The Ole BallCoach

Euro Full Bracket

Full TV Schedule EUROS

MLS TV Schedule ‘ On Break June 3-June 17 for COPA

Earn Your College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

COPA AMERICA 100 –GAMES IN CHICAGO – still seats left for Semi-Finals.

International Champions Cup – ICC – @ Chicago – Bayern Munich vs AC Milan Soldier Field Wed 7/27 @ 8 pm Tix still available $35 to $135

ATP_Gen_350x250

Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

INDY ELEVEN WINS NASL SPRING SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP

First Title in Club’s Three-Year History Comes with Home Match in Semifinal Round of The Championship in November

INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, June 12, 2016) – A day after a thrilling 4-1 home victory over Carolina vaulted Indy Eleven to the top of the North American Soccer League’s Spring Season standings, “Indiana’s Team” can now officially celebrate the first title in club history thanks to today’s FC Edmonton win over Fort Lauderdale.“The incredible effort every player and staff member has put in over the last three years culminated with a display last night worthy of a championship,” said Indy Eleven owner Ersal Ozdemir. “Everyone associated with Indy Eleven – players, coaches, staff, sponsors and especially the best fans in the sport – helped us achieve this Spring Season Championship. We’re honored to win this for the State of Indiana.” To start its third season of play, Indy Eleven finished the 10-game Spring Season undefeated (4W-6D-0L), square with the New York Cosmos on 18 points and also even in the league’s first two tiebreakers, goal differential (+7) and goal scored (15). The third and decisive tiebreaker, head-to-head results, went Indy Eleven’s way thanks to its dramatic 2-1 comeback win over the Cosmos at Carroll Stadium back on April 16.“The club couldn’t be any prouder to bring a trophy to the outstanding supporters of Indy Eleven, whose energy we fed off all Spring Season to make this happen,” said Indy Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson. “The building of this team since December and the way these players have come together is a testament to what can happen when you fight for and believe in each other. The entire Spring campaign, but specifically last night’s perormance, showed the tremendous passion, character and talent of our roster, which is looking forward to even more success through the Fall Season and into The Championship.”Along with the Spring championship comes an automatic berth into The Championship, the NASL’s four-team postseason tournament. As the Spring champ, Indy Eleven has earned the right to host a Semifinal Round game during the first weekend of November at IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium (no date has yet been finalized). The Semifinal winner with the most points will earn hosting rights for The Championship Final the following weekend.Indy Eleven will next turn its attention to its continuing run in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which continues this Wednesday, June 15, with a Fourth Round affair against Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire SC. Kickoff on Wednesday night from Toyota Park in suburban Bridgeview, Ill., is set for 8:30 p.m. ET.Indy Eleven will next return home to Carroll Stadium on Sunday, June 26, for an exhibition match pitting champion against champion with Liga MX Clausura Season winner C.F. Pachuca coming to “The Mike” for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. Tickets for that match – which will feature the debut of new Indy Eleven midfielder and Mexican National Team legend Gerardo Torrado – are available starting at just $11; for full ticket details, visit www.IndyEleven.com/Pachuca.

PREVIEW: #USOC2016

Indy Eleven Gameday & Match Preview
Indy Eleven at Chicago Fire
Wednesday, June 15, 2016 – 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT
Toyota Park – Chicago Fire
Team Records:

Indy Eleven: 4W-6D-0L, 18 pts, 1^st in NASL Spring/Overall Season
Chicago Fire: 2W-5D-5L, 11 pts, 10th in MLS Eastern Conference

Local: None
National: None
Online: www.Chicago-Fire.com

Follow Live:

In-game updates: Follow @IndyElevenLive on Twitter, and Indy Eleven on Facebook
Live stats: Visit the NASL.com MatchCenter for in-depth Opta statistics
Vote for the Indy Eleven “Man of the Match” on the @IndyEleven Twitter feed immediately following the match

Last Time Out – Indy Eleven 4 : 1 Carolina Railhawks

There are not a lot of dramatic three-goal wins in soccer annals, but Saturday night’s 4-1 win over Railhawks FC fell in that select category as it crowned “Indiana’s Team” the 2016 NASL Spring Season champions. A hat-trick from Eamon Zayed and the third goal of the season for Justin Braun gave the “Boys in Blue” the three standings points, four goals and three-goal winning margin they needed to surpass the New York Cosmos for first place at the end of the 10-game Spring sprint. Zayed opened the scoring in the 16th minute following a cross from left-back Nemanja Vukovic to get the party started, but the Railhawks fought back in the 29th minute when Nazmi Albadawi countered with a strike from just outside the area to square the match at one-all. Just before halftime, the momentum swung back in Indy’s favor as Braun tapped in another ball from “Vuko” to restore the lead.Right out of the break, “Indiana’s Team” went all-out for the two goals it needed, but found little in the way of a scoring chance until the 65th minute. Again the Irishman Zayed was at the heart of the play as Jamaican winger Omar Gordon found his teammate on an aerial ball in the center of the box, which the forward headed hard and low to beat Railhawks FC ‘keeper Akira Fitzgerald. Needing one more goal and being willed on by the 9,341 fans in attendance, Indy Eleven pressed on and eventually found the magical fourth goal with little time to spare. In the 85th minute, beautiful team play resulted in Duke Lacroix corkscrewing a low ball towards the far post where Zayed was waiting to tap home, putting the finishing touches on the 4-1 victory.Thus the Spring Season title was capped off with an undefeated record (4W-6D-0L), making Indy just the second club to do so after the New York Cosmos achieved the same feat last season. For the full IndyEleven.com recap, click here.
Last Time Out – Chicago Fire 1 : 1 Portland Timbers

Having not played a competitive match in over two weeks, the Chicago Fire last took to the pitch in a 1-1 draw with defending MLS Cup champion Portland Timbers at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill. Both goals came in the opening twenty minutes of the match, and the Timbers got on the scoresheet first in the 18th minute when Diego Valeri took down a miscued clearance from a Fire defender, dangled his way towards the byline, and fired a low effort past Fire ‘keeper Sean Johnson. However, just two minutes later Chicago found an equalizer through the feet of forward David Accam. Fire midfielder Joao Meira lifted a pass across the back line of the Timbers to the feet of other forward Kennedy Igboananike, and the latter whipped in a low cross that Accam tapped home past Timbers ‘netminder Jack Gleeson.Though the Fire outshot their opposition 17-8 total (6-2 on goal), they were only able to salvage a point at home and remain at the foot of the MLS Eastern Conference standings in 10th place. For a full match recap, click here.-> TICKETS | Indy Eleven vs. C.F. Pachuca <-
Fourth Round History

Wednesday will mark Indy Eleven’s second Fourth Round Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in three tries, previously reaching the round during its inaugural season in 2014. That year, the “Boys in Blue” defeated the Dayton Dutch Lions 5-2 at home in the Third Round, setting up a meeting with MLS’ Columbus Crew in Akron, Ohio, that resulted in a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat in added extra time.Former midfielder Blake Smith was on the scoresheet that night for Indy Eleven in the 62nd minute to balance out former Crew forward Bernardo Anor’s fourth minute strike as the match went to extra time level at one a piece. The Crew, who were down to ten men for the final hour of the match, went down to nine in the 110th minute when Daniel Paladini was shown a straight red for an errant elbow. However, now-Cosmos forward Jairo Arrieta buried a penalty in the 114th minute to put the hosts in front down the stretch in front of a crowd just shy of 2,000 on the University of Akron campus.Combined with last year’s Third Round loss to USL side Louisville City FC (0-2, a.e.t) and a 2-1 win over the same squad in the same round just two weeks ago on June 1, Indy Eleven carries a 2W-0D-2L all-time USOC record into Wednesday night’s match-up against the four-time Open Cup champion Fire SC.
Run of Form

After winning the 2016 Spring Season undefeated, “Indiana’s Team” has stretched its unbeaten run to, ironically, 11 games in all competitions (10 NASL, 1 USOC), the longest in club history. Facing an MLS side for the second time in three years, Indy looks to take that run to 12 games at Toyota Park on Wednesday night.Four wins and six draws in league play brought the “Boys in Blue” to first in the league table, and a U.S. Open Cup win in the Third Round over Louisville City FC propelled them to the next round of the competition. If the Eleven are to pull off a big win following its exhausting “Miracle at the Mike,” it will need all hands on deck just as it did against Louisville two weeks ago.
Who to Watch, Indy Eleven edition: GK Jon Busch / Keith Cardona

It’s unclear who will be between the posts when Indy Eleven battles Chicago on Wednesday night, but either way both ‘keepers on the roster have something to play for in this Fourth Round tie. For Jon Busch, a trip to Chicago signals a return to his twice former club. Named the 2007 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year during his first tenure with the Fire, Busch left in 2010 for San Jose only to return in 2015 after five seasons out west. Signing as a free agent with Indy Eleven, Busch has made a massive impact so far as both one of the best ‘keepers in the league and the club’s goalkeeping coach. Busch currently sits third in the NASL with a 0.80 goals against average, consistent with his output in his last three matches in which he’s stopped eight of 10 shots faced.Contribute to Jon Busch’s “Saves for SEALs” charitable program today!

For Keith Cardona, Wednesday night would be another opportunity to show why working with Busch has only helped him improve since the veteran signed in January. Cardona started all 10 matches he appeared in for Indy last season behind Kristian Nicht, but has only made one such start this season – in the squad’s 2-1 win over Louisville City FC in the Third Round of the U.S. Open Cup at “The Mike.” Cardona was impressive in the midweek win, conceding just the one goal – which came isolated against then-USL leading scorer Chandler Hoffman – in 90 minutes of action. Regardless of who is in goal, the U.S. Open Cup tie will be a test for either ‘keeper as the Eleven seek their first-ever way out of the Fourth Round. While the Fire’s attack has scored multiple times just once in its 11 MLS games thus far – its season-opening 4-3 loss to NYCFC – the “Men in Red” will be well-rested and have fresh memories of its more potent attack the last time out against Portland.
Who to Watch, Chicago Fire edition: MF Arturo Alvarez

Having tallied three assists while notching a goal in his 11 starts of the 2016 season, Arturo Alvarez is one of the biggest threats the Fire can employ in the midfield. After leaving MLS play in 2011 after a year with Real Salt Lake, Alvarez had a two year stint in Hungary and a three year stop in Portugal before returning to the United States to sign with Chicago. Since his return, the Salvadoran international has made waves in the Windy City to lead the team in assists through the early part of the MLS season. The Houston native will be one to mark for Indy’s midfield as his right-foot has proven deadly for setups on multiple occassions.
Match-up to Mark: Indy Eleven attack vs. Chicago Fire defense

Perhaps the biggest thing to watch hot off the heels of putting four past Carolina is the Eleven attack against the Fire defense. Zayed’s hat trick heroics on Saturday pushed him into the top of the NASL’s scoring charts with six tallies (not counting his USOC game-winner against Louisville two weeks ago), while Braun has collected all three of his goals and his assist in 2016 play in the squad’s last four NASL outings. While Chicago’s offense has been sputtering its defender has been on point, allowing just two goals in their last three matches while taking four points from those encounters.

Match Preview | Chicago Fire Set to Begin U.S Open Cup Play

More than two weeks since the club’s last competitive match, the Chicago Fire are set to return to action and make their entrance into the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Wednesday night when they host North American Soccer League (NASL) side Indy Eleven. Kickoff at Toyota Park is set for 7:30 p.m. CT with a live video stream available on Chicago-Fire.com, with Dan Kelly and Frank Klopas on the call. The Fire returned to training last Monday after a week-long hiatus in accordance with the MLS break for Copa America Centenario. Focus began with a fitness assessment before shifting gears into preparation for a return to competitive play. “Everyone has looked sharp fitness-wise with getting touches on the ball and making sure that when Wednesday comes we’re sharp and ready to go,” Fire midfielder Arturo Alvarez said. “I don’t think we can look back and look for any excuses. It’s time to get going again.”The Fire rank as one of only two MLS sides to have claimed four U.S. Open Cup trophies, raising the historic silverware in the club’s inaugural 1998 season and again in 2000, 2003 and 2006. A year ago, Chicago advanced to the tournament’s semifinals for the 11th time in club history and for the third straight season, along the way improving to 39-13-4 all-time in Open Cup competition. The Fire are a stellar 26-1-1 all-time in matches played in the state of Illinois.This year’s tournament began with 91 teams and has been whittled to 32, welcoming in the 17 U.S.-based MLS clubs for the Fourth Round. With a large number of new faces on the 2016 Fire roster, the historical context of the U.S. Open Cup tournament has been an emphasis in the team’s build up to Wednesday night’s match. Assistant coach and Fire all-time U.S. Open Cup appearance leader Logan Pause spoke pointedly to the team about his experiences in the tournament and the thrill of lifting the trophy in 2003 and again in 2006.“He gave a speech to our guys where he involved all the rest of the guys who played and won,” Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic said. “Michael Harrington here in MLS (2012 with Sporting KC) and Johan Kappelhof who won with Groningen the Cup competition in Holland. There was very, very good feedback from the locker room, from the group, and Logan is the best guy to talk about this competition and explain how important it is for the history of our club and also for our fans.”

on Monday expressed a desire to devote every available resource to Wednesday and future U.S. Open Cup matches. The Fire will be without midfielders John Goossens and Collin Fernandez, both still recovering from injury, while forward Michael de Leeuwawaits the July 4 window for his playing eligibility and striker Gilberto remains unavailable for selection. Otherwise, Paunovic has a full choice of players from which to field his lineup.”This kind of competition gives us the opportunity to manage and have more players involved in competition,” Paunovic told reporters. “The level is very good, which is also why we want to win every single game, so we can keep the competitiveness in the team and competitiveness for each spot. As I’ve said many times before, that’s very important for us. What we are going to do for sure is we will play with the best possible team in order to win. There will be some changes, but we believe that all of those changes will be very competitive and helpful to win the game.”

WEDNESDAY’S OPPONENT: INDY ELEVEN

Indy Eleven, which debuted in NASL in the spring of 2014, will arrive in Bridgeview for its first competitive match against the Fire riding high after clinching a first-place finish in the NASL spring season thanks to an unbeaten 4-0-6 mark. The spring championship, which Indy Eleven claimed thanks to a head-to-head tiebreaker with the New York Cosmos, provides the club an automatic berth in The Championship, the NASL’s four-team postseason tournament in November.• Head coach Tim Hankinson also guided his side to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Louisville City FC in the U.S. Open Cup Third Round, securing a place in tonight’s match. Éamon Zayed, who leads the club with six goals this spring, provided the game-winning goal to help Indy Eleven avenge an Open Cup loss to the Louisville-based club last season.

READ: Back From Break, Pauno Looks Ahead to U.S. Open Cup

Indy Eleven’s roster features two names familiar to Chicago Fire supporters in veteran goalkeeperJon Busch(10 starts in 2016) and defender Lovel Palmer (seven starts). Busch made 90 appearances in two stints for the Men In Red while Palmer appeared in 56 matches during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Marco Franco, a 2014 first-round SuperDraft pick of the Fire, also now calls Indy home.”We know that they have a lot of experienced guys who’ve played in MLS,” Paunovic said of Wednesday night’s opponent. “They’re doing very good and their performance in NASL is great. We know that we are going to have a tough game but also we give a lot of importance to this competition. We want to win. It’s going to be a hard game for us but we expect that our fans will give us the support in that game.”

United States wary of talented Ecuador in Copa America quarters – Klinsmann

SEATTLE – The United States may have avoided five-time World Cup champion Brazil in the quarterfinals of the Copa America Centenario, but coach Jurgen Klinsmann isn’t taking the opponent they did get in Ecuador lightly.”They have some special players in that side,” Klinsmann said of FIFA’s 13-ranked team before rattling off the names of some of Ecuador’s stars, including English Premier League trio Antonio Valencia of Manchester United, Enner Valencia of West Ham and Swansea City’s Jefferson Montero.”It’s a good team,” added the U.S. coach.Yet Klinsmann still likes his squad’s chances of advancing at CenturyLink Field in front of the Seattle Sounders’ boisterous supporters-even if he thinks the outcome could go either way for the No. 31 Americans.”To play this game in front of the Seattle crowd is huge for us,” he said. “It’s a 50-50 game. Anything can happen in that game, and every little small piece can make the difference.”Klinsmann went with the same lineup in all three of the tournament hosts three group stage games, marking the first time since 1930 that the U.S. has gone with the same starting 11 in back-to-back-to back matches.Despite losing the tourney opener to Colombia on June 3, the Americans finished atop Group A after beating Costa Rica and Paraguay. As a result, the U.S. ducked a date with the top team in Group B. That turned out to be Peru, which eliminated Brazil on Sunday night in a hugely controversial upset determined by a blatant handball that was somehow missed by officials.Klinsmann will have to make at least one change against Ecuador. Defender DeAndre Yedlin, a Seattle native and former Sounder, is suspended for the match after picking up two yellow cards early in the second half of Saturday’s 1-0 over the Paraguayans in Philadelphia.”It’s a bummer that DeAndre cannot play, but I’m not worried because I know whoever plays instead of him will get his job done, will give everything he has,” Klinsmann said.The coach wouldn’t let on who Yedlin’s replacement might be.”No, I’m not going into details about that, if you don’t mind,” he said, eliciting laughter from reporters. “We’re working on it.”Still, veteran defender Michael Orozco is the clear favorite to fill Yedlin’s role at right back. Orozco manned the spot for the final 40 minutes in Philly, helping the shorthanded Yanks keep the clean sheet.”If I get the chance to play I’m going to do as best as I can,” Orozco said.Whoever gets the nod in Yedlin’s place, Klinsmann said all of his players must be ready to perform in the high-profile, do-or-die match.”I think the players realizing that there’s everything to play for,” he said. “This is the stage you want to be at as a player. This is where you define your value in the global soccer community. This is where you’re getting watched — if you want to get watched — from the top clubs in the world. They’re going to watch and analyze every game at the Euros and they’re going to watch and analyze every game at the Copa America.Klinsmann added: “So this is the platform for a player that you want to be at, so take that opportunity. This is what I’ll tell them.”Doug McIntyre is a staff writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @DougMacESPN.

What the United States can expect from Ecuador in Copa quarterfinal

Ecuador arrived to the United States for the Copa America Centenario as joint-leaders of 2018 CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. Their strong start to that campaign included victories away to Argentina and at home to Uruguay, and they have continued that form into the Copa by progressing from the group stage of the competition for the first time since 1997 with draws versus Brazil and Peru and a victory over Haiti.Head coach Gustavo Quinteros’ side will be the next opponents for the United States in Thursday’s quarterfinal in Seattle. U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann has made it clear that he expects a tough game against a team coached by a man he came up against on U.S. soil as a player during Germany’s 1-0 win over Bolivia at the 1994 World Cup, and Ecuador certainly possess sufficient thrust and quality to suggest that is exactly what his side will get.

Style of Play

Ecuador usually line up in a 4-4-2 formation, with two mobile forwards and two out-and-out wingers in the form of Antonio Valencia and Jefferson Montero. They are a very athletic team and play an energetic style of football based around organised pressure on the ball and swift and direct counter-attacks once possession is won. Quinteros always asks his teams to play with a lot of intensity and his Ecuador side are no different in that regard.

Key Player

Christian Noboa holds Ecuador together with his excellent passing range from the centre of midfield. He regularly receives the ball from the defence before moving it on swiftly and accurately out to the flanks or forward into the feet of the strikers. It is a key role and Ecuador can often struggle to function effectively as a team when the 31-year-old isn’t on his game.Noboa has also contributed strongly when given license to move forward into the final third. He chested down and finished emphatically from inside the area for the third goal in the 4-0 win over Haiti, having previously assisted the first with a well-weighted ball in behind to Enner Valencia. His superb outside-of-the-boot return pass to Montero released the Swansea man to square for Miller Bolanos to equalise in the 2-2 draw with Peru.

Strengths

Ecuador possess pace aplenty, especially in forward areas. The direct and incisive dribbling of the two wingers regularly advances them into the final third, while Enner Valencia’s tireless movement into the channels provides another valuable outlet. They are regularly able to get themselves into good positions in and around the penalty area.With the likes of Bolanos, Noboa and Walter Ayovi, they have players capable of striking good efforts on goal from medium-to-long-range positions.Ecuador are a strong and physical side and are capable of putting good pressure on the ball when they press together as a unit high up the pitch. At their best, they are unrelenting, consistently winning possession and then moving forward with speed down the flanks to put crosses into the area or win themselves set pieces in advanced areas.

Weaknesses

The problem for Ecuador often comes in turning potentially dangerous positions into good-quality opportunities. There can be a marked lack of precision to their play in the final third, with a mix of underwhelming deliveries into the area and uncertain finishing sometimes preventing them from making the most of these situations.They can also be quite ragged in their defending at times. Sharp combination play, such as that exhibited by Peru in the first half of their 2-2 draw, can drag their proactively minded central defenders out of position and create space in and around the area. Their desire to push forward can sometimes leave them vulnerable to the counter-attack.When Noboa is pressed heavily, as he was in the first half against Peru, Ecuador lack a similarly gifted distributor to take over and provide a quality supply to those upfield.

Previous Meetings

Darlington Nagbe scored in the final minute of play to secure the United States a 1-0 victory when these sides met in Texas last month in a pre-tournament friendly. Both sides put out strong starting XIs in a tight match that featured just three shots on target.In that respect, it was typical of encounters between these sides. Of the six meetings since the turn of the century, only two have seen more than one goal. The United States has recorded three victories to Ecuador’s one in that time, while the two sides have shared a draw and a win apiece in their three encounters during Klinsmann’s reign as national team head coach.

After winning Copa group, USA has chance to prove knockout chops

The USA defeated Paraguay in its third game of Copa America on a Clint Dempsey goal in the 27th minute.

BY GRANT WAHLADD FAVORITETwitter EmailPosted: Sun Jun. 12, 2016Updated: Mon Jun. 13, 2016

PHILADELPHIA — Now a new Copa América begins for the United States. The U.S. has persevered through the group stage, shaking off an opening loss to Colombia and winning twice against Costa Rica and Paraguay to reach the knockout rounds of another major tournament, even winning the group with a late helping hand from Los Ticos.But the lingering memory of the last truly major U.S. knockout-round game (Gold Cup excluded)—a 2-1 extra-time loss to Belgium at World Cup 2014—is of the Americans being so outplayed by Belgium that they needed a superhuman performance by goalkeeper Tim Howard to stay in the match.If the U.S. is going to show growth and have any chance of reaching coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s goal of making the World Cup 2018 semifinals, it needs to take the next step. It needs to start playing good teams toe-to-toe again in the knockout rounds of major tournaments—just like the U.S. did at World Cup 2002 against Mexico and at the 2009 Confederations Cup to beat Spain. “The whole old story is the underdog story, and I cannot hear that story anymore,” Klinsmann said after the U.S.’s 1-0 victory against Paraguay on Saturday. “I want to see them risk things. Let’s go for it. Because if you’re not going for it, sooner or later they’re going to break you down.” “The knockout stage is very mentally driven,” he continued. “It’s an absolute mental game. It’s when you step on the field and you see certain jerseys. It’s kind of sniffing at each other and saying, ‘I’m ready for you.’ This is all about the moment. This is what they need to believe in … It’s kind of easy to say, but now it’s becoming a mental learning curve, the upcoming game. This is what we hopefully improve on now.”The U.S. knows it will be playing its quarterfinal in Seattle on Thursday against the second-place team from Group B. But it won’t find out the opponent—Brazil, Ecuador or Peru—until after Sunday’s games. All three would provide a significant challenge, but the team with the mystique, obviously, is Brazil.If that ends up being the opponent, Klinsmann said, he wants the U.S. to focus not on the famous yellow jersey but instead on going after top teams and not playing for the counterattack. He wants to see the U.S. back line, which has been terrific in this tournament behind John Brooks and Geoff Cameron, keep playing a high line and resist the urge to drop back. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for our team to play these types of games,” said Klinsmann. “We have nothing to lose. If it’s Brazil, they are the big-time favorites, five-time world champions. We love them. But why not go at them? Why not be courageous? Why not put pressure on them and give them a game? This is what we’ll prepare for. Every team has weaknesses.”Major-tournament knockout games are one of the primary reasons Klinsmann was hired back in 2011. If knockout-game performances are about mentality, Klinsmann has a giant presence the second he walks into a room as a World Cup-winning player.(It’s also why I think he should wear a World Cup championship ring, even if World Cup championship rings aren’t a thing.)Every U.S. team in every major tournament has an identity, and this one has more of a swagger than some. You get that from Clint Dempsey and Jermaine Jones and now, finally, from a fearsome center back tandem in Brooks and Cameron. When Brooks raced back to save a goal in the first half against Paraguay, his fist pump after making the play was an image no U.S. fan will soon forget. That was the moment that the 23-year-old Brooks realized in a U.S. uniform for the first time: I own these guys.That’s swagger.ages“We seemed to rise to the occasion [the last two games],” Cameron said. “We showed our grit, our hard mentality and our teamwork. When teams come together and have that special cohesiveness and that team environment, I think you can go a long way. I’ve been fortunate enough to player here right now and feel that, and you feel something special happening.”Now, too, there’s a chance for this U.S. team to hit mainstream sports fans and rally the American public. The NBA Finals may end on Monday. The Stanley Cup final will be over by Wednesday at the latest. The biggest sporting event in the U.S. on Thursday could very well be the U.S. Copa América quarterfinal.And this U.S. team wants to show them something.

