was a four-time All Pac-10 selection and a three-time All American. While in her sophomore year of college, Solo became a full time member of the USA national team. After her college career, and being an alternate for the 2004 Olympic team, Solo was drafted to the former WUSA team, the Philadelphia Charge. Following the Charges fallout from the league, Solo went and played with a few clubs overseas in Germany and Sweden while working her way up the American depth chart.

In 2007, Solo’s career looked to take off as she was named to the women’s World Cup squad. She was named the starter over veteran Brianna Scurry and gave up only two goals in four games while posting two consecutive shut outs leading up to a semi final match against Brazil.  Then US coach, Greg Ryan, made a shocking move and benched Solo for Brianna Scurry. Scurry went on to have a dismal performance and the US lost 4-0 to Brazil.

Solo, clearly outraged, publicly criticized Ryan’s coaching move saying “It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that. There’s no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves.” Solo was then dismissed from the team before the third place World Cup game and did not participate in the post World Cup tour.

Hope Solo did not let the 2007 World Cup affect her play and kept training harder than ever. In 2009 Solo joined the Women’s Professional soccer league with St. Louis Athletica and became the WPS goalie of the year. She then went on to play for the Atlanta Beat and currently starts for the Orlando MagicJack and is easily the best keeper in the league. The WPS is where Solo competes and improves her skills, but Solo shines when she steps on the field for the red, white, and blue.

Watching Solo on Sunday vs. Brazil was inspiring to say the least. She is not simply a goalie but she is a leader. She steps out onto the field and commands the respect from the other team, while also imposing fear in their eyes. Solo’s outspoken attitude was seen as arrogance in 2007 and is now seen as, for lack of better terms, “swag” in 2011. Solo has became an American hero, sex symbol, and inspiration after one game and one save vs. Brazil, however Solo has been someone to look up to her whole life.

What if you were in a battle for world supremacy? What if you had your countries fate on your shoulders? Would you falter? Well, we know Solo wouldn’t, and now she looks to continue her fight for World supremacy as she takes on France in the semi final match on Wednesday. I wouldn’t expect her to be benched this time. Good luck Hope; America is behind you.

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Remember all the excitement? Remember all the hype? I know I do. I was twelve years old sitting by the mailbox waiting to get that letter. The piece of paper that says, I officially joined the Freddy Adu Fan club. Exclusive Fan club membership came with an Adu, DC United, sticker and a signed 8X10 picture of the 14 year old prodigy; it was kind of a big deal to say the least. Freddy Adu was a legend before he even stepped on the field. He was what was going to make soccer in American cool; he was the savior.  Adu was the youngest player ever to play in a professional game, and just a week later; the youngest to ever score a professional goal. On top of that, the kid just landed a date with the, then, hottest chick in Hollywood, JoJo. Could things get any better for good ole Freddy? All that was back in 2004. Eight years later, people are asking themselves…Freddy who?

Adu kind of, well no he completely, fell off the map after his rise to fame as the youngest professional player at just the age of 14. After two years with DC United, Adu left the team to join Real Salt Lake of the MLS.  His short MLS success led him to leave American soccer and head to Portugal to play with Benefica. His name in the public eye seemed to leave with him when Adu fled the country for Portugal’s second tier of leagues. Seven years out of the spot light and two years off the US soccer radar, it was evident that Freddy “Bust” Adu would forever be a “has been”.

Hearing last month, that Adu was on United State’s Gold Cup roster, brought out a few laughs. Hey, the little man might increase ratings or even be a solid marketing scheme. The constant camera shots of Adu’s bench warming abilities have been a great conversation piece for US supporters across the nation. That’s all Adu was for the first four U.S. Gold cup games; a bench warmer.

Oh how things change in a matter of minutes. In the Gold Cup semifinals the U.S. and coach Bob Bradley were on their last leg during a 0-0 tie with surging Panama. The US looked flat and desperate for revival when the 65^th minute came around. The US needed a surge from the bench and here comes….wait who is that? Freddy Adu? He still plays? These words came out of the mouths of thousands of Americans, shocked at the sight of seeing the once prodigy trot onto the field. Desperation must have been so much worse for the United States then anyone could have thought. We’re turning to Freddy Adu to win in the semifinals? We’re hopeless.