USA fends off Paraguay, reaches Copa America quarterfinals

The USA defeated Paraguay in its third game of Copa America on a Clint Dempsey goal in the 27th minute.

BY GRANT WAHL

ADD FAVORITETwitter EmailPosted: Sat Jun. 11, 2016

PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. overcame playing down a man for 42 minutes and rode Clint Dempsey’s 27th-minute goal to beat Paraguay 1-0 on Saturday and advance to the quarterfinals of the Copa América Centenario. The night got even better later on, when Costa Rica lent a hand by beating Colombia 3-2, giving the U.S. first place in Group A through the goal-differential tiebreaker. Dempsey’s goal, the 51st of his U.S. career, came on a decisive finish after Gyasi Zardes had done good work down the left in a 1-on-2 situation before sending a low cross to the East Texan.DeAndre Yedlin picked up two yellow cards in the span of a minute early in the second half—the second on a two-footed challenge that defied belief. He will be suspended for the quarterfinal. The game changed after Yedlin’s dismissal, with U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann going into retrenchment mode by sending on Michael Orozco as a right back and removing Dempsey.WATCH: All the key moments from USA’s 1-0 win over Paraguay

The U.S.’s quarterfinal opponent won’t be learned until Sunday.Here are three thoughts on the game:

Lineup consistency matters

Klinsmann picked the same starting lineup for the third straight game, the first time he has done so during his five-year tenure as the U.S. coach. And the regular choices have been key. These U.S. players showed a renewed familiarity with each other on Saturday, whether it was in the attacking third between Wood and Dempsey or in the central defense with the rampant Geoff Cameron and John Brooks. When the U.S. lost to Guatemala in a March World Cup qualifier, former U.S. players almost universally questioned why there weren’t more core players in Klinsmann’s U.S. group. Now there are more players, and it shows in the way this team is playing together.WAHL: Stable lineup calls important to BedoyaGive credit to Klinsmann, who could have benched Zardes for this game but stuck with him, only to see Zardes be part of the decisive goal against Paraguay. Dempsey, too, had been hearing calls for his benching earlier in the tournament, but he has responded with two goals in two games and showed that he continues to be the guy the U.S. relies on to score important goals.

This U.S. central defense was solid again

The Americans had their second straight clean sheet, which is a ticket to happiness in international soccer tournaments.Brooks and Cameron have provided the central-defense stability that was missing in last year’s Gold Cup, and the 23-year-old Brooks in particular was fantastic on Saturday, making a highlight-reel play to rush back and save a goal off the foot of Miguel Almirón in the first half.Then on a rare occasion when Paraguay got through the back line, goalkeeper Brad Guzan made a huge one-on-one save at the end of the first half on Darío Lezcano. There was one exception on the U.S. back line, though, because …

Yedlin made one of the rashest plays in recent U.S. history

You could certainly argue that Yedlin’s first yellow card wasn’t deserved, but there’s no way you could say that about his second yellow within a minute on a reckless two-footed challenge. It’s a shame: Yedlin had taken a real step forward in his game over the past two months, improving his defense, and it showed with the national team.The U.S. ended up overcoming Yedlin’s red on Saturday by going into “prevent defense” mode, but it’s going to continue hurting the U.S. in the quarterfinal with Yedlin serving a suspension. Orozco is a downgrade at right back. That said, for a U.S. team that lost its first game in this tournament, having the chance to play in a quarterfinal is nothing to complain about.Now a new tournament begins.

tates bench players play big role even if they don’t get on the field

. ATTLE — By now you might have heard how unusual it is for a U.S. national team coach, or any national team coach, for that matter, to use the same lineup in three consecutive matches. Bob Bradley never did it during his four years at the helm. Neither did Bruce Arena, Steve Sampson, Bora Milutinovic or Bob Gansler, the men who led the Americans at the six World Cups before Brazil 2014.In fact, before current boss Jurgen Klinsmann trotted out the same starting 11 for the Yanks’ three group stage games at the Copa America Centenario, the last time a U.S. team remained unchanged for three straight matches was at the inaugural global showpiece in Uruguay in 1930.Turnover is a fact of life in the international game. Outside of tournament play, national squads are rarely together for more than two matches. Form, injuries, club commitments, suspensions, coaching plans and formation changes all play a role in this lack of continuity.There’s no doubt that Klinsmann’s use of the same starters through the first round helped the U.S. find its feet after a Copa-opening loss to Colombia. But it also has resulted in a top-heavy distribution of minutes; heading into Thursday’s quarterfinal match against Ecuador, more than a quarter of the Americans 23-man squad have yet to play at all.When a team is confined in close quarters for six weeks, however, the role the reserves play becomes every bit as important to its fortunes.”A tournament is decided by the chemistry of a group, not necessarily by the best team,” Klinsmann said before the Americans trained on Tuesday at Seattle University. “It’s how a group grows together, how they support each other, how they stay in a good mood for a longer period of time, how they sense problems, how they solve problems.”Camaraderie has long been one of the American team’s core strengths. It’s one of the reasons — perhaps the main one — why the U.S. has punched above its weight against more talented foes for more than two decades.Don’t believe it? All anyone has to do is get on YouTube and search for video of Jermaine Jones’ equalizer against Portugal at the last World Cup. Check out how when Klinsmann’s reaction is shown, third-string goalkeeper Nick Rimando — the lone player with virtually no chance of playing a minute in the biggest event of his career — absolutely loses his mind on the bench behind the coach when Jones’ strike settled into the side netting.On the rare occasions when that togetherness wasn’t there, like at the 1998 World Cup in France — where the U.S. was eliminated after two games — the results have been disastrous.”Everybody wants to start, but there’s only 11 spots,” Kyle Beckerman, a starter in 2014 who has been limited to only two brief substitute appearances at the Copa so far, told ESPN FC on Tuesday.”It’s not going to go perfect for everyone. How do you react to that? Can you be a positive when things aren’t going your way? Jurgen is huge on making sure everybody’s important to this team, wanting the guys on the bench to have energy so the guys on the field can feel it, and being supportive any way we can.It’s not always an easy balance, though. While reserves have to be cheerleaders, they also have to prepare as if they are going to play and be ready at a moment’s notice.That was the case when DeAndre Yedlin, the starter at right-back, took two quick yellow cards in the second half of Saturday’s win against Paraguay and backup Michael Orozco suddenly found himself on the field defending against a desperate foe.”Obviously it’s hard going into a game that is very intense without getting a warm-up,” Orozco said.The second string will have to be prepared against Ecuador and possibly beyond. Seven Americans are carrying yellow cards into Thursday’s tilt. If any of them pick up another in helping the hosts advance, more changes will be necessary for the semis. Before the tourney started, Klinsmann noted that the lineup that starts a competition is rarely the one that finishes it. The coach has to believe that anyone on his roster can step in if called upon.”The spirit of the bench is there,” Klinsmann said. “Everybody feels appreciated in his own role right now, and this is what could make a tournament very successful.”Doug McIntyre is a staff writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @DougMacESPN.

Argentina, Mexico top Copa America Power Rankings as quarterfinals loom

The 2016 Copa America Centenario group stages are over. As the 16-team field has been trimmed to eight, Tim Vickery ranks the quarterfinalists on their journey to the final at MetLife Stadium on June 26.

ADVERTISING

ARGENTINA (no change):The only team with a 100 percent record, the pre-tournament favourites have lived up to their billing so far. The defence still does not look entirely trustworthy and the injury to Angel Di Maria opened up the other worry, that the big stars might be exhausted after the club season. But coach Gerardo Martino has rationed his use of Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero, who should have some gas left in the tank for the final straight.
MEXICO (+1):Coach Juan Carlos Osorio is a good fit for Mexico. His emphasis on rapid transitions to wide areas can bring the best out of the country’s tricky wide players. They are virtually the home team in this competition, especially with a highly favourable itinerary that has cut down their travelling time. The doubt is that they make the pitch big, so will the best teams be able to exploit the space and threaten the team’s good defensive record?
COLOMBIA (+3):Losing the last group game to Costa Rica when coach Jose Pekerman fielded an understrength team may have done Colombia a service, bringing them back down to earth after the euphoria of two wins. The James Rodriguez-Carlos Bacca link-up will worry any defence, and the pair are surrounded with other interesting attacking options. There is, though, a lack of authority in the central-midfield positions, and much might depend on the form of keeper David Ospina
CHILE (+3):Do the reigning champions have their mojo back after the win over Panama? If Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal combine as they did in that game then attacking swagger is guaranteed, with the team throwing men forward at pace. They always give the opponents a chance, though; open to the counterattack, defending badly and with keeper Claudio Bravo in poor form. The quarterfinal with Mexico should be one of the tournament highlights.
UNITED STATES (no change):Losing the opening game has forced an “every match is a cup final” mentality that has brought the best out of Jurgen Klinsmann and co. They have now built up some momentum and have settled on an interesting identity with a strong spine of Brad Guzan, John Brooks, Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey plus two quick wide strikers. The big problem, though, is that if they get past Ecuador, the chances are that Argentina await.
ECUADOR (+3):The pressure is off now that they have made it out of the group for the first time since 1997, and if the U.S. overreach then Ecuador will look to smoke them on the counterattack. The priority for coach Gustavo Quinteros will be to shore up a defensive unit that is both individually weak and prone to lapses in concentration. And if they get past the U.S., Quinteros will have cause to remind his men that in a recent World Cup qualifier they beat Argentina in Buenos Aires.
PERU (+5):With an experimental squad, Peru have exceeded all expectations by making the quarterfinals, let alone by topping the group. A new generation — with the likes of Christian Cueva and Edison Flores — are reacting well to being handed responsibility, keeper Pedro Gallese has done well and the team are clearly growing in confidence. But they look outgunned by quarterfinal opponents Colombia.
VENEZUELA (+6):The shock story of the Copa. Disastrously bottom of the table in World Cup qualification, here they have defended doggedly and got the most from the attacking surges of Josef Martinez and Alejandro Guerra and the strong centre-forward play of Salomon Rondon. If forced out, though, the defence will surely be exposed, and they cannot always rely on keeper Dani Hernandez stopping everything that is fired at him. They can trouble Argentina, but it is hard to see how they can cope with Messi and co.

Soccer Camps – Boys and Girls -Ages 6 – 14

Ok so its almost Summer Camp time – below are some nice options for Soccer Camps this summer

Indy 11 Soccer Camp June 20-23 — 9 am till 12 noon Ages 5-14 $135 @ Badger Fields

Kick in the Grass – 3 v 3 Soccer Tour at Badger Field July 9^th

Goal2Gol Soccer Camp
CHS Men’s Head Coach Shane Schmidt, a former U-20 US National Team player, runs his annual camp from 9 am to 2 pm July 11-16. $150 before 6/30 @ River Road Fields.

Post2Post Soccer Camp
Former Pittsburgh Head Coach Sue-Moy Chin and Former Iowa Coach Carla Baker run their annual field player camp for players of all abilities July 25-28 — 9 am to 3 pm $195 each @ Badger

ATP_Gen_350x250

Earn Your College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

6/9/16 US Wins plays Sat 7 pm FS1, Euro’s Start Fri 2:30 ESPN, Indy 11 add Mexican Star, can Win league Sat Night

June 9, 2016June 9, 2016 gatorbest

So a huge bounceback win for the US in Chicago as we put up 4 goals in a must win game vs Costa Rica. The stars for the US came thru as Jermaine Jones (1G, 1 assist), Clint Dempsey (1 G, 2 Assist), Michael Bradley and company put together one heck of a performance. Now Costa Rica is not the team they were in the last world cup after their coach left 3 months ago, and without Claudio Bravo in the net – but still this win puts the US in perfect position to move on thru with a win or tie on Saturday night, 7 pm vs Paraguay on Fox Sports 1. Now the German (Klinsmann) was still perplexing choosing to play the old has beens (Wondo, Zuzi and Beckerman rather than giving the kids Pulisic and Nagbe more time to build their confidence. Oh well who can figure out what the worse German is thinking. Cudos however – on the mid 1^st half switch to a 4-4-2 – with Wood up front with Dempsey and Zardes back to the wing spot – that changed everything and allowed the offense to really tick. I think Mexico and Argentina look like the teams to beat at this point – Brazil bounced back but do look beatable in an expected 2^nd round game for the US.

The Summer of Soccer Continues as the European Cup will kick off live from France this Friday afternoon at 2:30 pm – on ESPN – catch all the games live on the ESPN networks starting at 9:30 am and continuing with 3 games per day. I like the home squad of France and perhaps Germany. I am worried for Italy and Belgium. It will be interesting to see how the Great Britain teams do with England, Wales and Northern Ireland all in. Enjoy the games!!

Congrats to the Indy 11 – huge Signing – grabbing former Mexican Star Gerardo Torrado – the former Cruz Azul and Mexican National Team star midfielder is still a good player!! The final spring season game is this Sat night, 7:30 pm (CH 8, ESPN3) with an outside change at 1^st in the League on the line vs Miami. Get yourself to the Mike to root on the Boys in Blue! Finally – good luck to all of you Travel players at tryouts next week – Mon/Tues.

armel FC Travel Soccer Tryouts for 2016-2017 teams June 13/14
CLICK HERE to register

Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

USA

US Rout Costa Rica – SI

Gulati calls results into question -sI

Can US Build off Win? ESPN

Klinsmanns Squad shows knack of Delivering when needed

Clean Sheet gives US Confidence

How US Kept Hopes alive with Win – ESPN FC

EUROS

Euros – Bracket Predictor

Expert Predictions SI

Ronaldo, Bale, Pogba, Kane 1o keys players in Euros

Euro Dark Horses

Alternate Predictinos Euros

Hosts look part of Euro Champion

Power Rankings

Magnificent 7 Teams?

Questions for Germany

World According to Zlatan

The Beauty of Manual Neuer – SI Graht Walh

What to Watch for Euros

Euro Full Bracket

Inside the Mind of Mexico’s Chicharito

Full TV Schedule EUROS

COPA

Summer of Soccer- SI

Indy 11

Indy 11 sign former Mexican Superstar Gerardo Torrado

3 Things – 0-0 Tie with Miami

ALL GAMES ON TV

Fri, June 10 European Cup Starts

3 pm ESPN EURO- France vs Romania

Chile vs. Bolivia — Foxborough, Massachusetts (7 p.m. ET/12 a.m. CET on FOX, UniMas
Argentina vs. Panama — Chicago, Illinois (9:30 p.m. ET/2:30 a.m. CET on FOX, UniMas)

Sat, June 11

9 am ESPN EURO – Albania vs Switzerland

12 noon ESPN EURO – Wales vs Slovakia

3 pm ESPN EURO – England vs Russia

7 pm Fox Sport1 USA vs Paraguay

9 pm FS2 COPA – Columbia vs Costa Rica

Sunday, June 12
Turkey vs. Croatia — Paris (3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET, ESPN)
Poland vs. Northern Ireland — Nice (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Germany vs. Ukraine — Lille (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Ecuador vs. Haiti -6:30 p.m.FOX Sports 2

Brazil vs. Peru-8:30 p.m. Fox Sports 1

Monday, June 13
Spain vs. Czech Rep — Toulouse (3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET, ESPN)
Rep of Ireland vs. Sweden — Saint-Denis (6 p.m. CET/12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Belgium vs. Italy — Lyon (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Mexico vs. Venezuela 8 p.m. FoX Sports 1

Uruguay vs. Jamaica 10 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Tuesday, June 14
Austria vs. Hungary — Bordeaux (6 p.m. CET/12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Portugal vs. Iceland — Saint-Etienne (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Chile vs. Panama 8 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Argentina vs. Bolivia 10 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Wednesday, June 15
Russia vs. Slovakia — Lille (3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET, ESPN)
Romania vs. Switzerland — Paris (6 p.m. CET/12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
France vs. Albania — Marseille (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Copa America 1A vs. 2B Seattle, WA 9:30 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Copa America WB vs. RA — East Rutherford, New Jersey (8 p.m. ET/1 a.m. CET on Fox Sports 1, UniMas)

Copa America 1D vs. 2C Foxborough, MA 7 p.m. FXCopa America 1C vs. 2D anta Clara, CA 10 p.m. FX

Sunday, June 19
Switzerland vs. France — Lille (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Romania vs. Albania — Lyon (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN2)\

Monday, June 20
Slovakia vs. England — Saint-Etienne (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Russia vs. Wales — Toulouse (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Copa America W25 vs. W27 Houston, TX 9 p.m. FOX Sports 1Wednesday, June 22
Hungary vs. Portugal — Lyon (6 p.m. CET/12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Iceland vs. Austria — Saint-Denis (6 p.m. CET/12 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Italy vs. Rep of Ireland — Lille (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Sweden vs. Belgium — Nice (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Copa America W26 vs. W28 Chicago, IL 8 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Euro Round of 16 Starts Saturday, June 25

Sat., 6/25

Copa America L29 vs. L30 Glendale, AZ 8 p.m. FX

Sun., 6/26

Copa America final East Rutherford, NJ 8 p.m. FOX Sports 1

MLS TV Schedule ‘ On Break June 3-June 17 for COPA

Jurgen Klinsmann shows knack of delivering U.S. wins under pressure

COPA AMERICA 100 –GAMES IN CHICAGO – still seats left for USA Game , Argentina game and Semi-Finals.

International Champions Cup – ICC – @ Chicago – Bayern Munich vs AC Milan Soldier Field Wed 7/27 @ 8 pm Tix still available $35 to $135

CHICAGO — Throughout much of Jurgen Klinsmann’s tenure as manager of the U.S. national team, the Americans have shown an uncanny knack for getting results when their collective back — and, in particular, Klinsmann’s back — has been against the wall.Sure, there have been exceptions. Last year’s loss to Jamaica in the semifinals of the Gold Cup was one instance when the U.S. fell short. The CONCACAF Cup final against Mexico was another.But think back to the moments when Klinsmann was at his most vulnerable, such as the home World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica in 2013. That match was immediately preceded by the now-famous Sporting News article that called his managerial acumen, and handling of players, into question.The U.S. prevailed 1-0 in the snow, and followed that up with a gritty 0-0 draw against Mexico at the Azteca. The pressure eased, and U.S. was then on its way and largely cruised through the rest of that qualifying campaign. Then there was the home qualifier against Guatemala last March, one that immediately followed a dreadful 2-0 defeat in Guatemala City. The U.S. roared back to win 4-0, and again any stress was released.So when the U.S. squared off against Costa Rica in its second Copa America Centenario match, it found itself in a somewhat familiar position. It had lost, not unexpectedly, its opener against Colombia. The U.S. needed a response against the Ticos in order to keep its hopes of progressing to the tournament’s knockout stages alive. A win would also serve to mute some of the dissatisfaction surrounding Klinsmann’s job performance. A “Fire Klinsmann” banner was clearly visible when the game started. The U.S. got exactly what it needed, earning an emphatic 4-0 victory. Jermaine Jones delivered a monster two-way game in midfield, Clint Dempsey was much more involved in the attack and the defense was able to see out the win while keeping a clean sheet. As for the banner, it was no longer visible by game’s end.It raises the question of: How does the U.S., more often that not, respond in those situations? Attributes such as the relative strength of the next opponent and getting a home game at the right time play a part. But this is also a veteran group, and for all the excitement that surrounds young players such as Bobby Wood and Christian Pulisic, it’s clear that experience does count for something.”We’ve talked so many times about the ability to know how to navigate a group stage,” said U.S. captain Michael Bradley. “And, you know, it’s not always going to be perfect. You know there’s going to be ups and downs; you know there’s going to be certain moments when you don’t get exactly what you deserve. But you have to be able to keep a strong mentality and understand just how to keep yourself going, live to see another day, you know?”He later added, “We have a lot of guys who have been in situations like this before. We spoke before the game about knowing that on these kinds of nights you need mentality, commitment and balls and all these things to carry you through.”Klinsmann deserves some credit here as well, and he proved himself to be tactically flexible in this match, reverting to a 4-4-2 in which Wood was paired up top with Dempsey. Soon a 2-0 lead, courtesy of Dempsey’s penalty and Jones’ well-placed strike, ballooned to 3-0 thanks to a goal from Wood, and the U.S. cruised from there.Of course, looked at another way, why does the U.S. continue to back itself into must-win situations? Granted, the Colombia result was largely expected, and making life difficult for itself is in many ways a U.S. trait. As an example, the Americans blew a chance to take care of business at the 2002 World Cup when it lost its last group stage match to Poland 3-1, only to be rescued by South Korea’s win over Portugal.But some more-recent hiccups can’t be written off so easily, such as the Guatemala loss. Inconsistency has been a hallmark of Klinsmann’s time in charge.That example is relevant given that the U.S. is now in control of its Copa America destiny ahead of Saturday’s group-stage finale against Paraguay. A draw will almost certainly be enough to move on to the quarterfinals.Costa Rica would have to thump Colombia by six goals for a draw to not be enough, which is simply not going to happen. But a loss would see the Americans eliminated, so Saturday’s match against Paraguay is another potential step in the team’s growth in that it would be a different kind of experience.The U.S. has a chance to show a level of consistency, to close the deal on its own and not rely on help, and leave no doubt as to whether it belongs in the knockout stages. That would also be a sign that Klinsmann’s up-and-down tenure is headed back up again.Klinsmann, for his part, isn’t even entertaining the possibility of falling short against Paraguay.”I think that the team understands perfectly how the situation looks, that we have to get things done,” he said. “They gave everything they have. They know now they’ve put ourselves back in the driver’s seat with that result tonight.”For us, it’s not a thought, ‘What if we would lose the game?’ We never think that way. Some comments today were, ‘What if you lose that game?’ Why would you think that way? It’s three games; find a way to get your points.”Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @JeffreyCarlisle.

US COMES THRU IN CHOCAGO

BY BRIAN STRAUSPosted: Wed Jun. 8, 2016

CHICAGO — Ten years ago, Soldier Field’s primary tenant overcame a 20-point, second-half deficit and won a Monday Night Football game, prompting the losing coach, Dennis Green of the Arizona Cardinals, to unleash one of sports’ great rants.“The Bears are who we thought they were,” he yelled, more than once. You probably remember the rest.On Tuesday night at Soldier Field, we learned that the temporary tenants also are who we thought they were. “We’ve qualified for [every World Cup] now since ’90, three out of the last four in the second round. But we haven’t broken through to match up well against the world’s elite,” U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said earlier Tuesday when assessing the state of the national team following Friday’s Copa América Centenario loss to Colombia. The 2–0 setback was the catalyst for considerable consternation among American fans and pundits, many of whom worried the program was regressing.But it is, in fact, right where it’s been for a while—right where it’s expected to be. The U.S. hung in but ultimately didn’t really trouble the No. 3 team in the world. And then on Tuesday at Soldier Field, where it faced elimination with a loss, it demolished Costa Rica, 4–0, to put itself in position to advance to the Copa quarterfinals. Lose in official competition to one of the world’s elite? Check. Beat a visiting CONCACAF rival in official competition? Check. Play better when desperate? Check. There’s no point in drawing conclusions about the state of the team after a particular group-stage game, captain Michael Bradley said following Tuesday’s win. Every tournament starts with a trilogy. The U.S. (1–1–0) will meet Paraguay (0–1–1) in Philadelphia on Saturday and will move on with a win. A draw almost certainly would be enough as well. Paraguay was dominant at times but fell to Colombia, 2–1, later Tuesday.Bradley and his teammates are who they thought they were. They knew Colombia was outstanding, but felt the margins weren’t insurmountable. Defeat wasn’t demoralizing. And they were confident in their composure, their measured perspective and their ability to bounce back. They’d done it before.• WATCH: Dempsey, Jones, Wood, Zusi score for USA vs. Costa Rica

“We have a lot of guys who have been in situations like this before and we spoke before the game about knowing on these kinds of nights, you need mentality, commitment, balls and all these things to carry through,” Bradley said. “We talked so many times about the ability to know how to navigate a group stage, and you know it’s not always going to be perfect. You know there’s going to be ups and downs. You know that in certain moments maybe you’re not going to get exactly what you deserved. But you then have to be able to keep a strong mentality and just understand how to keep yourself going—live to see another day.”Jurgen Klinsmann was certain he knew his team. The Americans were unable to create or threaten Colombia on Friday, but the manager felt that was influenced heavily by Los Cafeteros’ early goal and their comfort on the counterattack. It wasn’t an indictment of the U.S. So he started the same 11 players against Costa Rica in the very same formation.“We’ve been on the road since three weeks,” Klinsmann said after Tuesday’s win. “We try to build the chemistry. We try to build a real positive spirit and we try to build confidence for the players to play with the best teams coming from South America.“I see a team progressing—a team that badly wants to prove itself with these caliber teams in the Copa América. There’s great energy there, but we’re still in this learning process. When you analyze Colombia again, I think this was a very encouraging performance by us against Colombia, but obviously the result is 2–0 and especially in the U.S., that’s all that matters to a lot of people. For the team it’s important that they know where they stand.”

GALLERY: Fans of Copa America Centenario

Klinsmann targeted the Copa semifinals before the tournament kicked off. That’s reasonable for a host team that’s competitive but not often contending for a title. And thanks to Tuesday’s win, the final four remains possible. The Colombia loss wasn’t the end of the story. The U.S. was beaten by Germany at the 2014 World Cup and still advanced. It lost to Poland in 2002 and wound up in the quarters, and it made the final of the 2009 Confederations Cup after losing to Italy and Brazil in the group stage. The Americans may not be among soccer’s elite. But they’re often good enough to get through.“We showed it today that we can beat people and there’s no point to be scared about somebody,” said Jermaine Jones, who scored the Americans’ second goal and was outstanding as the primary marauder in midfield. “We knew that Colombia is a really good team and you can lose against them. It’s a normal game. With all respect, Costa Rica and Paraguay, we know that with the quality we have we can beat both … We knew [Colombia was the favorite]. Not only we knew that, you guys knew that too. You were all saying, Colombia will be No. 1 and it will be tough for us to come out. So we’ve been focused on Costa Rica and Paraguay.”

The U.S. hasn’t progressed to the point where it has the sort of creativity, touch and dynamism to unlock a high-level opponent that chooses to stay compact and defend. But against a team like Costa Rica and in a game that opens up like Tuesday’s, this is a squad that possesses sufficient skill and commitment to do the job. Jones was imperious, Bradley was composed and Clint Dempsey was able to find those pockets just in front of the back four from which he can put defenders into disarray. Wood demonstrated his finishing bona fides with a slick 42nd-minute goal, profiting from Klinsmann’s switch to a 4–4–2 late in the first half.The U.S. won’t come in first place and won’t wind up in last. There’s everything to play for in Philadelphia. That’s totally normal, as Klinsmann would say. For the Americans, it always comes down to the wire.“Certain things didn’t flow perfectly but they managed to get the goals and it kind of balances things out a little bit. I think we we’re right there in the driver’s seat to get through the most difficult group in the Copa América,” Klinsmann said.

“You talk Colombia, you talk No. 3 right now. If you watched yesterday Argentina-Chile, this is another level,” he added. “We watched it in the coaches’ room and we were exhausted at halftime because they went 200 miles an hour, technically it was unbelievable perfection. It was just sprinting for 90 minutes all over and that’s the soccer that we want to see, because it means you understand where these teams are coming from. So this is a huge, huge showcase for the game here in the United States and for our players to see that, to watch that on TV and then you watch who they bring off the bench, Argentina, holy moly! But this is what we want. This is why it’s such a gift to host the Copa América.”The U.S. is a long way from Argentina. But it didn’t play Argentina in Chicago, it played a Costa Rica team that hasn’t won a competitive game between the two on American soil in more than two decades. And the U.S. won the game it was supposed to win, and did so handily.“Just like in any competition, in the first round if you start off with a loss your backs are against the wall, so you need to perform,” said Dempsey, who opened the scoring on a penalty kick that was his 50th goal in a U.S. jersey. “At the same time, look at the last two World Cups … We got out of difficult groups and we showed what our level could be. Tonight we put in a professional performance and now look to do that in the next game.”

U.S. keep their Copa hopes alive vs. Costa Rica: Here’s how they did it

he United States scored three goals in the first half against Costa Rica and didn’t look back, winning 4-0 in front of nearly 40,000 fans at Soldier Field in Chicago on Tuesday. It was the first U.S. win in Copa América play since a 3-0 decision on July 14, 1995, against Argentina.After Friday’s 2-0 loss against Colombia, the United States’ chance to advance out of Group A dropped from 57.5 percent chance to a 38 percent chance, according to ESPN’s Soccer Power Index. But Tuesday’s win nudged it back up to a healthy 72.1 percent.So what changed?- In its first game against Colombia, the United States registered 54 touches and three chances created in the first half. Against Costa Rica, the U.S. doubled its chances created and had 71 touches.- U.S. captain Clint Dempsey was more effective in the final third. He created five chances against Costa Rica after failing to create a single goal scoring opportunity versus Colombia. He also registered two assists for his first multiassist game in a competitive tournament for his country.- Against Colombia, the United States registered one shot on target out of 12 shots taken, its lowest total in its previous 31 games. (They managed one versus Honduras on Oct. 14, 2014.) It took just nine minutes for the U.S. to match that total against Costa Rica, as Dempsey scored from the penalty spot.- 41.7 percent (five of 12) of U.S. shots hit the target against Costa Rica. Just 8.3 percent (one of 12) of the shots hit the target against Colombia.- John-Anthony Brooks led the defensive charge against Costa Rica, recording 11 of the 31 U.S. clearances — the U.S. team total against Colombia. As a team against Costa Rica, the U.S. recorded 16 tackles, more than double its total against Colombia (seven).

Sunil Gulati calls Jurgen Klinsmann’s recent USA results into question

Did Jurgen Klinsmann get off the hot seat after Costa Rica blowout?

SI senior writer Grant Wahl explains why Jurgen Klinsmann’s job is still on the line.

BY BRIAN STRAUSPosted: Tue Jun. 7, 2016Updated: Wed Jun. 8, 2016

CHICAGO—A year of tension and frustration, which has included a fourth-place finish at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, a loss to Mexico in the ensuing Confederations Cup playoff and a World Cup qualifying setback in Guatemala, has changed the tone around the U.S. national team and increased the pressure on manager Jurgen Klinsmann to an unprecedented degree. Awarded a contract extension before the 2014 World Cup and given a sweeping mandate to alter the long-term trajectory of the program, he now may be coaching for his job at the Copa América Centenario.The U.S. fell, 2-0, to Colombia in Friday’s opener and faced elimination if it lost to Costa Rica Tuesday at Soldier Field. Several hours before the match,which the U.S. won 4-0, U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati hosted a reporters’ roundtable and stressed, “We have to win games.”For several years, it’s been almost pointless to question Klinsmann’s job security. He was given robust resources, a lot of power and a lengthy list of technical and cultural issues to address. Many of those required significant time to analyze, assess and improve, affording him ample leeway. And surviving a difficult group at the World Cup seemed to provide him tenure.COPA AMERICA: Live standings, statistics, gamecasts

But Gulati’s tone on Tuesday suggested that security largely has evaporated. He would not say directly whether Klinsmann would be fired if the U.S. fails to reach the Copa quarterfinals, but there seemed to be little question that the manager’s status is less certain now than it’s ever been.“There’s short-term goals and long-term goals. The reality is, the business we’re in, specifically the business coaches are in, you don’t get to see through many long-term goals if you don’t hit the short-term goals,” he said. “There are things overall in his role as technical director that we think we’ve made good advances in, but we need to win games and we need to win games in competitive play. The first few years, obviously we did that. In the [2013] Gold Cup we were very successful and the World Cup we could talk about all day, but last summer in particular with the Gold Cup and then the reprieve we had [against Mexico], we didn’t get it done.”PLANET FUTBOL Gulati indicated that the focus must be on official competitions, where Klinsmann has compiled a 23-9-6 record since taking over and a 5-4-3 mark since the 2014 World Cup (heading into Tuesday’s match).“The Gold Cup matters. Copa América mattrs. The Confederations Cup matters if you qualify. So, if you’re ranking all those things then obviously playing in the World Cup is singularly the most important thing. But all those competitions matter,” Gulati said. “They’re an assessment of where you are.”Five years into Klinsmann’s tenure, the national team isn’t where Gulati thought it would be. Now he expects the U.S. advance from the Copa’s Group A despite last week’s loss.“There are areas where I would have hoped for more progress and other areas where we’ve done well. That in many ways reflects recent results …. Results over the last 18 months overall haven’t been what we would have hoped for,” he said. “We’ll look at everything after the end of this competition. I don’t get too high or too low based on one game, especially when it’s in this tournament against a very good team [Colombia]….We’ll wait and see how the next two games go and hopefully some additional games after that before we assess where things are again.”Following the Copa América, the U.S. won’t have another meaningful game until it plays World Cup qualifiers against St. Vincent and the Grenadines and then Trinidad and Tobago in early September. Hypothetically, Gulati would have time to make a change, if he felt there needs to be one.Klinsmann is signed through the end of 2018, leaving only a year and a half on his contract.“Whenever we look at important competitions like this, it’s thorough analysis and evaluation,” he said. “We’re at a break point after a big competition and before next set of important competitions, which is in the fall, so we look at all of those things.”Gulati concluded by saying that he didn’t want to address hypotheticals, stressing that a loss to Colombia on its own shouldn’t come as a shock. But, he said, “We have to win games … no one has ironclad job security. Jurgen’s already said, for coaches and players, it’s about results.”Gulati addressed several other topics during the hour-long meeting, including the Copa itself, FIFA and even the upcoming presidential election:

Permanent combined Copa talks ‘inaccurate’

Gulati said reports this week that there have been discussions about combining the Copa América and CONCACAF Gold Cup permanently are “completely inaccurate.He said, “There have been no discussions about future events with U.S. Soccer or between CONCACAF and CONMEBOL about this. I made sure that in order to make the second part of that statement I talked with [CONCACAF president] Victor [Montagliani] yesterday. He’s had no discussions with anyone at CONMEBOL about it. So, there is nothing imminent, no plans, no discussions have taken place.”That doesn’t mean there won’t be more potential cooperation between the North and South American confederations in the future.“If were thinking about a combined event in the future, it wouldn’t have to be a Copa América. It would be some new created event, where there might be an equal number of teams [from the two confederations] for example, or all of those things that are specific to Copa América wouldn’t necessarily be in place,” he said. “What we might talk about for a future event would be a new event.”

A Trump presidency could impact a World Cup bid

U.S. Soccer may not host another Copa, but it certainly would like to bring a second World Cup to American shores. Having been beaten controversially by Qatar in the race to host the 2022 finals, the U.S. now is waiting for FIFA to establish the rules and procedures for bidding for 2026. Gulati has said that the U.S. won’t commit to bidding until those parameters are established in early 2017. Meanwhile, he’ll be watching this November’s election results.“I think the world’s perception is affected by who’s in the White House, yes, and so it has some bearing,” Gulati said. “I think having somebody in the White House that gives a the country an outward-looking view and a personality that’s more easily accepted around the world is positive for the United States and then more specifically for hosting events here and our general image from a sports perspective. But it’s far beyond sports.”Gulati wouldn’t rule out a bid if Donald Trump wins the presidency.“We’re going to bid for a World Cup if we think we’re going to be successful,” he said. “I think whether we can be successful in a World Cup or L.A. in an Olympic bid is affected by the world’s view of our leaders, and not just the leaders of the soccer federation.”

EURO-s PREDICTIONS

BY SI STAFFPosted: Wed Jun. 8, 2016

The first 24-team European Championship commences on Friday in France, when the host nation takes on Romania to kick off a month-long tournament to determine the continent’s top squad.Les Bleus have competition looking to prevent them from capturing another trophy on home soil. Spain is the two-time defending champion of the competition, aiming for an unprecedented three-peat. Germany is hoping to add another European trophy to its cabinet after winning the World Cup two summers ago. Belgium enters the competition as Europe’s top team in the FIFA world ranking, coming it at No. 2 overall behind Argentina. The Euros are no stranger to dark-horse runs either, none more stunning than Greece’s run to the title in 2004, and there are many capable “lower-tier” sides ready to spring a surprise at Euro 2016.Here are our predictions for how the competition will play out and who will ultimately be lifting the trophy at Stade de France on July 10:

Alexander Abnos

I can’t believe I’m actually picking England to win this thing. I mean, this isEngland we’re talking about; a team that seemingly always succumbs to pressure amid too-high expectations. Still, this year’s group provides many reasons for confidence.It has in-form forwards, plentiful options in midfield, and a goalkeeper capable of match-winning saves. It’s been on a tear since the 2014 World Cup, winning 17 of its 21 games including an unblemished record in qualifying for this tournament. England has the youngest team at Euro 2016, and it’s often young players that play fearlessly enough to make big impacts at big tournaments like these.It’s that same lack of fear that I believe will help England finally shrug off its demons this summer. I could very easily be wrong, of course. France is deep at every position and won the 1984 Euros and the 1998 World Cup playing at home, as it will be this year. Croatia has all the ingredients to make a surprise run. Germany and Spain haven’t looked like the unstoppable forces they once were, but they’re still Germany and Spain, and both will be motivated to win their fourth European title, which would be most all-time. All that said, based on what essentially amounts to a hunch, I’m picking England to win its first European Championship on the 50-year anniversary of its last major trophy. May God save the queen–and also have mercy on my soul.

Avi Creditor

Belgium’s golden generation was supposed to blossom in the 2014 World Cup, learn some lessons while growing as a world power, then take its place on the winner’s podium as soon as Euro 2016. Surely it’s not that simple, and the Red Devils are missing key defensive pieces in Vincent Kompany and Nicholas Lombaerts, but there remains enough matured talent, especially in the attack, to spoil France’s party in the semifinals and then lift the trophy at the expense of two-time defending champion Spain. DEITSCH: Viewer’s guide to the summer of soccer on TV

As for some other picks, this is more of a “what I want to see” than anything else, although there are sporting merits to the selections as well. Ronaldo vs. Bale? Spain-Italy 2012 final rematch? Powerful Germany vs. everyone’s favorite underdog Iceland? A Germany-Belgium red-black-yellow flag derby? Zlatan vs. England again? Sign me up.GALLERY: The many hairstyles of Paul Pogba

Ben Lyttleton

The group stage predictions mostly explain themselves; I think Slovakia is an underrated side in Group B and and Czech Republic in Group D.

It’s when the knockout stage comes that things get really interesting. The biggest shock will be the Czechs beating Belgium, which has individual talent in abundance, but I have reservations over whether Marc Wilmots can get the best out of it. I fancy Czech boss Pavel Vrba to be one of the stars of the tournament and his team, most of whom are based in the Czech league, is greater than the sum of its parts.Austria and Poland are other dark horses that could go deep, and I think France may have a scare against the Austrians in the quarterfinal. England-Portugal is impossible to call, so I am going for Portugal, this time without needing penalties, to progress. France’s route to the final may not be serene, but it has improved since losing to Germany at the World Cup, and a final on home soil could set up a third straight home success for Les Bleus.

Brian Straus

Overall, I’m a fan of the tournament’s expansion. A continental championship should be more inclusive than a World Cup, and the addition this summer of countries like Iceland, Albania and Wales, among others, offers novelty, enthusiasm and the chance to appreciate different stars and stories.

The one negative is that the diluted group stage will be a bit easier to navigate for the blue bloods. The favorites will be more spread out, and as a result are less likely to trip up and finish second. And this year, with the way the draw works out, that means the three best teams at Euro 2016 should be in the same half of the bracket once the knockouts commence. It’s kind of a shame that only one of France, Germany or Belgium will play in the final at Stade de France.The pick here is France. Les Bleus have a history of making the most of home-field advantage. Plus, they’re loaded, peaking at the right time and won’t have to play another title rival until the semis. This will be the tournament of Pogba and Griezmann. The bracket’s JV half contains some talented but flawed teams. Spain is the best of the bunch and with something to prove after a disastrous 2014 World Cup, the reigning champs will fall to France in the final.

Grant Wahl

It’s remarkable that the two-time defending Euro champion, Spain, is receiving such little love heading into Euro 2016.I know Spain was miserable in the World Cup two years ago, but look for Vicente del Bosque’s team to remind everyone how good it is over the next month and reach the final.That said, France is the team that will raise the trophy on home soil, just as it did in World Cup ’98.The wealth of young talent France has is scary, and Paul Pogba is about to become a megastar.As for upsets, I’m going with Iceland, which proved in qualifying that it can beat anyone in Europe. I have them upsetting Belgium in the round of 16 and reaching the quarterfinals.

Jonathan Wilson

As hosts, France is an overwhelming favorite for me. It has strength in depth in all areas with the possible exception of fullback and has won the last two tournaments it has hosted. By contrast, there are major questions about its two main rivals, Spain and Germany. Spain has lacked fluency throughout the qualifying campaign, while Germany still hasn’t resolved the issue of who will play at center forward or fullback, while defeats to Ireland and Poland in qualifying don’t bode well.England, if it gets the defense right, has the pace in forward areas to counterattack dangerously, although a quarterfinal against an Italy side more dogged than dazzling would be tough. Belgium still doesn’t seem to have worked out how to get the best from its remarkable array of talent, while Russia is aging. Poland, if Robert Lewandowski is at his best, could perhaps trouble Spain in the quarters.

France top Euro 2016 Power Rankings, Germany second, Spain third

Euro 2016 kicks off on Friday, but who are the favourites to win it all at the Stade de France on July 10? We asked Miguel Delaney to rank the 24-team field.

FRANCE: A vibrant squad of staggering strength and depth, fired forward by home advantage — but missing key experience and a top striker in Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema. The wonder is whether they can evolve to go on and win it, similarly to the side that won the World Cup at home in 1998. On talent and positional balance alone, they’re the best team in the competition. They just have to prove it.
GERMANY: Arrive as world champions, but also having largely failed to show that status in a flat qualifying campaign. The absence of a top-class goalscorer seems to reflect a lack of ruthlessness in the side. The expectation around the squad, though, is that they will do what Germany so regularly do and properly focus come crunch time.
SPAIN: The defending champions — but that oddly might be one of their biggest problems. Spain still have Vicente Del Bosque at the helm and, successful as he’s been, the argument is that his loyalty to experience has come at the expense of reinvigorating a team with the talent pool to win what would be a record third European Championship in a row, fourth overall.
BELGIUM: One of the highest-quality squads in the tournament, their biggest obstacle might be that manager Marc Wilmots rarely seems able to get the best out of that talent, choosing to sacrifice expression for tactical discipline. Will be hard to beat, but the frustration is that they should find winning easier.
ITALY:An Italian side with fewer elite players than any other in recent history, but with a proper star manager in Antonio Conte. His intensity, combined with what is probably the best defensive unit in the competition, could mean they surprise many.
ENGLAND: A strong, young starting XI with the potential to grow over the course of tournament, the wonder is whether conservative coach Roy Hodgson can find the tactical balance to get the best out of his players and finally advance beyond the quarterfinals.
CROATIA:A smooth qualification to the finals reflected their smooth style of play, and the general feeling is that this is the best Croatian generation since the team that reached the quarterfinals of Euro 96 and semifinals of France 98. They have a decent chance of replicating that feat, depending on whether they can beat Spain to first place in their group.
AUSTRIA:The young side increasingly being vaunted as the team most likely to emulate Denmark 1992 or Greece 2004 and come from outside to win the tournament. Austria is much more entertaining than both of those previous champions, and while it’s possible that it’s still too early for them as a group, David Alaba could lead them into the later stages of the competition.
PORTUGAL: The squad with the tournament’s greatest player in Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal is much more difficult to define as a team. The mixture of familiar faces like veteran Ricardo Carvalho and brilliant young talents like Joao Mario marks a potential generational imbalance. It will be up to Ronaldo to cover the extra ground.
POLAND: Almost a lighter version of Portugal in that the team has one star that rises well above a very mixed group. Robert Lewandowski’s goals should at least see them into the last 16.
SLOVAKIA: A decent squad whose qualifying run included a victory over Spain, they could defy expectations with talents like Marik Hamsik.
SWITZERLAND: Some good talent, but none of it really shaped in a competitive way, and there is little optimism about their play right now. They have not evolved since the 2014 World Cup and the main hope is that a forgiving group sparks a new confidence and cohesion.
CZECH REPUBLIC:Lacking the star quality of their finest displays in tournament history — finalists in 1996 and semifinalists in 2004 — they do have a surprising resilience that saw them top a group featuring the Netherlands and Turkey in qualifying. Their ability to dig deep will be key if they hope to advance out of a tough group featuring Spain, Croatia and Turkey.
WALES: Gareth Bale is yet another of that distinctive band of Euro 2016 star players charged with lifting his country to greater levels, but Wales do have some good support behind him despite their relatively modest quality. Their reliable defence gives the Real Madrid forward the perfect platform for those rapid breaks.
ICELAND:The story of the qualifying campaign, they became the smallest country to ever qualify after beating the Netherlands twice and defeating Turkey and the Czech Republic too. These big wins emphasise just how capable this side is of stunning.
TURKEY:Only got into the tournament through last-minute dramatics, but that kind of test could mark the making of a promising young team. The question is whether more experienced stars like Arda Turan will be in form to properly complete the side.
RUSSIA:An uninspiring and aging team is only enhanced by the tactical nous of manager Leonid Slutsky. The main hope is that his innovation, as well as the cohesion of groups of players at Zenit and CSKA Moscow, will be enough to grind their way through.
UKRAINE:An average outfit elevated by Yevhen Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko, their match against Northern Ireland will most likely determine if one of them can win and get out of the group.
SWEDEN:If Swedish football coverage almost always seems to be about Zlatan Ibrahimovic, it’s because their play is too. He simply dominates everything. He gives them a chance, but also puts focus on the limitations of his supporting cast.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND:A limited team, but one with more competitive intensity and cohesion than most others. This quality will make them tough to beat, and has the potential to offer a much more respectable campaign than the disaster that was 2012.
ALBANIA:A team of few top players but unique unity, bolstered by the spirit around the side and the fact that there are so many members of the country’s diaspora playing. Advancing out of a qualifying group that featured Portugal, Denmark and Serbia shows they are anything but an easy opponent.
NORTHERN IRELAND:A very limited group of players, but manager Michael O’Neill has crafted his team into a unit adept at limiting what their opposition do. They could really frustrate superior sides.
ROMANIA:Almost got into the tournament by default — drably advancing out of a poor group. The team, largely devoid of quality, looks unlikely to do much. Similar to Switzerland, their main hope of progressing is based on the relative ease of their group play outside of an opening match against France.
HUNGARY:Squeezed through a weak group to even get to this point, likely making them the weakest side in the tournament. Now that they’re actually here, they could be crushed by much tougher competition.