Adu sprinted onto the field and went directly to fellow substitute and Captain, Landon Donovan and whispered a few sweet nothings in his ear. “Hey Landon, uh what do I do? It’s been awhile since people have watched me play”.  Quickly, Adu was immersed right into the action; receiving passes out of the midfield and distributing them effectively.  Can he actually play?…Wiggling through defenders and creating a presence in the midfield, the shock heard around the soccer world is quickly becoming Freddy Adu. No way, it can’t be, he was washed up at 16. It was in the 75^th minute when the tables turned and Freddy mania was officially revived.

Ten minutes from when he came onto the pitch, Adu made a dazzling, left footed, pass from the midfield to Landon Donovan. Donovan then set up Clint Dempsey for the game winner with a beautiful pass along the six yard box. The United States ended up winning 1-0 on the goal. The once savior of American soccer, Freddy Adu, had finally lived up to his once superhero persona. Adu saved the day and played remarkably.

Freddy Adu resembled the spark and allure he did just seven years ago when he first stepped on to the pitch as a professional. Was it just one good game? We’ll soon find out, but it seems Freddy Adu could just be what U.S. soccer has been looking for and what Bob Bradley needs to save his job. Freddy mania is back.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/50322345@N02/

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Who can forget the goal heard around the world that introduced us to the most famous sports bra ever? Brandi Chastain became an instant celebrity and so did her bra when she ripped off her jersey in dramatic fashion after clinching the World cup title in 1999. Chastain’s stripping goal act did not only win the United States the World Cup, but she brought attention to Women’s sports; an improbable task. 40 million Americans tuned in to watch Chastain and the US girls step into world soccer immortality that day; more viewers than the NBA finals. That was twelve years and three world cups ago. Today, the United States is the world’s number one team and has a good shot at winning this year’s World Cup; who knew?

The sixth ever, Women’s World Cup kicked off last week in Germany on June 26^th. An astronomical 18 million viewers in Germany tuned in to watch their beloved German women take on Canada in the Cups opening game. With all the success in host country Germany; maybe there would be improved interest in the United States right? Wrong. The US viewership of the opening game came in at just under one million viewers; pathetic. Women’s soccer has been unable to catch the eyes of American viewers since 1999. Clearly, we need more sports bra cameos.

Where is the allure of the Women’s World Cup? Where’s the American pride? It doesn’t make sense that that 15^th and average at best, men’s squad receives nationwide support. Yet, the US women, the world’s number one team, are treated as if they’re irrelevant. Something’s not right here.

Maybe it’s the slower speed of play from the Men’s game. Or maybe it’s the myth that women soccer players are less aggressive and intense. Either way, the last two World Cups (2003 and 2007) have been rating nightmares causing ESPN to swallow some pride. In search of a change (miracle), ESPN hired popular former US stars, Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Brianna Scurry to commentate the cup. Every cup game will be aired on ESPN and broadcasted live on ESPN3.com. 2011 is supposed to be the year US women’s soccer relives its glory days of 1999; we’ll see about that.

Why you should watch:

• America.
  • It’s a world-wide phenomenon displaying if our country is better than theirs. If you’re a true American you’ll throw on the red, white and blue, eat some wings, and watch some soccer babes win one for the US of A. Go America

• The United States is the world’s number one team.
  • Listen, we actually have a shot at winning this thing. We’re number one because we’re really good and we have come in at least third the last three world cups. We can do this.

• The girls
  • Guys, in what men’s sport can you commentate on who has the nicer butt? Well in the World Cup you can do that in every single game. Did I mention US goalie, Hope Solo, is single?

• Women’s soccer is on the rise
  • This world cup is going to be extremely competitive. Hosting the tournament is reining back to back World Cup champions, Germany. The US is looking promising to win it all, while England has its deepest squad ever. Don’t look past Brazil, who has the world’s best player in Marta.

• What else is on TV?
  • Nothing interest is going on in sports right now besides the World Cup. The NFL and NBA are in a lockout, baseball is in its boring mid-season stage, and tennis, well who really watches tennis?

Cyril Hou / Shutterstock.com

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