Euro 2016: The team and player that will unravel and other big predictions

Everyone with any sort of connection to football has now been asked who will win the European Championships, who will score the most goals and who will be the dark horses. But what about the other big questions, like which superpower could really mess this up? We asked Iain Macintosh to look into his crystal ball.

Which superpower could really mess this up?

In 2014, Spain bravely held off the challenge of both England and Italy by exiting the World Cup, a tournament title they were supposed to be defending, inside just seven days. That will take some beating. All three of those nations still retain that special combination of banana-skin filled groups and pulsating potential uselessness.But what about Germany? They’ve lost four of their last seven games. They weren’t playing great sides, either, with defeats to Ireland, Slovakia and, most shamefully of all, England. It doesn’t take a great leap of imagination to see them slipping up against Ukraine, Poland or even Northern Ireland.

Which team will be hated by the media in spite of their status?

Albania are the most Cinderella-ist of all the Cinderella stories at this summer’s tournament, but there’s every chance the world’s media will loathe them. How could this be? They are so unfancied that they’re under the underdogs. They’re so plucky that when they get up from their sofa, they leave traces of pluck in the fibres.But they harbour a dark and terrible secret. When they met Austria in a friendly earlier this year, they played in their second strip: white shirts. With white numbers. And white lettering. Madness. If they wear that shirt against Switzerland on June 11, it will be a nightmare for every journalist and commentator. Expect this to be reflected in the tone of the reports.

Who will have the shortest tournament?

England aren’t going to win the big prize, but they’ve got this one locked down. Someone will get injured almost instantly. Remember how high your eyebrows rose when you discovered that poor Ledley King had been included in England’s 2010 World Cup squad? Remember how he lasted barely two minutes in South Africa? It’s going to happen again, isn’t it?England have only three centre-backs in the squad, so they’re tempting fate on one count. They have Daniel Sturridge, so they’re tempting fate on two counts. They have Jack Wilshere, and three counts should be more than enough. Wilshere, whose inclusion came after missing almost the entire season, and at the expense of Danny Drinkwater, has to be the favourite to tumble.

Which team will unravel mid-tournament?

With the Dutch watching on television, this prize is wide open. You’d be tempted to plump for France, given the pressure they’ll be under as favourites and, more pertinently, their unrivalled capacity for chaos. But what about Portugal? We saw in 2014 what happens when Cristiano Ronaldo is held together by sticky tape and staples; he tries to win the game all on his own and the team suffers for it. If his heroics aren’t enough, how long will it be before someone in a Portugal shirt breaks down and screams, “For the love of all that is holy, Cris. Let someone else take a free kick!”

Who will flip out and do something absolutely stunningly foolish?

When it comes to Grade A wobblies, you can never really rule out Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The big, mercurial Swede is a law unto himself. But this is probably his international swan song and he has a brand to protect now. A more likely barmpot is the cut-price Zlatan, Austria’s Marko Arnautovic. Jose Mourinho once said that Arnautovic had “the attitude of a child,” a conclusion aided by the former Inter Milan forward’s decision to wear boots inscribed with the words, “Champions League Winner 2010,” even though he wasn’t in the victorious squad. He’s been caught speeding, he’s fought teammates, he’s insulted entire cities, and last week, he was embroiled in a spitting scandal. The world waits for his next move.

Which fiery manager will soon be watching from the corporate box?

You’d always think that the managers to be sent from the touchline would be the most volatile men, but it doesn’t always work like that. In 2008, it was the unassuming Joachim Low who found himself watching Germany’s quarterfinal clash with Portugal from the posh seats after a spat with the Austrian manager Josef Hickersberger during their group stage match. Antonio Conte and Fatih Terim both seem to be the sort of chaps well capable of flipping out in the technical area. Then there’s Ireland’s Martin O’Neill. He might look unassumingly bookish, but there’s a fire that dwells within that man. And if assistant manager Roy Keane eggs him on …

Who will be England’s penalty villain?

This is obviously happening. Even England can’t mess up a group like that when three teams will probably progress to the knock-out stage. What do England do in knock-out stages? They lose on penalties. Or get obliterated by Germany. But mostly, it’s penalties. It doesn’t matter what you do, or how much you practice. England can’t win penalty shoot-outs. They’re like a cat with chopped whiskers, unable to walk through an open door. This is nature, people. And having tempted karma by discussing a move to Arsenal on the eve of the tournament, it’s Jamie Vardy who will welly his spot-kick into the second tier.

France, England, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Portugal’s Euro hopes

Our ESPN FC Euro 2016 bloggers covering the tournament’s top contenders make a case for why their side are the team to beat in France.

Group A

FRANCE: With home advantage on their side, hosts France are the team to beat this summer. Since coming back from the dead to beat Ukraine 3-2 on aggregate to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Didier Deschamps’ men have the French public behind them once again.

Historically, Les Bleus fare well on home soil. Their Euro 1984 and 1998 World Cup titles were both won in France, while Euro 2000 — their third major international title — took place in neighbouring Belgium. Aided by a favourable Group A draw, the confidence of Deschamps and his players should be high by the time they reach the latter stages.

Despite a number of pre-tournament injuries, the French still possess plenty of talent. The likes of Juventus’ Paul Pogba, Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, Paris Saint-Germain’s Blaise Matuidi and West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet all make the hosts a formidable force — Jonathan Johnson

Group B

ENGLAND: The good news for England coach Roy Hodgson is that a good chunk of the outstanding performers in last season’s thrilling and unpredictable Premier League were English. The best two strikers in the division were Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy, who even more encouragingly seem to have developed a rapid understanding, each knowing where the other’s movement is likely to take them, despite not having played together much for the national team.

Then there’s Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Danny Rose, young players all who belied their lack of experience by taking Tottenham close to the title. In short, England have a fine collection of youthful talent. But the really promising thing about this team is that while they do have individual quality, they don’t have outstanding stars, players upon whom they rely and about whom there would be a national outcry if they were injured. Only goalkeeper Joe Hart is close to irreplaceable, making the collective much more reliable. This is a squad with plenty of options, and plenty of reasons to be cheerful. — Nick Miller

Group C

GERMANY: Germany might have had their fair share of problems following the 2014 World Cup. Some players retired, and those who stayed put in some sloppy performances in both the qualification phase and those friendlies in the past two years. They still won the group, and they will do so again in France. At that point, Mats Hummels will reunite with the Germany axis of Manuel Neuer-Jerome Boateng-Sami Khedira-Toni Kroos-Mesut Ozil-Thomas Muller, one of the strongest in the world. The national team’s fate of not having one individual superstar but a collective of hugely talented team players has worked wonders for them. This generation of German players might never produce a Ballon d’Or winner, but more silverware.

The latest test against Hungary has shown they have reached the level to win their group, and from there confidence can turn hope into belief, especially once Germany have made it past their first big name. — Stephan Uersfeld

Group D

SPAIN: Vicente del Bosque’s Spain won both the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 Euros based on an extremely solid defensive approach. That squad used their domination of ball possession primarily to defend, and only when the chance was ripe, to attack.After the disappointment of Brazil 2014, that competitive Spain seems to be back. With only three goals conceded in 10 qualification matches, scoring against Spain has never looked so hard. Defence wins you tournaments, as the old saying goes, and one could see the Del Bosque’s team putting together a phenomenal string of seven 1-0 wins.If you think that’s boring, Andres Iniesta and his midfield teammates will add some fun with a collection of tricks and ball skills that will no doubt keep many entertained, while the Spaniards head for their third consecutive Euro title. — Ed Alvarez

Group E

BELGIUM: In order to feel confident, Belgian football fans just need to look at the players in their squad. Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois are all world class, with five or six others being very close to that level. If that isn’t enough, the Belgian squad has been the costliest of the 24 to assemble, at £319 million. Added to that, Belgium are the highest FIFA-ranked European country. It’s a team that is always hard to beat and if the quality players can get it together on the pitch, these boys could go all the way.

ITALY: Italy may not have the most talented of squads and are suffering over the absences of key midfielders, but what they do boast is experience and a defence that can hinder even the strongest of attacks.

Coached by a man famed for his winning mentality and ability to light the fire of ambition in each individual within a squad, Italy will play with a never-say-die attitude, evidenced by the number of warrior-style players Antonio Conte chose to bring with him. A team many expect to fail, there is nothing Italy love more than to prove a point. Renowned for their ability to defeat the best of opponents, few possess their tactical knowledge, strong work ethic and pride. While they lack individual talent, Conte might just create a unit balanced enough to shock critics and achieve victory. — Mina Rzouki

Group F

PORTUGAL: Before the turn of the millennium, Portugal qualified for only four of 26 World Cups and European Championships. Since 2000, they have never missed a party (nine consecutive tournaments). It is illustrative of the football evolution of a country always besotted with the beautiful game, but only relatively recently a consistent guest at the top table.

But the Portuguese people want more. And with a healthy mix of youth and experience, the tournament’s best player in their ranks, and on the back of a seven-match winning run in competitive play — a record for Portugal — the Selecao’s time may have finally come. What’s more, Greece aren’t there to break our hearts. —

Germany’s big questions include shaky defence, Ozil’s role, Muller’s form

Turniermannschaft. It’s the word you’ll be hearing most in Germany this week, by way of boasts and prayers, as Joachim Low’s squad gets closer to its Euro 2016 opening game against Ukraine on Sunday. Turniermannschaft(“tournament team”) has been the unofficial nickname of theNationalmannschaft for decades now, a moniker that describes their uncanny ability to get results in big competitions, no matter how good or bad they are.(Granted, Germany weren’t quite such a Turniermannschaft when they crashed out in the group stage at Euro 2000 and Euro 2004, but those exceptions merely served to prove the rule.)The flip side of being a team for tournaments, however, is that you often have little idea about your true strengths or biggest problems before a ball is kicked in earnest. Since the World Cup win in Brazil, Low has taken theTurniermannschaft ethos to its logical extreme, experimenting with personnel and formations so vigorously that Germany ceased to be a team altogether, more often than not.Will things now magically come together the way they have largely done over the last five competitions? Or will their deficiencies drag the side down? Germany are world champions but they’re also world champions of worrying about their own flaws. Here are the five key questions still to be resolved ahead of “mission Euro win,” as tabloid Bild would have it.

1. Who’s playing at the back?

Concerns about a lack of balance and the fitness of midfield stalwarts Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger made Low adopt a very pragmatic set-up for the opening games at the last World Cup. Four centre-backs (Jerome Boateng, Per Mertesacker, Mats Hummels, Benedikt Howedes) made up the defence, Philipp Lahm was stationed in front of them as a guard. But out of those five, only Howedes is both still playing for Germany and fully fit for selection on Sunday.Boateng is doubtful (muscle problems). Hummels (hamstring) isn’t quite ready. The unfortunate Antonio Rüdiger is out of the Euros after rupturing his cruciate ligament in training. That leaves… well, not a lot. Low will be forced to field Valencia’s Shkodran Mustafi or move Howedes inside, leaving Emre Can forced to play as an unhappy right-back again, with Jonas Hector on the left.Bayern Munich’s talented Joshua Kimmich might be an alternative, on the right side of a back three or even as a centre-back, but in its totality, the defensive corps does not inspire a lot of confidence. The one bit of good news, perhaps, is that the need for extra security will increase the chances of Julian Weigl, the 20-year-old Dortmund midfielder destined for great things, of seeing action in the holding role.

2. Can Mesut Ozil make this his Euros?

Ozil only starred in a supporting role at the last World Cup, toiling on the right and the left as his successor at Real Madrid, Toni Kroos, shined as the de facto playmaker. For the Euros, however, the Arsenal midfielder has been once again earmarked in his favourite position: the central creative role.”I’m very, very happy to enjoy the confidence of the national [team] manager,” Ozil told SID this week. “I can be most effective as a 10.” Kroos is most likely needed further down the pitch, an area where Ozil himself has been tried out with a surprising degree of success in the national team. (The calm, classy influence of Ilkay Gundogan will be much missed.)Whether Ozil will play behind the striker(s) or in front of the defence is less important than the fact that Low trusts him to dictate the game once more. The Bundestrainer insisted that Ozil was “as good as 2012 or 2013” this season. It’s up to the former Schalke 04 player to justify that verdict and win over the few remaining doubters back home.

3. Gotze or Gomez up front?

Following his career resurrection in Turkey, the return of Mario Gomez (26 goals for league champions Besiktas) to the fold has given Low the valuable option to make Germany less dependent on game combinations. In theory, the orthodox and physically imposing striker is an ideal weapon against deep-lying defences, but Poland and the Ukraine might well defend by squeezing the space further up the pitch, which would render the 30-year-old pretty ineffective: he can’t play on the shoulder of the last man given his lack of pace.Despite coming off a pretty poor season with Bayern, Mario Gotze looks like the more natural fit for a team that’s learned to make the most of the freedom to interchange that playing without a target man provides. A nod to the scorer of the World Cup-winning goal in Rio would suggest that will Low stick to his aesthetic principles in attack rather adopting than a more direct approach.

4. Will Thomas Muller do his Muller shtick?

The 26-year-old Bayern forward has been in strangely ineffective form of late, looking like a man in dire need of some inspiration. While Muller can score at any given moment and doesn’t need to play well at all in order for his famous goal instinct to kick in, his confidence on the ball seems to have suffered a little bit.Is he still haunted by that tragic penalty miss against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semifinal, the first real personal setback of his career? A coolly converted spot kick in the DFB Pokal win over Dortmund in Berlin would suggest otherwise but Müller doesn’t quite play with his usual, clunky and charming verve right now. The problem could become more prominent if Low shunts him out to the right side of the attack, where he’s more involved in build-up play.Germany are not reliant on a single player but without Muller’s goals and joyful anarchic streak up front, they will struggle to fulfil their potential this summer. The son of a BMW engineer needs to re-discover his drive, urgently.

5. What about Schweinsteiger?

A captain that doesn’t command authority by virtue of his performances is always a potential problem for any team. Without his history and heroics at the Maracana, the 31-year-old would presumably have not been picked by his country after the season he’s just had at Manchester United. But Schweinsteiger cannot live off past glories in France, nor can he rely on the goodwill and patience that have gone his way as he battles back from yet another injury.Two years ago, the gamble Low took on him (he entered the competition with a knee complaint) paid off but at Euro 2012, it certainly didn’t. Beset by a ankle complaint at that tournament, Schweinsteiger wasn’t able to get his team past Italy in the semifinal. He’s been written off before. Can the ultimateTurnierspieler (tournament player) come back one final time?Raphael Honigstein is ESPN FC’s German

The methods behind Manuel Neuer’s sweeper-keeper madness

Three fearless predictions for Euro 2016

Who will win it all, who will flop and who will break out? Grant Wahl looks into his Euro 2016 crystal ball.

BY GRANT WAHLPosted: Tue Jun. 7, 2016

This story first appeared in the June 6, 2016, issue of Sports Illustrated.Subscribe to the magazine hereAt the highest level, modern soccer has a lot in common with the German autobahn. The speed of the game has no limits, and players are like the latest sports cars: faster, sleeker and more powerful than ever. The movement in soccer—end-to-end attacking, relentless defensive pressure—can be constant. And yet there remain players, goalkeepers, who impose calm. In 2016, no one on the planet balances order and chaos better than Germany’s Manuel Neuer, who is redefining his position in a way that hasn’t been done for decades.“I’m a little bit risky, but [I represent] security and protection, and you have to give your teammates that feeling as well,” says Neuer. “I’m a guy who likes to drive a car quite fast—but I wear a seat belt at the same time. So you have this balance. Maybe you can compare it.”Surrounded by Champions League trophies in Bayern Munich’s boardroom, Neuer has folded his 6’ 4″, 203-pound frame into a leather office chair. Like many Germans, Neuer, 30, speaks better English than he lets on at first—he ditches his interpreter entirely after a few minutes—and he draws a special pleasure from discussing his ultimate fast-lane experience: Germany’s round-of-16 victory over Algeria in World Cup 2014.To watch Neuer’s highlight video from that game, which includes an astonishing five clearances and 20 touches outside his penalty box, is to see a goalkeeper pushing the outer limits of what’s physically possible and, perhaps, mentally sane.Time and again, with Germany’s attack-minded back line pushed up near midfield, Algeria sends passes through and over defenders, hoping that fleet forwards Islam Slimani and Sofiane Feghouli can run onto the ball for a lightning-strike goal in the rain of Porto Alegre, Brazil. But there’s no joy for the men in green, no alegría for Algeria. Instead there’s Neuer venturing 35 yards from his goal, racing Slimani into the corner and sliding to block the striker’s cross before it reaches the penalty area. There’s Neuer, racing out again, propelling his head to clear a dangerous diagonal ball before crashing into the onrushing Slimani. And there’s Neuer covering on a misplayed back-pass, clearing the ball from danger an instant before Aïssa Mandi’s arrival.MORE: Full rosters for Euro 2016Neuer may look like a madman, but his objective is clear: to prevent scoring chances before they materialize, even if that means taking sphincter-tightening risks.“It’s better for me to get the ball before the [opposing] striker than to [wait and] have a one-on-one situation in the box,” he says. “If he can’t get the ball, he won’t get any opportunity.”And if Neuer fails? Then he’s committed the soccer version of hara-kiri. If he misjudges the speed and trajectory of either the ball or the striker and arrives too late, he may not only concede a goal but also look silly in the process.“I don’t feel the fear in my head in this moment,” he says. “I am always thinking positive. But you have to be sure to get the ball.”The circumstances in Brazil created a fairly unique situation: Germany deployed relatively slow center backs; Algeria’s front-line speed was formidable; and Neuer could station himself higher up the field because the ball was skidding on the wet sod, causing hard through-balls to reach him faster than they would in dry conditions. The keeper believes that his early stops put a degree of fear into the opposing strikers, causing them to pull out early in avoiding collisions.“A lot of their players didn’t want to go into the one-on-one because I’m big,” he says. Neuer’s heat map for the Algeria match, which shows the location of his touches and his positioning, is unlike anything you would associate with a traditional goalkeeper—it’s as though he’s playing two positions instead of one.

In fact Neuer’s coloring outside the lines of his penalty box has many experts considering him one of the greatest goalkeeping innovators, the next evolutionary step after Soviet legend Lev Yashin, who began counterattacks with quick outlets and intercepted passes outside his box. Yashin remains the only keeper ever to win the European Footballer of the Year award, in 1963, but consider: In 2014, Neuer was the World Cup champions’ only finalist for FIFA’s Ballon d’Or, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.Remarkably, the German language has yet to produce a 12-syllable word that describes the goalkeeper position as played by Neuer. Give it some time, though. For now, there’s a 16-letter English handle that will be hard to top—one that Neuer endorses with a wide smile. The sweeper keeper.

**********

If Germany-Algeria was Neuer’s version of Rachmaninoff’s playing his Piano Concerto No. 3 at Carnegie Hall, then his childhood training was like learning scales on his teacher’s living-room piano. A netminder from age 4, Neuer discovered early on that he had a leading foot and a standing leg. For him it felt more comfortable jumping to his left than to his right to make a save. Dives to his right, he says, would result in awkward landings and a bruised hip. Neuer had to train himself to explode to his right more easily, just as a right-footed player would practice using his left foot on the ball. Other aspects of basic shot-stopping came over time: positioning, covering his near post, keeping his hands in a ready position. Neuer absorbed them all. “I always want to save it,” he says, “but more important is that other players can’t get any rebound, any chance to get a goal.”But shot-stopping—once the hallmark of proficiency—is now a bare-minimum requirement. The 21st‑century keeper also needs to organize his team’s back line and set-piece defenses, command the penalty area on crosses, disrupt opposing forays outside the box and initiate his own team’s attack. Comfort on the ball (with both feet) is mandatory, as is the ability to unspool passes to moving targets on a dime, over short and long distances, including with an overhand throw.What’s more, the strategic trend of extreme defensive pressure up high means that goalkeepers often need to make themselves available for besieged defenders in need of an outlet. (A 1992 rule change prevented goalkeepers from picking up deliberate back-passes, forcing them to use their feet.)Fortunately for Neuer, he also perfected these foot skills at an early age. When he joined the youth ranks of the German club Schalke in 1991, at age 5, the right-footed keeper would practice with the outfield players if there was no goalie training, which developed his weaker left foot. Schalke even considered switching Neuer to an outfield position when he was 13, partly out of concern that he wasn’t tall enough. Ultimately they kept Neuer in goal, fully equipped with the tools to redefine the position. (Schalke wasn’t able to hold on to him; Bayern Munich, as it so often does to its German rivals, poached Neuer for $31.5 million in 2011.)“To be a modern goalkeeper, I have to think offensively, to initiate our attacking moves safely and securely,” Neuer says. “Both my teams—Bayern and Germany—usually have more than 60% possession, so I have to move outside the box to be involved in the passing game from the back.”With Bayern, Neuer almost never boots the ball aimlessly downfield, like so many other professional goalkeepers. Under recently departed manager Pep Guardiola, the high priest of possession-based soccer, the watchword for the team’s attacking philosophy was control. Why would a keeper boom the ball and risk giving that up“The passing game has become more important,” says Neuer. “We rarely just hammer the ball forward. I have probably twice as many touches now than I used to have at Schalke.”During this past European league season, for example, Neuer completed more passes—in fewer games—than prolific French striker Antoine Griezmann of Atlético Madrid.A stranglehold on possession by Bayern and Germany often leaves Neuer with few occasions to demonstrate some of his more traditional skills. But he still has to call upon them, knowing that one mistake can turn a game. How does he know when to come out for a cross? The thought process isn’t much different from deciding whether to leave his box to cut off a through-ball—though there tends to be more human traffic in his path on crosses, requiring him to read even more variables in a split second. “You have to know which players are in your area and whether you have a free way to the ball,” he explains. “If I know I can’t get the ball, then I have to stay in.”Television commentators tend to believe that a goalkeeper should come out for any cross inside the six-yard box. Neuer argues that this isn’t always the case. At 1,080 square feet (6 … 20 yards), he notes, the smaller box is still larger than many city apartments.“It depends how high the ball is coming into the box,” Neuer says of a cross into his six. “If it’s a high ball [your opponent] can’t reach, you can go out. But if it’s a very low ball and a striker is there, it’s very dangerous and you can’t.”Even in 2016, there are enough variables that the same keeper who’ll venture 40 yards from his goal to pick off a ball will sometimes refuse to move even six yards to make a clearance, depending on the situation.More commonly with control-obsessed Bayern and Germany, however, the ball is at the other end of the field. One of the hardest parts of Neuer’s job is going 45 minutes without a scoring chance by the opposing team, then suddenly having to spring into action.LIONEL MESSI: The world’s best player, in his own words“Sometimes in the winter it’s very cold, especially in Bavaria,” he says, half-smiling but fully serious. “It’s not easy in this moment, because you have to go from zero to 100.” Such is life on the autobahn. Freshly showered after training, and wearing a gray designer sweater, Neuer turns toward the 65‑inch video screen in Bayern Munich’s boardroom and starts breaking down clips from a showdown with Borussia Dortmund last October. In addition to reviewing video of his own game performances and practices on a laptop with his goalkeepers coach, Neuer takes part in pregame tactical talks with the rest of his squad.Beyond its usual high-pressing approach, Dortmund will try to attack Bayern’s high back line the same way that Algeria did, by sending passes over and through the line, into space, for speedy striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Even so, Neuer keeps an aggressive starting position, the better to quickly attack through-balls, and in the eighth minute he intercepts one 35 yards from his goal, igniting the Bayern attack. “If I’m in my box and waiting for the ball to come to me, we lose time,” Neuer says. “If I’m standing higher, we have more time—and Dortmund can’t get into the real [balanced defensive] position the way they want.”oto: Alex GriGetty The sweeper keeper is in full view later in the game when Neuer races out 40 yards to head a piercing through-ball away from Aubameyang’s path and directly to teammate David Alaba, who immediately starts a Bayern fast break. Ten seconds and three lightning-quick passes later, Bayern has a shot in Dortmund’s box, and while it doesn’t go in, we’ve still witnessed one more world-class play by Neuer.And that’s just the obvious stuff. Before each game Neuer studies his opponent’s set-piece and penalty-taking tendencies. He’s the one who sets up Bayern’s wall in defending free kicks near the goal. And when Dortmund has a corner kick, it’s on Neuer to organize Bayern’s zonal marking in the box. The key here, Neuer says, isn’t just the five defenders arranged in a horizontal line across the six-yard box but also the three teammates in a similar line near the penalty spot, whose job is to prevent Dortmund’s attackers from getting a full head of steam and leaping over the zonal markers or finding spaces between them.“It’s always a zone,” he says, referring to the area between the two parallel lines. “The second line of three players wants to block [the attackers] so they can’t go fast into the zone.”Bayern builds a 2–0 lead against Dortmund before Aubameyang scores on the break late in the first half to make it 2–1. How you respond to conceding a goal is also important, Neuer says.“Normally you know if you can change something or if you have made a mistake—every time there is something,” he says. “But you always have to start again at zero after a goal.”This game, however, is no contest. Bayern goes on to win 5–1, a major victory in its run to a fourth straight Bundesliga title. Neuer won’t make the headlines on this day, but his performance is terrific, in direct contrast to that of his Dortmund counterpart, Roman Bürki. The perils of the sweeper keeper are manifold: On two occasions Bürki allows goals after coming out for the ball and missing it.Being Manuel Neuer is a lot harder than it looks.

TORRADO BRINGS VAST EXPERIENCE TO ELEVEN

Former Cruz Azul captain is newest member of Boys in Blue

Jun 8, 2016

LEGENDARY MEXICAN INTERNATIONAL MIDFIELDER GERARDO TORRADO TO CONTINUE CAREER WITH INDY ELEVEN

LONGTIME CAPTAIN OF LIGA MX GIANT CRUZ AZUL TO BOLSTER “BOYS IN BLUE” FOR 2016 FALL SEASON

UINDIANAPOLIS /LOS ANGELES (Wednesday, June 8, 2016) – Speculation regarding the American club destination of legendary Mexican National Team midfielder Gerardo Torrado was answered today with Indy Eleven’s addition of the longtime Cruz Azul captain to the roster of Indiana’s North American Soccer League side. The announcement was made during a press conference held at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, where “el Tri” is based during its Copa America stay in Southern California.Per club policy, financial details of the contract that brings Torrado – a three-time FIFA World Cup veteran with Mexico and the 11-year captain of Cruz Azul – to Indy Eleven for the NASL’s 2016 Fall Season will not be released.“I am thrilled to begin this new adventure as a soccer player. I am sure that with my teammates, the club and the great fan base of Indiana, we will achieve great things,” said Torrado. “I want to thank the leadership of the team – Peter Wilt, Tim Hankinson and Jeff Belskus – and Pepe Galvan for advising me during my career.”

Torrado is set to arrive in the Circle City on Thursday, in plenty of time to support his new Indy Eleven teammates in their decisive Spring Season contest this Saturday, June 11, against the Carolina RailHawks (7:30 p.m. ET kickoff, live on WISH-TV & ESPN3). Additional details regarding the chance for fans to welcome Torrado upon his arrival at Indianapolis International Airport tomorrow afternoon will be released later this evening via media advisory and the team’s social media channels.“The addition of Gerardo Torrado is a significant step towards achieving our club’s goals of winning a championship in 2016 and building our growing club’s reputation across the American and global soccer landscapes,” stated Indy Eleven owner Ersal Ozdemir. “Indianapolis is the greatest sports city in the country, and in Gerardo we are getting a great player and an even better person that we cannot wait for our supporters and the community to embrace.”Torrado is expected to make his Indy Eleven debut against his former Bancomer Liga MX foe CF Pachuca on Sunday, June 26, when the recently-crowned Clausura season champion will visit IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis for a 1:00 p.m. ET exhibition match. Torrado will not be eligible to compete in official competitions for Indy Eleven until the FIFA summer transfer window opens on July 4. Pending U.S. Soccer’s receipt of his international transfer certificate, Torrado will be able to make his first NASL appearance on Saturday, July 9, when the “Boys in Blue” play host to Minnesota United FC at Carroll Stadium.“Players possessing Gerardo Torrado’s experience and quality, both at the club and international levels, are few and far between,” said Indy Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson. “I give our club’s leadership – especially (General Manager) Peter Wilt, who headed our negotiations in recent weeks – tremendous credit for seizing this opportunity to make our team stronger on the field and in the locker room. Gerardo is fit and ready to contribute and has the personality and professional attitude that will allow him to blend right into what has become a tight-knit roster over the last few months.”The hard-nosed midfielder was a stalwart for the Mexican National Team during his 15 years of service at the senior level from 1999-2013, his 146 “caps” tied with his comtemporary Pavel Pardo for the second-most in the nation’s history. The 37-year-old Torrado appeared in 11 of Mexico’s 12 matches across the 2002, 2006 & 2010 FIFA World Cups, starting 10 games, scoring once (2002 Group Stage, game-winner in 2-1 triumph over Ecuador) and serving as vice-captain during the 2010 tournament.“It’s tremendously exciting to welcome a player of Gerardo’s caliber to our league,” said NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson. “We’re looking forward to seeing his brilliant play and leadership as Indy Eleven battles for an NASL championship. The NASL is quickly becoming a destination for quality players like Gerardo, and today we would like to welcome him with open arms.”Torrado also brings nearly 20 years of top-level club experience between his playing days with Liga MX (Primera Division) squads UNAM Pumas, where he began his career from 1997-2000, and Cruz Azul (2005-2016), in between performing for four clubs across Spain (Tenerife, Polo Ejido, Sevilla and Racing Santander). One year after joining Cruz Azul in 2005, “el borrego” would become the captain of the Mexican City powerhouse squad, leading “los Cementaros” to both the 2014 CONCACAF Champions League and 2013 Copa MX titles in addition to four other Liga MX finals appearances.Torrado is expected to arrive in Indianapolis on Friday in advance of the most important match in Indy Eleven’s two-and-a-half seasons of play. Saturday’s Spring Season finale could give the “Boys in Blue” their first trophy – if they can capture a win over Carolina by four or more goals. Details of Torrado’s flight arrival in Indianapolis on Friday and media availability at Saturday’s game will be made available via a media advisory on Thursday.Tickets for Saturday’s pivotal match at Carroll Stadium against Carolina, Indy Eleven’s June 26 friendly vs. Pachuca and all other games at “The Mike” in 2016 are available for as little as $11 and can be purchased online at www.IndyEleven.com or by calling 317-685-1100 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. ET).

THREE THINGS – #MIAVIND

The “Boys in Blue” go scoreless in FloridaJun 6, 2016

1) Point: Florida

Indy Eleven travelled down to the Sunshine State for the fourth time in the Spring Season on Saturday to take their fourth point away in as many games in a scoreless draw against the Miami FC.Despite taking 15 shots in the 90-minute stalemate, “Indiana’s Team” managed just one on target as the attack was stifled in South Beach. On the defensive front, the team allowed just three shots on Busch’s goal, all saved, as Greg Janicki made his return to the back line after passing concussion protocol and making a full recovery from his facial fracture.

RECAP: Miami FC 0 : 0 Indy Eleven

Florida has been unkind to Coach Hankinson and co. though, as they were unable to secure three points in any of their four trips down. In the opening match of the season against the Rowdies, the Eleven shut down TBR in an impressive first outing as a squad – a 0-0 draw that night added the first point of the season to the total. Six weeks later, Eleven ‘keeper Jon Busch played out of his mind and saved all six shots he faced to extend the Florida shutout streak to 180 minutes in another 0-0 draw.

Two weeks after facing the Strikers, the 200+ minute scoreless streak against Floridian opposition finally came to a halt against Jacksonville when Armada defender Matt Bahner found the back of the net from distance to give the hosts an early lead. However, the “Boys in Blue” gave the fight all they had and tacked on an equalizer just after the 70^th minute thanks to a powerful header from Justin Braun, who notched his second in as many weeks. Another trip, another point.

While taking seven points out of five total road matches (with no losses) is admirable, the squad may feel Saturday’s match against Miami was the one that got away. Now they have set themselves up for the most historic battle in Indy Eleven history on Saturday when they host the Carolina Railhawks needing a four goal margin of victory to secure a Spring Season title.

2) The Straight Road Ahead

Knowing what it will take for the squad to be crowned spring champs, things are fairly straight forward when they meet with the Railhawks in five days’ time.“Indiana’s Team” has only tallied four goals once in club history, the positive being that the occasion was just three weeks ago against Minnesota United FC at “The Mike” in a wild 4-2 win. The importance of this week’s match requires a balance between pushing everyone forward to get the necessary goals while having the awareness to stifle attacks by Carolina.

The Railhawks are coming off a 0-0 home draw with Jax Armada FC but have not recorded a league win since April 23 when they knocked off the Rowdies on the road, 3-1. Balanced in scoring, Saturday’s visitors have scored four first half goals and six second half goals. Three of the four first half goals have come in the opening half hour, while the second three of their ten total have been scored between the 45^th and 47^thminute.However, as of late scoring has not been their strong suit in the league, having not hit the back of the net since May 7 in a 3-1 loss at home against the Strikers. Additionally, Carolina hasn’t scored in a league win since April 23. As attack remains the focus for Indy Eleven going into Saturday, the 90-minute window will see total team balance a necessity with the only road to the end of the spring slate as straight forward as it can be.

3) Willed to a Win

The only undefeated team in the top three pyramids of U.S. Soccer, Indy Eleven has the opportunity to do something it never has before – secure a trophy. At second place in the NASL with three wins and six draws, two wins (NYC/MNU) and two draws (FCE/OTT) have come at Carroll Stadium. This Saturday, the Brickyard Battalion and thousands of others can will this team to victory.

TICKETS | Indy Eleven vs. Carolina Railhawks

Against New York, the continual beating of the proverbial (and physical) drum saw a late equalizer coupled with a late winner as Irishman Eamon Zayed scored his first brace in an Indy Eleven shirt. A few weeks later, the “Boys in Blue” had a chance to take down then-top the table Minnesota United FC. Shoot your shot, they say, and four goals from four different goalscorers saw the Eleven hit the target in the bullseye.Now, Indy Eleven needs your help again. It needs every single body inside “The Mike” to pound that drum and keep momentum to the good as the title chase comes to a close. Use the link above to access a special discount offering $11 off any two+ ticket orders at any price level, and season ticket holders can enjoy $11 off food and beverage deals as well as discounts on merchandise purchases $50 and above.Bring the noise. See you Saturday.

Check out The Ole Ballcoach online https://theoleballcoach.wordpress.com/
Proud Member of the Brick Yard Battalion – http://brickyardbattalion.com, Sam’s Army-http://sams-army.com , American Outlaws https://www.facebook.com/IndyAOUnite

Shane Best
Director of Online Marketing
Achieve Test Prep
“Less Time. Less Money. Same Degree.”
Office: (317) 939-3599
Email: shane.best@achievetestprep.com
www.achievetestprep.com
Follow us:

6/6/16 US Must win Tues 8 pm in Chi, 2 tix avail, Copa Results

June 6, 2016June 6, 2016 gatorbest

So the USA lost a pivotal first game vs #3 Ranked Columbia (yes #3 in the world by the way). The 2-0 loss was interesting as it was a set piece and a PK that decided the win for Columbia – the US actually outpossessed Columbia – let me repeat that – we had 55% they had 45% – this was even true in the 1^st half. Listen I thought the US outplayed them in the field – we had more possession in their half and the shots were even. The Mexican Ref (yes out hated rival reffed this game – HOW CAN THAT HAPPEN? – only in COPA. I have very little good to say about the way COPA is putting on this tourney – yes its in the USA – That is the only GOOD thing about what they are doing. The refs have made horrible calls in multiple games that honestly affected the outcomes of the matches. Brazil, USA, Jamaica- just to name a few. The stands are empty except the huge teams (Brazil, Mexico – the true home team, and the US sort of. I saw a lot of fans dressed as empty seats in the opener – the opening ceremonies – how can that happen? Well let me tell you – the DAMN COPA people demanded everyone buy full session passes – the Chicago that was 4 Games at in my case $75 per game for good level 2 seats – ($135 for level 1) that’s $75 X4 = $300 + fees or $325 per tickets x 2 = $650 for 2 tix per game. That’s not chump change. Now I realize that is how the World Cup often sells but this is not the World Cup. It is however the biggest Soccer Tourney the US has seen since 1994 on the men’s side and now that the tickets are being sold per game – We (the USA fans should sell out the games now). But the organization to start with was greedy – I a guess that is why there were only 15K fans in Chicago with me on Sunday (yes they said 25K – NO WAY). Now it does look like the USA – MUST WIN game vs Costa Rica – is nearing a sellout – so that should be fun. (I still have 2 tickets left at cost $75 per if anyone wants to join me and Bill and Family.)

Now on the US Men – well the German (read Klinsmann) put the team out there and they played ok I guess. Honestly they did out possess and had some real chances throughout the game. I thought Bradley was horrific – worse player on the field in his natural #6 spot which was hugely disappointing and honestly in my mind probably cost us the game. His passing was off all night long – worse I have ever seen him. Now I think he bounces back vs Costa Rica – he can’t play much worse – you have to start him – I think in the same spot but we will see. So at lot of talk about Dempsey being too old – but did someone see something I didn’t see? Dempsey had our ONLY Dam Real Scoring Chances. Now is he a target man (NO!!!) I really think his spot is underneath say a Bobby Wood up top in a 4 /4 /2 . But that is just my take. He needs room to roam and be free to get into dangerous spots and create for a forward in front of him and play off one he’s underneath. He’s perfect with Altidore – he’s still our best scorer – so lets put him in a spot where he can score.

I see Wood and Dempsey up front. Nagbe (solid off bench- he’s the only player who can possess the ball) he’s got to come in for Jones who was a Ghost (besides his 1 shot above the post did you even hear his name called – I didn’t till he left the field and questioned the German’s tactics – which he should – the German has no tactics. I thought the D was solid with Cameron being the best player on the field. Other than his losing his mark on the goal – he made multiple saves and covered for the AVERAGE Brooks who was run by at least 3 times before Cameron saved his a$$. Yedlin was great on the edge, Johnson ok at a left back (I am still not sure he’s not best at left wing – especially if we fall behind – he is the only player on our roster to score multiple goals in Champions League by the way). Maybe it’s a 4-5-1 in reality.

Shane’s roster rollout –

Wood

Dempsey

Johnson/Nagbe / Bedoya

Bradley

Castillo (Leija really but he’s off squad?), Brooks, Cameron, Yedlin

Guzan

Listen Costa Rica and Paraguay tied – 0-0 (the perfect result for the US) We win 2 games we are thru. Win 1 and tie 1 – you might survive. The bottom line is Costa Rica – has beaten us lately – 2 in the last 4 games. They are ranked higher than us – but this is a home game and the type of Game the US usually pulls out. If this game is in the US home fortress known as Columbus, Ohio – I guarantee a victory. But in Chicago – with I don’t know how many Americans on hand ?? I don’t know ? Hopefully us AMERICAN’s actually show up and Support our US National Soccer Team – I know the American Outlaws have 6 sections behind the goal levels 1 and 2 sold out – 4 of us will be there in full voice and regala! GO USA please – I think we pull it out. 2-1 maybe in this very physical-must win match!! I Believe – I believe that we will, I believe that we will win!!

Oh yes don’t forget huge game tonite – Argentina vs Chile – in a rematch of last year’s COPA Final – 10 pm on Fox Sports 1!!

Carmel FC Travel Soccer Tryouts for 2016-2017 teams Academy (U10) June 7^th, others June 13/14
CLICK HERE to register

2 TICKETS TO SEE the USA Men Play LIVE – Soldier Field Chicago – Tues Night- June 7 @ 8 pm

So I have 2 tickets to the COPA AMERICA USA vs Costa Rica game on Tuesday night, June 8 pm (Central Time) in Chicago – Soldier Field. Tickets just $75 each (face value w/o the fees).. Re: or email shanebestsoccer@gmail.com

ATP_Gen_350x250

Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

USA Stories

Is Chicago a Good Luck Location for the US?

US vs Costa Rica Preview –

USA Stock up Stock down – Stars and Stripes

US Faces Must Win – Brian Straus SI

Time for Nagbe to Start- ESPN FC – McIntyre

Changes Dempsey needs to make for game 2 in Chicago – David ESPN FC

Is it time to Bench Dempsey? Stars and stripes

What we Learned – Stars and Stripes

Player Ratings – ESPN FC

2^nd Largest Viewership of a US Game on Fox

US Ladies beat Japan 2-0 before game called

COPA America 100 in USA

Mexico’s Marquez defies his age to lead Mexico to 3-1 win

Mexico shows their credentials in impressive win over Uraquay

Copa America – Fox COPA BRACKET PIX –

Some Copa predictions

SI Copa Predictions by the Writers

Fan’s Guide to the Copa America – ESPN FC

Power Rankings COPA SI

Group A – Columbia and Costa Rica are the teams US Must beat

Group B – Preview – Brazil + Ecuador

Group C – Preview – Mexico and Uraguay

Group D – Argentina + Chile

Columbia in Copa

Concacaf Teams Fairing Well in Friendlies so Far

READ/WATCH: Sports Illustrated Longform: Lionel Messi, in his own words

Mexican/Olympiacos Defender escaped on his own

Copa America – Top 25 Players

EUROS

Euros – Bracket Predictor

What to Watch for Euros

Euro Full Bracket

Full TV Schedule EUROS

ALL GAMES ON TV

Mon, June 6

7 pm FS1 COPA – Panama vs Bolivia

10 pm FS1 COPA – Argentina vs Chile

Tues, June 7

8 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Costa Rica – Solider Field – Tix Available!

10 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

Fri, June 10 European Cup Starts

3 pm ESPN EURO- France vs Romania

Sat, June 11

9 am ESPN EURO – Albania vs Switzerland

12 noon ESPN EURO – Wales vs Slovakia

3 pm ESPN EURO – England vs Russia

7 pm Fox Sport1 USA vs Paraguay

9 pm FS2 COPA – Columbia vs Costa Rica

Sunday, June 12
Turkey vs. Croatia — Paris (3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET, ESPN)
Poland vs. Northern Ireland — Nice (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Germany vs. Ukraine — Lille (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Ecuador vs. Haiti -6:30 p.m.FOX Sports 2Brazil vs. Peru-8:30 p.m. Fox Sports 1

Mexico vs. Venezuela 8 p.m. FoX Sports 1Uruguay vs. Jamaica 10 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Tuesday, June 14
Austria vs. Hungary — Bordeaux (6 p.m. CET/12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Portugal vs. Iceland — Saint-Etienne (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Chile vs. Panama 8 p.m. FOX Sports 1Argentina vs. Bolivia 10 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Copa America 1A vs. 2B Seattle, WA 9:30 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Copa America 1D vs. 2C Foxborough, MA 7 p.m. FXCopa America 1C vs. 2D anta Clara, CA 10 p.m. FX

Sunday, June 19
Switzerland vs. France — Lille (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Romania vs. Albania — Lyon (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN2)\

Monday, June 20
Slovakia vs. England — Saint-Etienne (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Russia vs. Wales — Toulouse (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Copa America W26 vs. W28 Chicago, IL 8 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Euro Round of 16 Starts Saturday, June 25

Sat., 6/25Copa America L29 vs. L30 Glendale, AZ 8 p.m. FXSun., 6/26Copa America final East Rutherford, NJ 8 p.m. FOX Sports 1

MLS TV Schedule ‘ On Break June 3-June 17 for COPA

FC’s Brian McBride details Colombia’s superior difference-makers and how the U.S. needs to drastically improve.

COPA AMERICA 100 –GAMES IN CHICAGO – still seats left for USA Game , Argentina game and Semi-Finals.

International Champions Cup – ICC – @ Chicago – Bayern Munich vs AC Milan Soldier Field Wed 7/27 @ 8 pm Tix still available $35 to $135TBenjamin BaerAssociate Editor

The US will step on Soldier Field’s grass on Tuesday night knowing they will need at least a draw against their CONCACAF rivals Costa Rica (8 pm ET; FS1/UniMás/UDN). The good news for them is that they know that they can get results at the 92-year-old stadium in Chicago because they have done it before.The US national team has played in Soldier Field 13 times. In those 13 games, they have been able to come out with a win on six occasions, with the most famous one coming in 2007 when they defeated Mexico in the Gold Cup final thanks to a world-class goal from Benny Feilhaber.They had defeated Canada in the semifinals of that tournament at Soldier Field and six years later they would lift the Gold Cup trophy again in Chicago, after beating Panama.The USMNT’s last loss in Chicago came in 2007, two and a half months after they had defeated Mexico, when Brazil beat them 4-2. It is the US’ only loss in Chicago in their last six games.

USMNT games in Chicago (Soldier Field)

Date	Opponent	Result	Match Type
8/3/73	Poland	L, 0-1	Friendly
6/3/92	Portugal	W, 1-0	Friendly
6/6/92	Italy	D, 1-1	Friendly
6/13/93	Germany	L, 3-4	Friendly
7/11/04	Poland	D, 1-1	Friendly
5/28/05	England	L, 1-2	Friendly
6/21/07	Canada	W, 2-1	Gold Cup Semifinal
6/24/07	Mexico	W, 2-1	Gold Cup Final
9/9/07	Brazil	L, 4-2	Friendly
6/6/09	Honduras	W, 2-1	World Cup Qualifier
7/23/09	Honduras	W, 2-0	Gold Cup Semifinal
10/9/10	Poland	D, 2-2	Friendly
7/28/13	Panama	W, 1-0	Gold Cup Final

USA vs. Costa Rica, Copa America 2016: What to watch for

By Adam Whittaker Snavely  @Snaves on Jun 6, 2016, 6:15a 7

Many people have had many scapegoats over the past few days. To some, Jurgen Klinsmann is the architect of this lumbering manatee of a team, and should be vilified accordingly. To others, certain players needed to be taken to task, as the midfield only looked disjointed and no one particularly covered themselves in glory on the night. There will also be those to whom the Colombia game was symptomatic of the entire U.S. development system and the way we have come to the state of the current player pool: maybe we just don’t have any really, really good players.I would like to propose that not one of those things was the problem with the U.S. against Colombia, but all three at once. Sorry for the gloom and doom, but that’s what I keep coming back to re-watching that game. The U.S. seemed to go out looking to press, but there was no organization to it and nearly all moves to pressure opponents in the attacking third looked reactionary and not in sync with other teammates around it. Klinsmann’s lopsided midfield shaded all the way to the left to help out Fabian Johnson(the player with the most glimmering credentials on this team), but he still had problems with Juan Cuadrado all night, and the midfield never really got any sort of meaningful linking play going into the attack. Bradley made rookie errors in possession. Gyasi Zardes, a man who played one of the worst passes I’ve ever seen at this level, might have been one of our best attacking threats.

One flick of the boot and Nagbe’s in on the backline, doing what he does best. Really. The guy who made that decision was one of our better players. The U.S. were just about a complete disaster against Colombia, who weren’t particularly good themselves on the night and never looked troubled. Now the U.S. will play Costa Rica, fresh off a draw against Paraguay. We should beat them, right? Wrong. The last four matches with Costa Rica have been a split affair, two wins apiece, and one of the USMNT’s wins came in the 2013 “B-Team” Gold Cup. We simply don’t live in a world where a victory against Costa Rica is an assumption anymore. It’s a coin flip, and one the U.S. will need to hope lands their way if they have any hope of advancing out of the group stage.

Recent Form:

United States

L (0-2) – Colombia – Copa America

W (4-0) – Bolivia – Friendly

W (1-0) – Ecuador – Friendly

W (3-1) – Puerto Rico – Friendly

W (4-0) – Guatemala – WCQ

Costa Rica

D (0-0) – Paraguay – Copa America

W (2-1) – Venezuela – Friendly

W (3-0) – Jamaica – WCQ

D (1-1) – Jamaica – WCQ

L (0-1) – Venezuela – Friendly

What to Watch For:

Who does Klinsmann put out – This is really my only section here, because I think that bouncing back is going to be difficult against a Ticos side that see the U.S. as being very vulnerable, and will no doubt come blazing out of the gates to take the game to the Stars and Stripes. On the other hand, just like the infamous “SnowClasico” in the last installment of CONCACAF’s Hexagonal, this game has the chance to galvanize a shaky-looking U.S. team and propel it onwards in the tournament. So what does Klinsmann do here? Will he change formation altogether after the flat performance against Colombia left the U.S. attack down to Clint Dempsey dragging himself in front of defenders and winning free kicks? Is Michael Bradley shifted around the field yet again after another disappointing performance against top competition? Does Klinsmann give the keys toDarlington Nagbe, or Christian Pulisic, or even introduce someone like Edgar Castillo into the mix to get Johnson out of defense and into the midfield where at least we’ll have an actual winger playing on the wing? Klinsmann’s got a mess on his hands, and the Ticos have the goods to exploit that mess the same way Colombia did: strong defense and quality attackers who will punish mistakes.

Lineup Prediction:

I have a sneaking suspicion Klinsmann might capitulate entirely and roll out a 4-4-2 almost identical to the one that so categorically sucked in the Gold Cup and last year’s CONCACAF playoff against Mexico, but it’s hard to tell how he plays this one. That would be a pretty direct admission that he had been playing Bobby Wood and Gyasi Zardes out of position, which is impossible in his book. So, here goes nothing:Sadly, I think Bobby Wood gets punished for not playing very well on the wing (who could’ve seen that coming). Jermaine Jones gets put in the sin bin for questioning the tactical approach against Los Cafeteros and Kyle Beckerman comes back again at D-Mid. I really do think Darlington Nagbe will start this game. I don’t know for certain whether that will be on the field, but I think it’s time. Clint Dempsey can do no wrong for Klinsmann, and he’s determined to make him the target forward that Dempsey will never be, so he leads the attack again, while Bedoya slots back out to the right wing after a bit of an anonymous outing against Colombia.Will it work? Meh. Maybe. As a bonus, here’s the lineup I would prefer to roll out against the Ticos.Free Bobby Wood. Let the man play where he scored 17 goals for this season. Rest Dempsey and let him wreak havoc as a sub after a physical outing on Friday. Nagbe and Jones patrol the middle as an 8/10 hybrid and pure 8, respectively, with Bradley hanging behind them. Finally, get Fabian Johnson into the attack. It’s one thing to try to shoehorn all of your best players into the same lineup, and another to not have any left backs. But if this team can’t put the ball in the back of the net anyway, keeping a clean sheet won’t even matter. The U.S. aren’t exactly at win-or-go-home mode yet, but it’s close enough at this point that I’m throwing caution to the wind. Let your best attacker attack, and see hat happens.

USA out to avoid repeating history in ‘must-win situation’ vs. Costa Rica

It was a tough start for U.S. men’s national team as it fell to Colombia 2-0 in the opening match of Copa America in Santa Clara, California.

BY BRIAN STRAUSTwitter EmailPosted: Sun Jun. 5, 2016

CHICAGO — In its 101-year history, the U.S. national team has played in 28 major tournaments that began with a round-robin group stage. In 27 of those 28, the first match proved prophetic.Twenty times the Americans won or tied the opener of a World Cup, Confederations Cup, Copa América or Gold Cup and 20 times, they qualified for the knockout rounds. The U.S. lost its first game on the other eight occasions. Seven times it failed to advance. The outlier came seven years ago, when coach Bob Bradley’s squad sensationally rebounded from two heavy defeats to rout Egypt and move on to the Confederations Cup semis. That goal differential miracle required in South Africa probably won’t come around again.Maybe it’s about the momentum it generates or stalls. Perhaps it’s simply the first indication of whether a team is good enough to escape the group.Either way, tournament openers typically set the stage. And if the commentary and collective angst that followed Friday’s 2-0 loss to Colombia is any indication, the curtain already is coming down on the Americans’ participation in thisCopa América Centenario.The U.S. wasn’t very threatening when it had the ball at Levi’s Stadium, made the sort of mistakes in its own end that good teams punish, and never really looked like a squad capable of challenging the Copa favorites. Whether one prefers to focus on a trend lasting two days or another lasting a century, the prospects don’t seem promising.PODCAST: What happened to the USA vs. Colombia?

On the inside, however, this is a team convinced that the weight of history—or that of Friday’s loss—has little impact on its future. From coach Jurgen Klinsmann on down, the national team seems to believe it still controls its fate and that the door to the quarterfinals remains wide open.“Everybody is a little bit too much our critic,” defender John Brooks told reporters on Sunday morning here in Chicago, where the Americans are preparing for Tuesday’s Group A match against Costa Rica. “I think the game that we saw [against Colombia] and that we played was O.K. We got caught on two set pieces. It’s little bit bad but we’re still in the [tournament]. Costa Rica and Paraguay tied, so everything is open for us.”Indeed, Saturday’s scoreless draw between Costa Rica and Paraguayleft the U.S. just one point out of second place. Victories on Tuesday and next Saturday in Philadelphia—games the Americans should be expected to win on home soil—will send them through. “I think we played our toughest opponent that we’re going to face,” midfielder Darlington Nagbe said Sunday. “The next two games are a good opportunity to go there and take points from that and control what we can do.”On Friday in Santa Clara, California, Klinsmann preferred to focus on the run of play against Colombia—the No. 3 team in the world—rather than the final score. He argued that the eighth-minute goal Los Cafeteros scored off a corner kick forced the U.S. to play to the strengths of an opponent that’s at its best when staying compact and counterattacking. The Americans won the possession battle but managed to put only two shots on target.“I mean, we were totally even. We didn’t give them anything,” the manager said. “It’s really important for our players to see that they’re absolutely beatable, that they come out of this game and say, ‘O.K., you know what? Give the three points to them. But it’s absolutely no problem going forward to say we play Costa Rica to get three points and we play Paraguay to get three points and then we’re in the quarterfinals.’ The message overall is positive to the players even though if we’re obviously disappointed we didn’t get any points.”STRAUS: Guzan details painful season on, off field at Aston Villa The U.S. faced graver must-win circumstances in March, when a loss to Guatemala could have derailed qualification for the 2018 World Cup.Klinsmann’s team responded with a comprehensive 4-0 win.

“Everybody’s ready, ready for [Tuesday’s] game,” said Clint Dempsey, who notched the game-winner that night in Columbus. “It’s a must-win situation. Our backs are against the wall. We’ve been there before.”Dempsey’s role is one of the key tactical questions Klinsmann faces. The veteran forward spent too much time on Friday retreating into midfield to find the ball, and neither Gyasi Zardes nor Bobby Wood was able to stretch Colombia with runs behind the defense. Proactive possession became even tougher to maintain as the threat of Colombia’s timely pressure and counterattack pulled the U.S. midfield apart. Jermaine Jones said he spent so much time watching Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado that he was unable to contribute much going forward. Captain Michael Bradley had difficulty establishing his own rhythm and connecting with U.S. teammates, committing several troubling turnovers. Klinsmann could stick with the 4-3-3, or he could shift to a 4-4-2 that gives Dempsey more support up front. Consequently, Jones would play either as an attacking midfielder behind the forwards (the days of the two-man pivot appear to be over) or closer to the touchline. The latter would open up the No. 10 role for Nagbe. It’s one that many would like to see him play. But it also would force Jones into a wider spot, giving him less space with which to work. Klinsmann likes having options and hasn’t been afraid to make changes. But he said Friday that alignment is less important than approach.“I think it plays no role at all. You keep a 4-3-3 or you go like the last 20 minutes [against Colombia] into a 4-4-2,” he said. “The key is to find ways to play through a very compact and very well organized Colombian side. We have to find ways there to find the forwards up front, to find spots to go through. It doesn’t really matter what system you play there. We have to find those opportunities against Costa Rica and finish them off.”Figure out a way to do that and avoid big mistakes in the back (Geoff Cameron lost his mark on the opening goal and DeAndre Yedlin committed a handball that resulted in a Colombian penalty kick), and Costa Rica can be beaten. Friday’s performance may leave fans thinking that those are big asks of a U.S. team that lacks forward momentum. But that hasn’t seemed to damage confidence here in Chicago. Costa Rica isn’t Colombia, and lessons were learned in Santa Clara. “It’s not a mentality question,” Brooks said. “We also showed a good mentality against Colombia and that mentality we have to bring on the field also against Costa Rica and Paraguay.”Dempsey understood the doubts and argued the U.S. is capable of erasing them at Soldier Field.“It’s not so much what you say. It’s what you do,” he said. “We got to go out and we’ve got to motivate the crowd. We’ve got to work hard and we’ve got to inspire them and get them on our side. We appreciate the fans’ support. It’s always awesome to be in a stadium and have a pro-American crowd. But at the same time, actions speak louder than words, and we’ve got to go out there and show what we can do.”

Darlington Nagbe start for United States could pay off vs. Costa Rica

Doug Mcintyer – ESPN FC – CHICAGO — With Tuesday’s match against Costa Rica being seen as a must-win for the U.S., it’s fair to wonder how different national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s lineup will look compared to the one that started the 2-0 loss to Colombia in Friday’s Copa America opener.U.S. die-hards have been clamoring for the inclusion of national team newbies Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic since before the tournament started, as both made an impact off the bench in the Americans’ final two pre-Copa tune-ups. Some fans — and a few pundits — have even suggested that Clint Dempsey, who had the home team’s three best chances againstLos Cafeteros, should be one of the players to make way.Changes are certainly possible. Klinsmann said weeks ago that given the short turnaround between group stage games, he’d probably need to switch up his starting XI to ensure players stay fresh.But based on his postgame comments Friday, when Klinsmann insisted he was “very pleased with the performance” against Colombia and “Clint was a warrior out there,” it’s hard to see the coach benching his most reliable goal-scorer in a game that his team, even if it doesn’t win, absolutely cannot lose.”I’m fine,” Dempsey, who was sporting a black eye after playing 90 grueling minutes in 80-plus degree temperatures in the opener, told reporters before the Americans trained Sunday. “I’m good.”Still, the smart money is on Klinsmann making at least one or two tweaks. For a U.S. team that struggled mightily to create chances last week — partly as a product of trailing the world’s No. 3-ranked team for almost the entire match, to be sure — inserting the slick-passing Nagbe into an attacking role would make a lot of sense.The Portland Timbers midfielder has impressed in his eight international appearances, all of them as a substitute. He’s prepared to play from the beginning against the Ticos if called upon.”I’m just staying patient because I think the team is playing well,” said Nagbe, who scored a late winner against Ecuador in the Americans’ penultimate tune-up. “If it’s off the bench, I’m fine with that. I’m just waiting for opportunities.”Still, it was interesting to hear his response when asked what the Americans could do better against the Costa Ricans: “As a whole, maybe just keeping the ball a little bit more, having more possession.”Those are precisely the qualities Nagbe offers. Now that he has some experience under his belt — and his teammates are familiar with how he plays — seeing what he can do from the start could pay off handsomely for the hosts.”I think chemistry is huge when it comes to the national team because you’re not together all the time,” he said. “It’s getting there.”But who would come out of the lineup to make room? Nagbe replaced Jermaine Jones against Colombia, and Alejandro Bedoya is the most-like-for-like player, but young forwards Gyasi Zardes and Bobby Wood are more likely candidates to sit. Could Dempsey be one too? The wondering will continue for another couple of days.

Brooks finally arrives (What? What game were you watching? He was beat around and over like 3 times??? Seriously??? )

The John Brooks that American fans have been waiting to emerge as a dominant force since the 6-foot-4 central defender headed home that unforgettable winner against Ghana at the 2014 World Cup is finally here. Nobody doubted the 23-year-old’s talent; the German-American center back has been a stalwart in the Bundesliga for his hometown Hertha Berlin for much of the past three seasons. But for much of the past two years, he struggled to replicate those club displays with the U.S. — until this summer.What changed? Part of his evolution with the national team is rooted in failure. Brooks struggled in his first go-around as a full-time U.S. starter, when the Americans finished a disappointing fourth at the 2015 Gold Cup. But to hear Brooks tell it, that tournament, which was hosted by the U.S. and played in scorching July temperatures, helped prepare him for this year’s Copa America.”I think I finally found my spot a little here on this team,” Brooks said Tuesday. “When you come every time from Europe, it’s a little bit different here.”The Gold Cup was a good experience,” he added. “You can’t really compare, but it still was a good preparation for this Copa America, so I know what to expect. I learned a lot.”Brooks was perhaps the best American player against Colombia, but he thought his teammates did just fine too.”Everybody is a little too much of a critic. I think we played OK,” he said. “We’re still in the [competition]. Costa Rica and Paraguay tied, so everything is open for us.”

What does he expect from the Ticos?

“The Colombia game was a tough game with a lot of physical battles,” he said. “I think Costa Rica is coming with the same.”Playing in Chicago is special for Brooks. His father’s family is from the area; some of them will be at Tuesday’s game. Brooks has a tattoo of the Windy City on his right elbow, with one of Berlin on his left.”It’s my first time here since I was 3 years old or something like that,” he said. “It’s nice to be back here again.”

— The U.S. squad was en route to Chicago on Saturday and therefore wasn’t able to watch Costa Rica’s scoreless tie with the Paraguayans. The Ticos will be without defender Kendall Waston for the match after the Vancouver Whitecaps center back — a finalist for MLS defender of the year in 2015 — picked up a late red card in Saturday’s match. Yet Dempsey, who has battled Waston often as a member of the Seattle Sounders, doesn’t think that’s a huge edge for the hosts. “I’m sure they have other guys who can step in,” he said.

— One advantage the Americans have is rest — about 18 extra hours of it. “An extra day of rest is always good,” Brooks said. “We need it too. But still it’s going to be a tough game.”

— Whether or not Nagbe makes his first international start on Tuesday, he is thoroughly enjoying his maiden tournament experience. “You dream of these opportunities and these games,” he said. “To be on the bench against Colombia and seeing the atmosphere, the national anthems and the whole thing, it was great.”He also believes the U.S. can advance.”I think we played our toughest opponent that we’re going to face,” he said of the group stage. “The next two games are good opportunity for us to take points and control what we can.”Doug McIntyre is a staff writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @DougMacESPN.

Is it time to reduce Clint Dempsey’s national team role?

By Rob Usry  @RobUsry on Jun 6, 2016, 7:30a 13

It’s time to have a very difficult conversation.Clint Dempsey has been a staple with the United States men’s national team since 2004. Twelve years and 125 caps into his international team career and the country’s second all-time leading goal scorer is beginning to show signs of slowing down.He’s not exactly at the stage where he’s painfully hanging on too long like some aging players do. Dempsey is still a more than useful player, but the fact remains his prime years are behind him.The 33-year-old’s position within the team has always — And I mean ALWAYS — been a hot topic of discussion. Is he a striker? Is he a winger? Is he an attacking midfielder? The answer to all of those questions: No.You can’t put a positional label on Clint Dempsey. If you have to pinpoint one label to describe him with, it would have to simply be “Soccer Player.” He doesn’t fit into any structured formation. If you try to come up with one, you’re just fooling yourself. Managers that have Dempsey in their team gameplan around him, they don’t insert he. For many years, when he was at the top of his game and banging in goals left, right, and center that was perfectly acceptable. But what happens when that productivity and dynamic threat starts to diminish? As hard as it is to admit, you’re left with a player who is in the way from a tactical standpoint.During the USA’s opening match loss to Colombia in the Copa America Centenario, Dempsey had an average match. Despite having a header off of a corner kick saved off the line, a left-footed strike that went just inches wide and a free kick that was just saved, he wasn’t very dangerous in front of goal. Other than a handful of moments, he seemed lost within Klinsmann’s lineup. Having to play as the team’s target striker is just another in the long line of roles that he doesn’t fit in.The question now becomes, do you change the formation and strategy once again to try and accommodate a player who is on the decline? Or is it time to make the difficult decision to sit him on the bench and save him for late match situations?Most sentimental USMNT supporters, who don’t want to accept that Dempsey’s coming to the end of his national team career, will be begging for the former. A switch to a two-striker formation would likely have to happen in that scenario. A strategy that Klinsmann has used plenty with Dempsey and a plethora of partners with varying results.When Dempsey isn’t forced to play as a target striker he has a bad habit of drifting way too deep into the midfield to collect possession and make things happen. This, once again, ruins the formation and the gameplan as it leaves his strike partner on an island.Dempsey has been a conundrum for the USMNT his whole career. Scoring 49 goals during his time proves that something must’ve worked in the past. That something was simply throwing him out on the field and letting him do his thing. As Bruce Arena famously said about him, “He tries s***.” He’s made a career off of that mindset and play style.Unfortunately, Father Time leaves no man behind and Dempsey clearly isn’t the player he used to be. He still has some goals in him, but is it worth consistently pigeonholing him into the lineup to hope they come?It’s likely that Klinsmann will continue with the horse that got him here. But the idea of a Clint Dempsey-less USMNT starting lineup doesn’t seem so crazy anymore. It’s time for the possibility to be seriously considered.

USA vs. Colombia, Copa America 2016: Stock up, stock down

By Adnan Ilyas  @Adnan7631 on Jun 5, 2016, 6:30a 18

 TWEET SHARE (7) PIN Last night’s performance was tough to watch. The United States came out to start the Copa American Centenario and fell flat on their face. The U.S. was dull on attack and struggled to keep up with Colombia’s forwards. But Colombia wasn’t particularly sharp on the night either. No, what really doomed the USMNT was the team’s insistence to shoot themselves in the foot. The team’s offense was nowhere to be seen. The midfield was disjointed. And the defense was constantly exposed. While most of the players saw their stock go down, there were a few moments that weren’t so bad. Let’s start with who saw their stock go up.

Stock Up

John Brooks and Geoff Cameron

Yes, Cameron lost his marker on the opening goal. However, aside from that moment, the center back pairing did a decent job. In spite of the players in front of them frequently making unforced errors and turnovers in bad places, John Brooks was good all night, smothering fires in the middle and helping out the overwhelmed Fabian Johnson. Cameron took initiative upon himself and stepped up into midfield on several occasions. On the ball, he was mostly calm and collected. This pairing looks to have a good future.

Darlington Nagbe

Nagbe’s stock went up mostly because Jones and Bedoya started instead of him. Jones and Bedoya were completely disjointed and really poor on the ball. By not starting, Nagbe ends up looking like a whole lot better of an option then he did going into the match.

Stock Down

Michael Bradley

On Thursday, I said the following. “Bradley isn’t going to be losing the ball if a single attacking mid put him under a little pressure. That would be an exceptionally careless move.” Thank you, Michael. I will have you know, crow is not particularly nice to eat. I find it a bit gamey and deeply unsatisfying.

Bradley was bad. Really, really bad. His passes slowed the tempo down and made the American team listless in possession. When he tried to create opportunities through long balls, he over hit his passes. He repeatedly was dispossessed under the barest amount of pressure. Bradley couldn’t connect the attack to the midfield. That meant that the defense was repeatedly under pressure, even though the US had more possession. Bradley wasn’t complete trash. His corners were well placed and threatening. His positioning while on defense was decent and he had a number of good interceptions. However, Bradley needs to do a lot better moving forward. He is the linchpin of this US side and the team is dependent on him.

DeAndre Yedlin

DeAndre Yedlin did not have the best game. He failed to push up into attack. On defense, he was repeatedly exposed by the Colombian attack. Zardes left a better note on that right side when it came to defense. And then, of course, the penalty. Yedlin is a starter at right back in the best league in the world. He has no business turning away from a cross. That is not the kind of pedigree that we expect from players playing at the highest level. In a sense, that penalty represents Yedlin’s whole performance. He couldn’t keep up with Colombia’s attack down the right and was all too often late on the play. We thought the USMNT had figured out what to do at right back. Yedlin needs to step up and show the same kind of form he had at Sunderland.

Fabian Johnson

Fabian Johnson was one of the best players on a Borussia Mönchengladbach that played in the Champion’s League this season. He is one of the most technically gifted and creative players on the USMNT. And the only thing I remember him doing in Colombia’s half of the field was drilling a free kick into the wall. On defense, he was really bad. He was regularly torn up by one of Cuadrado or Arias. He regularly required John Brooks or Jermaine Jones to step in and help him out against a single player. And that hurt the team, especially in midfield. Take this quote from Jermaine Jones.”Today was more focused on Colombia and on the left side to help Fabi, so we lost one guy in midfield. So it was tougher to play, yeah.”If the central midfielders are doing double duty helping out the fullbacks, the team’s shape falls apart. And we saw that yesterday. The USMNT needs the fullbacks to be able to handle their own on defense.

Everybody else on that starting line up

Jermaine Jones and Alejandro Bedoya were missing in attack. Bedoya’s shot may have reached Pluto by now. Bobby Wood and Gyasi Zardes may as well not have been on the field. Dempsey complicated matters by dropping into the midfield instead of putting pressure on the center backs. While Deuce functioned as a clear focus for the team’s attack, there are questions of whether or not his inclusion makes the team too one-dimensional. And then, there’s Klinsmann. This was literally the first time we’ve seen this line up start. The defense had never played a whole match together. The midfield was disjointed. No player played at the same level as with his club. And all that’s on Klinsmann. His constant tinkering and reluctance to play players in their proper positions (Dempsey is not a center forward. Bobby Wood is. Play them where they go) has led to a performance that lacked chemistry. The whole team needs to do better going forward.

Midfielders Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones let U.S. down vs. Colombia

In a game that turned on an early goal, thanks to poor set-piece defending, the United States fell to Colombia 2-0 in the opening game of the Copa America Centenario. The Americans played from behind all match and were forced to chase the game with a makeshift forward line that failed to create many chances.By the time Jurgen Klinsmann’s substitutions entered and helped turn the tide back the Americans’ way, it was too late.

The player grades reflect the way the game played out: a couple disastrous errors that the U.S. could not overcome combined with an ineffective night from players across the midfield and forward lines.

Player ratings (1-10, with 10 the best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating): Shane adds his 2 cents in red – italics below –

GK Brad Guzan, 5 — Guzan was not at fault for either of the Colombian goals. He dashed off his line recklessly a handful of times, to varying effect. He looked shaky on a long shot in the second half.

5 -Bad Distribution – light years behind Timmy in that area

DF Fabian Johnson, 4.5 — He held his own against Juan Cuadrado for the first half. Johnson was effectively eliminated as an attacking element by the lack of cohesion in midfield and a need to stay wary of the counter from Colombia.

DF John Brooks, 6 — Perhaps the best American on the field, minus a few errors, Brooks held firm against Carlos Bacca and provided good coverage in the air when Colombia attacked with crosses.

5 – Minus a few errors – Cameron covered his but no fewer than 5 times in the 1^st half alone – he did get stronger as the day went on.

DF Geoff Cameron, 5 — Cameron spent most of the night handling Colombia’s attackers and providing help to fellow defenders. Unfortunately, he lost Cristian Zapata on Colombia’s opener.

7 Cameron was the best field player for the USA in the first half – other than the bad mark on the goal. He covered for Brooks multiple times.

DF DeAndre Yedlin, 3.5 — Yedlin made the egregious mistake of leaving his hand up on the penalty that put the game out of reach for the U.S. Beyond that bad moment, he put in a good defensive shift. He did not impact the game going forward.

5? What game were you watching – yes on hand ball but otherwise – he played solid defense and make several runs up the side with decent service into the box. 3.5 you are drunk – a 5 or 5.5 at least.

MF Michael Bradley, 4 (2.5)– Bradley was surprisingly bad with his passing and made poor decisions on multiple occasions. He lost in a midfield trio outnumbered and pressed by the Colombians. The set piece service was adequate but not great.

2.5 – This was the worse game Bradley has played in a US Uniform. Bad service to boot – horrible !!

MF Jermaine Jones, 4 — Jones looked off the pace most of the night. He missed on several passes and was too easily dragged into ineffective positions. He turned the ball over on numerous occasions.

Really – he was a 2.5 at best – old guy turned the ball over didn’t hustle, couldn’t pass? Off the bench !!

MF Alejandro Bedoya, 4.5 — He finally made an attacking contribution late on with the Americans chasing the game. Otherwise, Bedoya was limited in his influence. He failed, along with his midfield mates, to connect with the forward line.

FW Bobby Wood, 4.5 — Wood was far from effective pushed out wide, where his talents are less in play. He battled physically all day but was unable to provide much danger as part of the forward line.

4.5 Yes – he’s a Center Forward – put him up top with Dempsey underneath!

FW Clint Dempsey, 3.5 — Although involved in the few threatening moments the Americans had, Dempsey too often slowed down the U.S. attack. He isolated up top as a lone forward, which left his team with no backline pressure when he dropped into midfield.

NO – 4.5 he was the only dangerous player on the field for the US – he’s not a Target forward – he needs to be underneath free to roam and create magic.

FW Gyasi Zardes, 3 — Zardes was marginalized at right forward in the 4-3-3. He was not equipped to provide a wide threat, and his questionable first touch led to a number of turnovers. He made good contributions defensively.

Substitutes:

FW Christian Pulisic, 5 — Pulisic showed his eagerness to make things happen but was limited to just a few moments of influence over the course of 25 minutes.

MF Darlington Nagbe, 5.5 — Nagbe added a new wrinkle to the American attack with his ability to dribble at defenders, though it came too late to make any difference to the outcome.

6 – this guy has to start a game for the US !!

MF Graham Zusi, NR — Zusi made no impact in a late cameo appearance.

Jason Davis is a writer from Virginia covering American soccer. He also hosts a daily soccer podcast that covers the beautiful game.

USA vs. Colombia in Copa America 2016 was second most viewed USMNT match in Fox Sports history

By Brendan Joseph  @brendan_joe on Jun 4, 2016, 2:00p 5

A lot of people watched the first match.

The United States men’s national team lost the first match of the Copa America to Colombia, 2-0. How many people watched? Take it away, Steven Goff of the Washington Post:

Steven Goff

✔@SoccerInsider

FS1 drew 1.536m viewers for #CopaAmericaCentenario opener, 2nd in network history behind CONCACAF Cup last fall #usmnt

2:52 PM – 4 Jun 2016

Is that for all soccer matches or….

… Second for a U.S. men’s match, that is

Okay, so very high ratings, but not historic. Still, the viewer count should satisfy any television network executives who still worry about showing soccer during prime time.And that number, as pointed out by Jonathan Tannenwald, doesn’t include Univision’s ratings. To put it pessimistically, a lot of people watched the United States lose last night.In my amateur opinion, stellar ratings can most likely be attributed to three things. First, it’s the U.S. men’s national team which always brings good ratings. Second, the Copa America is a massive tournament. Third, FOX has been doing heavy promotion. If you’ve turned on a television in the last month, you have some vague knowledge of the Copa America’s existence.As a person who enjoys soccer on television, I hope the high ratings continue for the rest of the tournament. High ratings means more advertising dollars. More advertising dollars means more soccer on television. More soccer on television means I have an excuse to stay inside and avoid human interaction.

USA vs. Colombia, Copa America 2016: What We Learned

By Roderick MacNeil  @rodmacneil on Jun 4, 2016, 6:30a 90

On Friday night the United States men’s national team opened Copa America Group A play with a disappointing, yet perhaps unsurprising, 2-0 loss vs. group favorites Colombia. Two very winnable games remain, but the margin for error has disappeared. Here’s what we learned:

The U.S. shouldn’t be overly impressed with winning the possession battle

It looks good on the stat sheet that the United States held 53% of the possession vs. Colombia. But the meaningfulness of that number is questionable. Colombia likes to play this way, and has used Friday night’s formula to great success in 2018 World Cup Qualifying thus far. In each of its three WCQ wins, Los Cafeteros found an early goal and were content to then play without the ball and counterattack. Colombia earned less than 40% of the possession in March WCQ wins against both Bolivia and Ecuador. In each case, a goal in the first 15 minutes set the tone. Friday night’s game followed a very similar script.This is not to say holding possession should be wholly dismissed. It is encouraging to see the U.S. hold the ball against a quality opponent, because that’s ultimately how Klinsmann wants his team to play (so he says). But after going ahead in the 8th minute, Colombia was content to sit back, clog up the middle, and challenge the Americans to create quality chances. Without any true creators on the field and no space to operate, that just wasn’t going to happen.

Michael Bradley must be much better

If Michael Bradley has a poor tournament, the United States will not advance from Group A. It really is that simple. Bradley’s 78% passing efficiency wasn’t remotely good enough, and was a major reason why the U.S. midfield was so ineffective. There were too many unforced errors, possessions given away, and multiple passes to nowhere… or in some cases, directly to the foot of an opponent.As good as Bradley looked in the last couple of pre-Copa friendlies, he was just as poor vs. Colombia. The U.S. needs better from its captain. Changes may be made to the Starting XI for Tuesday’s critical clash vs. Costa Rica, but Bradley will remain a constant. If we see another such performance in Chicago, this tournament will be over for the U.S. in a flash.

Fortune favors the bold, as they say

Jürgen Klinsmann’s starting lineup was less cynical than many feared, but still wasn’t bold enough. Yes, Klinsmann could have gone super-cynical and opted to start Kyle Beckerman at the expense of an attacking player like Bobby Wood. We can be relieved he didn’t go that far. Unfortunately, he also didn’t go far enough.Knowing Colombia’s counterattacking tendencies, the U.S. needed players with answers in the final third. Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic had minimal opportunity to impact the game over the last 25 minutes. By that time, Colombia was well settled into its defensive shell and content to run out the clock. What could the Nagbe/Pulisic duo have done playing on the front foot from the opening kickoff? It sure couldn’t have been less productive than what we saw.Klinsmann didn’t expect to beat Colombia. By playing it safe with his lineup choices, he got the result he both expected *and* deserved.

See all the Stories on The Ole Ballcoach Blog – http://www.theoleballcoach.com

ATP_Gen_350x250

Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

6/3/16 USA COPA America vs Columbia Fri/tonite 9:30 pm FS1, Europa Cup Starts 6/10, Real Madrid Wins Classic

June 3, 2016June 3, 2016 gatorbest

The USA was impressive in its final tune-up before the Copa America starts this Friday night, with the US facing Columbia at 9:30 pm on Fox Sports 1. So maybe its false hope after 2 friendly wins but somehow I feel a little better about the COPA on this the morning of the 1^st game. I like the new set up and formation – the German (Read Juergan Klinsmann) is finally playing most of the players in their correct positions. I am anxious to see if the new back 4 can grow and hold steady with a fully confident Yedlin on the right, a recovering but starting in the EPL center in Geoff Cameron, a young but improving Brooks in the middle (or Beasler) and an experienced Johnson on the left. I know Johnson is out of position – but we have tons of mids and no left back so I am ok with playing a player who was one of the best left backs in the WC last summer there. I love the new midfield with Bradley in his proper #6 position, and Jones and Bedoya (playing in the middle finally- like he does for Nantes in France). With 3 guys up front – the combo of Dempsey in the middle with Woods I think on the left with any of # of guys on the right (Zardes, Pulisic, Zuzi) I think makes for a potential lethal combo up front. I love Nagbe and Pulisic coming off the bench for instance offense at some point. We’ll see if Nagbe can wrestle away a starting spot from Jones as attacking mid? Guzan in the net is fine. I do like the make-up of this team. Now hugely important the US gets out with a Tie or no worse than a 1-0 loss to Columbia tonite – before bouncing back for a must win in ChicagoTues night (Shane has 2 extra tix call me) vs a very solid Costa Rica side. See the entire COPA AMERICA TV schedule below as games will be on Fox, Fox Sports 1, and Fox Sports 2 each evening next week and all weekend long all thru June (also look for the 1 hour COPA show late night every night on FS1. The SUMMER OF SOCCER Continues – with the Europa Cup which starts next Friday afternoon and continues all of June – during the mornings and afternoons on ESPN and ESPN2 – I will have a full breakdown on that next week. Meanwhile – enjoy the start of the COPA America.

Huge congrats to los Blancos Real Madrid as they hoist their 11^th European Championship with a win in PKs in the 1-1 thriller with Atletico. I thought the red and whites were going to pull it off – and honestly was rooting for the underdog group but Bale and Renaldo and group came thru like the champions they are again. Maybe money can buy everything. The Indy 11 make a play again for 1^st in the NASL when they go on the road to Miami Sat Night, 8 pm – that game will be on TV 8 in Indy and ESPN3 online. Also good luck to all those teams competing in State, President’s and Challenge Cup this weekend in Columbus. And don’t forget tryouts for club soccer start with Academy on Tues, and all other ages. Carmel FC Travel Soccer Tryouts for 2016-2017 teams Academy (U10) June 7^th, others June 13/14 CLICK HERE to register

2 TICKETS TO SEE the USA Men Play LIVE – Soldier Field Chicago – Tues Night- June 7 @ 8 pm

ATP_Gen_350x250

Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

ALL GAMES ON TV

Fri, June 3 COPA AMERICA 100 STARTS

9:30 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Columbia

Sat, June 4

12 noon ESPN3 Spain vs Bosnia

5 pm Fox COPA Costa Rica vs Paraguay

7:30 pm FS2 COPA Haita vs Peru

8 pm TV 8, ESPN3 Indy 11 @ Miami

10 pm FS 1 COPA Brazil vs Ecuador

Sun, June 5

12 noon ESPN3 Spain vs Bosnia

12:30 pm ESPN2 US Ladies vs Japan

2:45 pm ESPN 3 Italy vs Scotland

5 pm Fox COPA – Jamaica vs Venezuela

7 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

Mon, June 6

7 pm FS1 COPA – Panama vs Bolivia

10 pm FS1 COPA – Argentina vs Chile

Tues, June 7

8 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Costa Rica – Solider Field – Tix Available!

10 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

Fri, June 10 European Cup Starts

3 pm ESPN EURO- France vs Romania

Sat, June 11

9 am ESPN EURO – Albania vs Switzerland

12 noon ESPN EURO – Wales vs Slovakia

3 pm ESPN EURO – England vs Russia

7 pm Fox Sport1 USA vs Paraguay

9 pm FS2 COPA – Columbia vs Costa Rica

Sunday, June 12
Turkey vs. Croatia — Paris (3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET, ESPN)
Poland vs. Northern Ireland — Nice (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Germany vs. Ukraine — Lille (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Ecuador vs. Haiti -6:30 p.m.FOX Sports 2

Brazil vs. Peru-8:30 p.m. Fox Sports 1

Mexico vs. Venezuela 8 p.m. FoX Sports 1

Uruguay vs. Jamaica 10 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Tuesday, June 14
Austria vs. Hungary — Bordeaux (6 p.m. CET/12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Portugal vs. Iceland — Saint-Etienne (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Chile vs. Panama 8 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Argentina vs. Bolivia 10 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Copa America 1A vs. 2B Seattle, WA 9:30 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Copa America 1D vs. 2C Foxborough, MA 7 p.m. FX

Copa America 1C vs. 2D anta Clara, CA 10 p.m. FX

Sunday, June 19
Switzerland vs. France — Lille (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Romania vs. Albania — Lyon (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN2)\

Monday, June 20
Slovakia vs. England — Saint-Etienne (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Russia vs. Wales — Toulouse (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Copa America W25 vs. W27 Houston, TX 9 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Copa America W26 vs. W28 Chicago, IL 8 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Euro Round of 16 Starts Saturday, June 25

Sat., 6/25

Copa America L29 vs. L30 Glendale, AZ 8 p.m. FX

Sun., 6/26

Copa America final East Rutherford, NJ 8 p.m. FOX Sports 1

MLS TV Schedule ‘ On Break June 3-June 17 for COPA

US Better chance than you think in COPA- Matt Doyle Armchair Analyst MLSoccer

COPA AMERICA 100 –GAMES IN CHICAGO – still seats left for USA Game , Argentina game and Semi-Finals.

International Champions Cup – ICC – @ Chicago – Bayern Munich vs AC Milan Soldier Field Wed 7/27 @ 8 pm Tix still available $35 to $135

Carmel FC Travel Soccer Tryouts for 2016-2017 teams Academy (U10) June 7^th, others June 13/14
CLICK HERE to register

Soccer Camps – Boys and Girls -Ages 6 – 14

Ok so its almost Summer Camp time – below are some nice options for Soccer Camps this summer

Indy 11 Soccer Camp June 20-23 — 9 am till 12 noon Ages 5-14 $135 @ Badger Fields

Kick in the Grass – 3 v 3 Soccer Tour at Badger Field July 9^th

Goal2Gol Soccer Camp
CHS Men’s Head Coach Shane Schmidt, a former U-20 US National Team player, runs his annual camp from 9 am to 2 pm July 11-16. $150 before 6/30 @ River Road Fields.

USA

I still have 2 Tickets at Cost to the USA vs Costa Rica Game in Chicago Tues Night 7 pm – American Outlaw Tailgating

American Outlaw Video – 9 minutes

http://www.foxcopabracket.com/predictions/list

US and Klinsy under pressure ESPN FC

Klinsy thinks US Can beat Columbia

Analyst: Tactical preview of USA-Colombia

Analyst: Picking my starting XI for the US

Analyst: Bradley’s shift is reason for hope

US Highlights from 4-0 win over Bolivia

Unite Together – March of the American Outlaws!

US has questions to Answer at Copa 5 things to Watch – McIntyre ESPNFC

US Youngsters Wood, Nagbe, Pulisic make case for 1^st team time for US

Pay Disputes to Glory – US Copa 1995 – Read the story on ESPN FC

American raised Giuseeppe Rossi Regrets choosing Italy of US – agent says – (yeah tough crap- Karma is a bitch to the Turncoat!!)

COPA America 100 in USA

Copa America – Fox COPA BRACKET PIX –

Some Copa predictions

Fan’s Guide to the Copa America – ESPN FC

Group A – Columbia and Costa Rica are the teams US Must beat

Group B – Preview – Brazil + Ecuador

Group C – Preview – Mexico and Uraguay

Group D – Argentina + Chile

Columbia in Copa

Concacaf Teams Fairing Well in Friendlies so Far

READ/WATCH: Sports Illustrated Longform: Lionel Messi, in his own words

Mexican/Olympiacos Defender escaped on his own

Copa America – Top 25 Players

EUROS

What to Watch for Euros

Pirlo needs to step up for NYCFC | Analyst’s Den

MLS

Analyst: Do NYCFC have a Pirlo problem?

INDY 11

Indy 11 faces Miami on Road

Indy 11 beat Louisville 2-1 to advance to face Chicago in US Open Cup

Indy 11 Forward Braun makes Team of Week again

Indy 11 tie Jacksonville 1-1 on road to move into 2^nd place

U.S. roundtable: Is Jurgen Klinsmann under pressure? Is the squad right?

The Copa America kicks off on Friday as hosts U.S. play Colombia in Santa Clara, California. Ahead of the festivities, we asked ESPN FC’s USMNT writers and experts to answer some burning questions about the U.S. national team, Copa aspirations and how results might reflect upon Jurgen Klinsmann.

1. Is Jurgen Klinsmann realistic to expect the U.S. to reach the semifinals?

Jeff Carlisle: The semis seem a round too far in my opinion. Yes, the U.S. looks to be on the upswing thanks to the emergence of players like Bobby Wood, Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic. The midfield looks have better balance that its had in some time, especially with Michael Bradley now occupying the No. 6 spot. But if form holds, the U.S. will likely face Brazil in the quarterfinals, an opponent still very much a cut above in all facets.

Doug McIntyre: Klinsmann said the final four is the goal, which is not the same as saying it’s expected. But it’s possible. The U.S. has reached a Copa semi before, in 1995. And unlike at a World Cup, they only need one knockout win to get there. The key for me is the first round. If the Americans can win Group A, they’ll probably avoid Brazil in the quarterfinal. That would increase their odds significantly.

Jason Davis: I’m not sure if it matters whether Klinsmann’s target for his team is “realistic” or not or even that the head coach himself actually holds that expectation. Considering that the event is on American soil and Klinsmann has talked about an achieving mentality, the semifinals of a 16-team tournament is the lowest bar that should be set. It means progressing from the group and winning one knockout round match; based on their recent play, that seems like a very unlikely turn of events but Klinsmann is right to project confidence with his statements.

Graham Parker: It’s realistic to expect the host nation in a regional competition to get out of the group. It ought to be realistic to expect that one of the top two teams in its half of that region would aim for a semifinal place but given the inconsistent form of the U.S. since the World Cup, let’s call it a realistic aspiration.

Noah Davis: It feels like a lofty goal, mostly because the U.S. likely needs to win its group to avoid Brazil in the quarterfinals, and I’m not sure the team can finish ahead of Colombia. But I like the ambition and I like that Klinsmann is very publicly stating a target. Should the Americans fall short of the semifinals, it will be interesting to see how Klinsmann handles the failure.

2. Which players have the most to prove this summer, and why?

Carlisle: I think John Brooks has the most to prove out of anyone on the roster. His physical gifts aren’t in question, though he isn’t as dominant in the air for someone who is 6-foot-4. But his biggest problem has been his tendency to lose concentration in critical moments. Brooks has been given plenty of chances by Klinsmann and not always delivered. If the U.S. is to progress deep into the tournament, he must step up in a big way.

McIntyre: With Jozy Altidore hamstrung yet again, Wood has to demonstrate that he’s ready to lead the forward line. Brooks has to prove that he can stay healthy and be the dominant center-back for the national team that he is for Hertha Berlin. Brad Guzan has to show he’s worthy of the starting keeper job Klinsmann gave him over Tim Howard. Finally, Clint Dempsey must demonstrate he can still produce at the highest level.

Davis:Wood jumps immediately to mind, since he’ll be stepping into a starting role due to Altidore’s absence. We’ve seen flashes of his talent but he’s never been asked to be a consistent part of the U.S. attack.DeAndre Yedlin also has something to prove, namely that the defensive strides he made in England will carry over to meaningful games for the U.S. so the right-back spot can become a position of strength.

Parker: Guzan has had the kind of year with Aston Villa that might prompt him to want to remind everybody why he’s an international goalkeeper. But it’s also time to see if Gyasi Zardes can repay Klinsmann’s extended faith in him, and perhaps for Nagbe to suggest he can be more than a mercurial supersub. Also, let’s see how much Wood can cement his place.

Davis:Brooks must prove he’s the center-back of the next 10 years (until Cameron Carter-Vickers comes calling). Nagbe must show he deserves a starting spot. Wood can become a first-choice forward with a strong showing at the Copa America. Dempsey can prove that there is enough gas in the tank to get him to Russia. Finally,Pulisic could send U.S. supporters into the stratosphere if he’s the truth — how much fun would that be?

3. Did Klinsmann pick the right squad? What changes would you have made if you were coach?

Carlisle: I think one area where his choices could be questioned is full-back, and even that is more about his reserves at those spots. Michael Orozco is versatile but barely saw the field for Tijuana this season. Meanwhile, you had a guy like Eric Lichaj, who has been a mainstay for Nottingham Forest yet can’t seem to get much attention (though he did make the 40-man preliminary roster).As for the clamor surrounding Jordan Morris, he’s a player destined for the center of the field, not the wing, and with the U.S. now operating out of a 4-3-3, I question how much playing time he would have gotten at the Copa. He’s barely a dozen games into his pro career. Better for him to remain with his club and continue to develop.

McIntyre: I might have taken Morris because I think his power and speed could have been useful off the bench. I would probably have taken Omar Gonzalez over Orozco. And Tim Ream or Lichaj would have been my injury replacement for Timmy Chandler. I don’t think Edgar Castillo, who took Chandler’s spot, is able to defend consistently against top international teams.

Davis:Any issues I have with Klinsmann’s squad are relatively small, though the choice of Chris Wondolowski over Morris is a strange one. Wondolowski is an excellent goalscorer in MLS and has buckets of experience that Morris lacks but at a one-off tournament and a roster already featuring a number of younger players, choosing the San Jose forward over a player Klinsmann identified out of college makes little sense.The decision to leave Gonzalez out is a head-scratcher as well; despite the center-back’s move to Mexico and his success with Pachuca, Klinsmann chose to bring the out-of-form Orozco. More than the impact on the roster, the Gonzalez omission is curious due to the message it sends.Parker:If anything, going through the 23-man squad you must try and be a little more understanding about Klinsmann’s endless tinkering given the current crop he’s trying to transform. For offering guile and awareness of team shape in midfield, I’d have brought Sacha Kljestan; as for Morris and Matt Miazga, I’d have made sure the U.S. qualified for the Olympics so they could continue to develop. I believe that was the plan, anyway …

Davis:Mostly. If it’s my team, I’m probably taking Morris and Ream or Lichaj instead of Wondolowski and Orozco but I don’t feel all that strongly about those choices. The one place I think he erred is goalkeeper. If you’re going to take Howard, you should start Tim Howard. If not, move on. Howard is a good soldier and won’t cause problems but having him as a number two is a bad message to send. (Also: If you’re a U.S. player, do not take a sabbatical.)

Carlisle: I think the only way Klinsmann is put under any pressure is if the U.S. flames out with three heavy defeats. If the Americans progress to the knockout stages, I think the tournament will be looked upon as a success. Otherwise, World Cup qualifying remains the ultimate referendum and after the stumble in Guatemala City, the U.S. is now on course to reach the Hexagonal.

McIntyre: If the Americans bomb out in the first round of the Copa on the back of a dismal 2015, questions about Klinsmann’s future must be asked. But I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think at the very least they’ll survive the group.

Davis:Klinsmann should be judged by every tournament performance and by the standards he set for himself. His mandate upon getting the job (and then being handed the technical director role shortly thereafter) was to advance the program in terms of both results and style of play. Tough groups aren’t an excuse, not when the rhetoric doesn’t match the approach.

Parker: He’s become so adept at endlessly deferring a verdict on him, steering the conversation toward process, that it’s hard to believe this will be a referendum; that said, failure to get out of the group might make it one.

Davis:All games should be a referendum on Klinsmann. The pragmatist in me says that in a tournament as big as a Copa America, the only thing that matters is results. Sure, we’d all like to see the U.S. play pretty, attacking and possession-based soccer, but the more important thing is to get results. Good results are the first thing Klinsmann should be judged on. This is one of the most talented U.S. teams ever, playing at home. If the coach can’t find some points, that’s a problem.

5. Pick your starting XI for the game vs. Colombia. That’s it.

Carlisle: (4-3-3) Guzan; Yedlin, Brooks, Cameron, Johnson; Jones, Bradley, Bedoya; Wood, Dempsey, Zardes

McIntyre: (4-3-3): Guzan; Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, Johnson; Bedoya, Bradley, Jones; Wood, Dempsey, Zardes

Davis:(4-3-3) Guzan; Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, Johnson; Jones, Bradley, Nagbe; Pulisic, Wood, Bedoya

Parker: (4-3-3) Guzan; Johnson, Brooks, Cameron, Yedlin; Jones,Beckerman, Bradley; Wood, Dempsey, Zardes

Davis:(4-3-3) Howard; Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, Johnson; Bedoya, Bradley, Jones; Nagbe, Dempsey, Wood

Jurgen Klinsmann confident U.S. can beat Colombia in Copa America opener

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann believes his team has what it takes to beat Colombia when the teams kick off the Copa America Centenario in Friday’s tournament opener at Levi’s Stadium.”Having the opportunity to open up the competition with a game against Colombia, which is one of the best teams in the world, it’s a real pleasure,” Klinsmann told reporters during his prematch news conference on Thursday.”But it’s also something that in this specific moment you want to see where you stand, where you are right now. … I think we have strong enough, talented enough players to beat Colombia.”Klinsmann has set the goal of reaching the semifinals of the one-off joint CONCACAF and CONMEBOL tournament, which was organized to celebrate the 100th anniversary of South America’s regional championship.But first they have to get out of a tough Group A that also includes Paraguay and CONCACAF rival Costa Rica. Three points in the curtain raiser would go a long way toward ensuring survival.”It’s a nice challenge, and for us it’s a way to benchmark ourselves, [show] how good we are, and give them a real, real tough game.”After a disappointing 2015, the U.S. is 6-1-0 this year. The’ve won all three of their pre-Copa tuneups, including victories against South American opponents Ecuador and Bolivia.Colombia will pose a stiffer challenge. Klinsmann noted that the Cafeterosboast several world class attacking players, including James Rodriguez of Real Madrid, Carlos Bacca of AC Milan and Juventus’ Juan Cuadrado.”They are all difference makers,” he said. “They are also beatable.”Ever since the U.S. lost to Belgium in the Round of 16 of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Klinsmann has stressed that the next step in the development of the national team is to consistently win knockout games at major tournaments. But the Americans were upset in the semifinals of last summer’s Gold Cup by Jamaica. And unless they win their Copa group, a potential quarterfinal date with Brazil, the Group B favorite, looms.Still, Klinsmann said his team is focused only on advancing, not topping the foursome and securing a potentially easier second-round matchup.”Step one is to get out of the group, which we will do. Then we will take it one game at a time,” Klinsmann said. “We don’t have the luxury to say, ‘What would be better?’ We have only one message: We’ve got to go through the group. And then whatever comes then in the quarterfinal is fine with us.”There are more pressing matters at hand, though, starting with Friday’s match against a team ranked No. 3 in the latest FIFA rankings.”The goal right now is to win tomorrow night,” Bradley said before the squad’s final pre-tourney practice.”I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about anything beyond tomorrow night at the moment.”Doug McIntyre is a staff writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @DougMacESPN.

Armchair Analyst: USMNT are better historically than you realize, explained

une 3, 20163:09 AM EDTMatthew DoyleSenior Editor

On Friday, the Copa America Centenario begins. It’s literally a once-in-a-century event, a tournament commemorating the first edition of the Copa America, the championship of South America (or “CONMEBOL”, the unwieldy acronym by which the confederation is known).Copa America has, through its history, proven a more slapdash and haphazard tournament than the World Cup or European Championship, which are held every four years. In the past, the Copa has been held every two years, or every three years. Occasionally the gaps have been longer, stretching six years back in the 1930s, and eight years without a Copa from 1967 through 1975.Starting in 2007, however, the powers that be at CONMEBOL decided to standardize and hold the tournament every four years during the summer following the World Cup. In 2007 Brazil won it, and then in 2011 it was Uruguay, followed by Chile–for the first time ever–in 2015.That makes this summer’s tournament a special, one-off event. It’s the first time the tournament’s been held outside of South America, and it’s been inserted into the middle of that four-year gap. (The next Copa is scheduled for 2019, not 2020).It’s a pretty big deal. Not as big as the World Cup, but bigger than any other tournament the US will play in for a long, long time.

Brazil, Argentina and Mexico are the favorites

Brazil are in a down cycle by their own standards, historically speaking. They took perhaps the most famous beating in soccer history two summers ago in the semifinals of the World Cup, losing by 7-1 to the eventually victorious Germans. They’ll also be without their best player, the lightning-quick and skillful winger Neymar, who has helped Barcelona to two La Liga titles, two Copa Del Rey titles and a UEFA Champions League title in his three seasons. He also has 46 goals in 70 appearances for la Seleçao, all at the tender age of 24. He’s really good, and the fact that we’re talking about him, instead of the guys who did make the cut, highlights Brazil’s attacking issues. They have a weaker squad than the team that disappointed by crashing out in the quarterfinals of last summer’s Copa.Nonetheless, they’re still Brazil. And the last time an unfancied Brazil team came to the US for a major tournament, in 1994 for the World Cup, they walked away as champions.A year before that Brazilian World Cup crown, Argentina won the Copa America behind the goal-scoring prowess of the brilliant striker Gabriel Batistuta. Given the wealth of talent that’s worn the Albiceleste over the last 23 years, it’s almost impossible to believe that’s their most recent major tournament victory, but it is.It’s not that Argentina haven’t come close. They were runners-up in the Copa in 2004, 2007, and 2015, and runners-up at the 2014 World Cup as well. Those three most recent tournaments have featured the almost indescribably great Lionel Messi, the man many (including yours truly) consider to be the greatest ever to play the game. In my mind, his exploits at the club level with Barcelona leave little room for argument.But because Argentina have so often been the bridesmaid in the Messi era, he is not beloved by his countrymen in the way that Diego Maradona or Mario Kempes are. He needs either a Copa America crown (which Maradona never won) or a World Cup crown (which he did, famously) in order to seal his legacy. Given the wealth of talent and experience in this Argentina side, and the fact that they made the finals last year, and the year before, perhaps third time’s the charm?

Or perhaps it’s time for Mexico to step up and compete with the big boys. El Tri have been almost comically consistent over the last 20 years, always making the knock-out rounds of the World Cup but never advancing beyond that. They’ve also had their fair share of success in the Copa America as invited guests, finishing second twice (1993 and 2001) and third place three times (1997, 1999, 2007). Add in a Confederations Cup title in 1999, and an Olympic title in 2012, and it’s hard to argue against Mexico’s place on the edges of the world’s elite.There was, of course, a blip in 2013, when a bad stretch in World Cup qualifying was compounded by the FMF’s scorched-earth policy toward managerial hiring, and Mexico almost failed to qualify for the Brazil 2014. But they made it on the last day (thanks to the US), and once they got there they performed well, as they always do. And then they lost dramatically in the Round of 16, as they always do.Now, however, those Olympic gold medalists are in their athletic prime, there’s been a period of relative managerial stability since the hire of former New York Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio. And in Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez they have the most in-form striker in the tournament. The “Little Pea” scored 26 goals in 40 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen this year, and has 44 in 82 appearances with El Tri. He’s also surrounded by quick and crafty wingers; a solid, no-frills midfield; and a defense that’s balanced and experienced.If there’s one worry, it’s that the heart of that defense is a little too experienced. Rafa Marquez is 37 years old and has been the goat in two of Mexico’s round of 16 flame-outs, against the US in 2002 and then in 2014 against the Netherlands. If he’s pulled out of his comfort zone and forced to run, Mexico’s margin for error shrinks significantly.The other three teams pushing into the “possible favorites” realm would be Uruguay–in spite of Luis Suarez’s injury–Chile and Colombia, who the US face on Friday night (9:30 pm ET; FS1).

How can the US possibly compete against that?

The same way we have for the last 25 years! I’ll get into the specifics of this current US team in the next section, but right now it’s time for a little history, because far too many casual US fans think that the US are a minnow on the world stage, not capable of competing against the very best in any significant competition.Nothing could be further from the truth.In 1994 at the World Cup, the US beat Colombia 2-1. Yes, they were helped by an own goal, and yes, Tony Meola had a big game in net. But Alexi Lalas also had a goal incorrectly whistled offside, and on the day, the US were the better team. That’s why they won.The following year, the US were one of the invitees to the 1995 Copa America and were drawn into the same group as Chile (win) and Bolivia (loss). The heavyweights in the group? Batistuta and the then two-time defending champions Argentina. They were prohibitive favorites, but a US victory would mean the Yanks topped the group and secured a more favorable draw in the quarterfinals.The US didn’t just win: They stomped Argentina into dust, dominating the champs to the tune of 3-0. They then went on to beat Mexico in the quarterfinals before falling 1-0 to Brazil in the semifinals.

When the US shocked the world in the 1995 Copa America

That was one of many one-goal losses to Brazil over the past quarter century. The most famous is either Brazil’s 1-0 win in the 1994 World Cup round of 16, or the dramatic, thrilling, heartbreaking 3-2 loss in the 2009 Confederations Cup final. There was also the group stage of the 1999 Confederations Cup, which produced another close, hard-fought 1-0 win for Brazil.And it’s not just South American teams against which the US have had success. In that 2009 Confeds Cup run, the US beat Spain–who were, at the time, on a 37-game unbeaten streak–2-0 in the semifinals. Ten years earlier, they’d eliminated Germany in the group stage of the Confederations Cup with a similar 2-0 win. There was also a dramatic 3-2 win over Portugal in the 2002 World Cup, and a 3-0 hammering of (a very good) Egypt in the 2009 Confeds Cup, a 2-1 win over Ghana in 2014, and World Cup draws against the likes of Italy, England, and Portugal.All of that is added to the pile of dramatic wins vs. Mexico over the years. The best-remembered–please, let them never forget–came in the round of 16 in the 2002 World Cup. But there have been many, many more over the last 25 years, including Gold Cups and World Cup qualifying, and especially at home. For a long, long time, the United States was a fortress where Mexico simply weren’t able to get a result off the US’s best XI.Even if the argument is that the World Cup is the only true measure of greatness, US naysayers have to contend with this:

We’ve been keeping exclusive company for a long time. As Lalas said starting at the 1:47 mark of the video embedded at the top of this section, the US shouldn’t be scared of anybody in this tournament.So if your know-nothing friends say the US have no chance because, historically, we can’t compete with these teams, tell them to pipe down and do some research. We’ve been competing with these teams on more or less equal footing for decades.

So you’re telling me there’s a chance?

Here’s the problem: Since the 2014 World Cup, the US have been on a historically (by their standards) poor run of form. They lost to Jamaica, at home, in the semifinals of last year’s Gold Cup — the first time they’ve ever lost to the Reggae Boyz in the US. They also drew Panama once in the group stage, and then again in the third place game (before losing on penalties). There were also a pair of dire one-goal wins over a struggling Honduras side and a game, but under-talented Haiti.It was the worst Gold Cup performance from the US this century.

Three months later came the ultimate humiliation: Mexico, who’d won the Gold Cup, came to Los Angeles and beat the US 3-2 in the CONCACAF Cup, securing qualification for the 2017 Confederations Cup and eliminating the US from that tournament for the second straight cycle. More to the point, it broke the cycle of US dominance over their Mexican counterparts under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. I have repeatedly been critical of his overall planning and roster management, but from literally game one of his USMNT head coaching career until that loss last October, his teams had ruled El Tri.That’s obviously no longer the case. And things just kept getting worse, as the Mexico loss was followed by a home friendly loss to Costa Rica, and then a draw on the road at Trinidad & Tobagoin World Cup qualifying. A new low was found this March when a listless, haphazard US squadwere beaten 2-0 at Guatemala in a qualifier. It was the first loss to Guatemala in any competition since the Reagan administration, and it left the US on the brink of World Cup elimination before the Hexagonal–the final round of qualifying–had even begun.This was the darkest timeline.Then things got better.Four days after losing to Guatemala, the US hosted los Chapines and crushed them, 4-0–a result that clears the path to Hexagonal qualification. It also cleared some of the tactical rubble that’s part and parcel of Klinsmann’s methodology, as he switched the team into a “hey, that makes sense!” 4-3-3 lineup with balance, depth, and most of the players in their best spots.Coaching 101 is “play your best players in their best spots and build from there,” which is something at which Klinsmann has often failed. In that game he succeeded, and then in the two most recent friendlies, a 1-0 win over Ecuador and a 4-0 win over Bolivia, he succeeded again. (I wrote about that in-depth here, if you’d like to read more.)That’s no guarantee of success, especially since the other teams in the US group have stable, defined systems that they’ve drilled rigorously over multiple games. Klinsmann’s team, in comparison, have a formation and tactical approach that’s looked pretty good for 225 minutes against mostly “meh” competition–the bar for optimism is very low.But at least the US are now beating meh competition. A year ago, they were getting hammered.

This is because we have no talent, right?

No! Wrong, wrong, wrong! The US are as deep and talented as they’ve ever been.The goalkeeper starts in the English Premier League.Two of the probable starting defenders also start in the EPL, while the other two are Bundesliga starters.The midfield comprises guys who’ve played for top-four clubs in the greatest leagues in Europe, a starter for a good Ligue 1 club, a World Cup veteran, and one of the hottest young prospects in the world.Jozy Altidore will miss this tournament via injury, but his replacement–Bobby Wood–just secured a multi-million-dollar move to a Bundesliga club. Clint Dempsey led all scorers at least year’s Gold Cup, and Gyasi Zardes a) keeps racking up goals and assists, and b) is attracting interest from European clubs for a reason.This US team is so deep that a Bundesliga starter (Alfredo Morales) couldn’t make the roster. Omar Gonzalez, who was dominant in leading Pachuca to the Liga MX title, couldn’t make the roster. Jordan Morris, the best young striker in the pool and a regular for Klinsmann prior to this summer, couldn’t make the roster.Even if there’s no single player as good as Landon Donovan in his prime, no US team has ever had top-to-bottom talent like this. The US should absolutely get out of the group, and a tournament championship wouldn’t be a Leicester City-sized upset. It wouldn’t even be a Greece 2004-sized upset.

YESSSS!!!!!!! I AM HYPE!!!!!!!!!!!! USA!! USA!!! USA!!!!!!!

Yeah, read the subtext of Alexi’s tweet first. Because there’s been so much instability in terms of roster and lineup choices, it’s debatable as to whether or not the US really are a team. And while the talent on the roster is probably top six or seven in this tournament, talent alone is never enough.Want an example? Look at what happened to Mexico back in 2013 World Cup qualifying, that “blip” I talked about. That team, which was the most talented in the region, crumbled from the inside out to an almost fatal extent. Think it can’t happen elsewhere? Then try to put money on the Dutch to win this summer’s Euros.Talent alone is never enough, even for Brazil or Argentina. There has to be process and consistency with it. And that’s the big question for the US…

Jurgen Klinsmann, in blue, emotionally prepares the US fanbase for the announcement of his starting XI vs. Colombia.

Simply put: Nobody knows if Klinsmann will stay with what’s worked. In the World Cup he played Dempsey, a second striker or a winger, at center forward. He played Michael Bradley, a defensive midfielder or a box-to-box midfielder, as a trequartista. He played DeAndre Yedlin, a fullback, on the wing. He played Fabian Johnson, a winger, at fullback. He played Geoff Cameron, a central defender, at defensive midfield in the knock-out round against Belgium. And at the same time he sat his starting defensive midfielder–Kyle Beckerman–who had been, to that point, the best field player for the US.In the first four US qualifiers, he’s started four different lineups with three different formations. Over the last three years Cameron and John Brooks have started exactly two games together. Johnson still looks set to start at left back despite his defensive troubles, and Wood will, for some reason, probably start on the wing. Plus Bradley might play as a d-mid, or he might not.That’s a whole mess of questions to have heading into a major tournament, and Klinsmann’s ways are both opaque and inscrutable. Anyone who claims to know what he’s going to do when the games begin is fooling themselves, and trying to fool others.Despite all of that, the pieces are in place for this next month to be a triumph for the US, and for Klinsmann. The talent is there, and the experience is there, and the joyful naivete of youth is there, and the blueprint–the 4-3-3 with Bradley at d-mid, Cameron and Brooks in central defense, and a handful of attacking difference-makers scattered around them–is there.He doesn’t have to be a tactical mastermind to make it all work. He just has to put the right players in the right spots, and let them do their thing.If he does that, the US will compete like hell, trading blow-for-blow with anybody they come up against. Just as they have done for more than a quarter century. Bracket

Armchair Analyst: Tactical preview of USA vs. Colombia in Copa America

June 3, 20169:23 AM EDTMatthew DoyleSenior Editor

The United States, victors in their last three friendlies and a must-win World Cup qualifier before that, begin their journey in the Copa America Centenario against Colombia in Santa Clara on Friday night (9:30 pm ET, FS1, Univision, UDN).It feels, at least a little bit, like a different era for the USMNT. As of late, they’ve played with a type of urgency that’s been missing over the last two years, since the 2014 World Cup. Perhaps the change was brought about by the proximity of this tournament, a once-in-a-century opportunity, or perhaps it was the near-death experience of losing 2-0 to Guatemala (they responded with a 4-0 thumping in said must-win qualifier four days later).Or maybe it was a combination of those things, as well as a smart and hopefully semi-permanent formation switch to the 4-3-3. The US have run out in that formation in three of the last four games, and while formations should never be confused for tactics, putting your talent in a formation that maximizes (or at least doesn’t diminish) their talents can make for a tactical structure that’s more cohesive and more flexible. The fact that it puts the team’s best player — Michael Bradley — in his best spot — defensive midfield — is an added bonus.So while the US are not exactly soaring at the moment, they are at least flapping their wings and moving forward. That’s a welcome change after a two-year death spiral that nearly ended World Cup qualifying before most casual fans realized it had begun.With that as a preamble, let’s look at the match-up against Los Cafeteros …

What they’ll do: High & hard pressure

Folks tend to think of Colombia as an elegant and stylish attacking team, first and foremost. When you have players like James Rodriguez, Juan Cuadrado and Carlos Bacca, that tends to be the highlight on the scouting report. And to be clear: The US can’t let those three guys in particular, as well as a few others like Edwin Cardona and Marlos Moreno, get on the ball, get comfortable and set the rhythm. Whatever lineup the US come out in, they have to be willing to harry and disrupt the Colombian passing machine.But they also have to be wary of Colombia’s willingness to press high and murder teams that play sloppy out of the back.

Here are the highlights from their most recent World Cup qualifier, a 3-1 win over a good Ecuador team:The first and third Colombia goals came when they forced turnovers at the midfield stripe as Ecuador tried to play out of the back; the second came a few seconds after an attacking throw-in following a long sequence in which Ecuador were forced to defend.They absolutely smothered Ecuador in that game.

How to solve it: Kill ’em on the break

One of the more disappointing aspects of the Jurgen Klinsmann Era has been a reduced proficiency on the counterattack, long the US’s bread-and-butter. But if you lack cohesion overall, you’re almost certainly going to lack cohesion in transition from the defense to attack — which is, more and more, the most crucial moment of the game.The US, with an infusion of youth and speed in the form of overlapping right back DeAndre Yedlinand red-hot striker Bobby Wood, once again have the horses to get out and run, and both are in form. If they are given a chance to run, they will, and not even the gazelles on Colombia will catch them in space.The problem is that initial pass through the defense and into the attack. The likely starting central defensive pairing of Geoff Cameron and John Brooks can both provide top-level service, but given the Colombia press, it’s probably going to have to be “safety first” from those two — simple touches that break the press, rather than burning it to the ground with one look. That puts the onus on whoever the defensive midfielder is (Bradley or Kyle Beckerman) to A) be available for the easy outlet, and B) be ready to spread a killer ball to the flanks when the opportunity is there.Catching a stretched-out Colombia on the break inside of 15 minutes is the ideal start for the US.

What we’ll do: Set-piece dominance

While the US aren’t the counterattacking juggernaut they used to be, they’re still a big, athletic and dominant aerial team. Even when things were going their absolute worst against Mexico in last October’s CONCACAF Cup, they still did stuff like this:Cameron, Brooks and Clint Dempsey are all A+ aerial targets. Wood, Gyasi Zardes and Jermaine Jones will all get into the box on restarts and scrap. Bradley’s service is probably too valuable, but if Klinsmann want him in the box on restarts, Bradley knows what to do when he gets there.

How they’ll solve it: Hope

If the US get a bunch of set pieces in this game, they will score one. Colombia aren’t lying to themselves about that.“Surely, it’s a small problem we have right now and one we’ve worked on, focused mainly on set pieces,” center back Cristian Zapata said to our Diego Pinzon before Wednesday’s practice session at the San Jose Earthquakes’ training complex. “The team has lost its presence [inside the area]. We’ve got to be more alert and concentrated.”Haiti got their goal against Colombia last week off a corner kick; Ecuador’s came off a direct kick in that 3-1 loss; Bolivia, who nearly overturned a 2-0 deficit but fell just short in a 3-2 loss, constantly troubled Los Cafeteros on set pieces.

What does it mean for the US?

No matter how well the US play, they’re going to have to absorb some pressure and play through a bunch of smart and tactically sophisticated attackers and midfielders. I think Colombia’s coach, Jose Pekerman, is a little overrated in terms of his in-game management — he makes pretty bad substitutions and generally holds onto the good subs he does make too long — but he always has his teams prepared entering any given match.They will be prepped for this one as well, and they’re not a one-trick pony; it’s not all high press or nothing. Expect them to be particularly ruthless working down their own right-hand side, with Cuadrado trying to pin probable left back Fabian Johnson — ****sigh**** — deep and exploit his propensity for mental brownouts on the defensive side of the ball.If Johnson holds his own in that fight and the central defensive and central midfield structure are right, then the US can feel confident about going toe-to-toe with anyone. However, given Klinsmann’s penchant for tinkering, those remain a pair of giant “ifs.”

Armchair Analyst: Picking my starting XI for the USMNT

June 2, 201612:49 PM EDTMatthew DoyleSenior Editor

Welcome to the Wednesday Q&A series, where we focus on one particular topic – today’s being the best Starting XI for the USMNT in Friday’s Copa America opener – and ask you to react, share, and discuss in the comments section. However, feel free to ask about anything game-related (MLS, USL, NASL, USMNT, CanMNT, etc.) over the next several hours.

“First do no harm” is the Hippocratic Oath historically taken by physicians.I think it should be taken by managers across all sports as well. The very first thing a manager has to do is play his/her players in the correct spots, and the second thing is not to overtrain his/her team so they’re playing on shredded hamstrings from the very first whistle. Any manager who’s done that will have fulfilled the soccer version of the Hippocratic Oath.Over his nearly five years in charge, Jurgen Klinsmann has failed in that responsibility. He declared war on hamstrings from Day 1 with three-a-day training sessions, empty stomach runs and the like — which culminated in a rash of injuries at the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Gold Cup. Even more frustrating has been his stubborn refusal to play his best players in their best spots, which led to the Michael Bradley-as-trequartista experiment in Brazil; which led to Jermaine Jones getting handful of run-outs at center back; which led to Clint Dempsey as a lone target forward, etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum.Klinsmann’s tinkering has not gone away, nor will it. He is still very likely to start Dempsey as a No. 9, a pair of No. 9s on the wing, and his Champions League-caliber winger at left back.We still live in CrazyTown. But at least in this most recent trip to CrazyTown, the central midfield, the central defense, and the right back all make sense. If you have that spine together — all that crucial talent in the right spots — then you have a chance.So here is the Starting XI I think Klinsmann will trot out on Friday against Colombia in Santa Clara(9:30 pm ET; FS1)

GK: Brad Guzan
LB: Fabian Johnson
CB: John Brooks
CB: Geoff Cameron
RB: DeAndre Yedlin
DM: Kyle Beckerman
CM: Bradley
CM: Jones
LW: Bobby Wood
CF: Dempsey
RW: Alejandro Bedoya

This is an ultra-defensive set, since both Beckerman and Bradley are defensive midfielders, Jones is a defensive-minded box-to-box midfielder, and Bedoya is more of a link player than a pure creator on the wing.On the flip side, this lineup is almost guaranteed to have critical defensive breakdowns along its left side, especially in transition. Johnson does not play as a defender in Germany because of moments like this:Sure, the turnover happened along the right touchline. But why was Johnson pushed up so high along the left touchline? And why do we think this is an isolated incident when Johnson has had trouble tracking his runner after turnovers literally every time he plays in defense? With that in mind, here’s the Starting XI I would put out on Friday:

GK: Guzan
LB: Edgar Castillo
CB: Brooks
CB: Cameron
RB: Yedlin
DM: Bradley
CM: Jones
CM: Bedoya
LW: Johnson
CF: Wood
RW: Dempsey

Only one personnel switch, with Castillo coming in for Beckerman (and it would actually be Eric Lichaj if he’d made the 23-man roster). That shifts Bradley to d-mid — which I think is key — and Johnson up to left wing. I’ve also flipped Dempsey over to the right wing, where he’ll have superior defensive cover behind him (seriously folks, Yedlin’s legit as a two-way fullback).I think this gives me a more balanced and dynamic midfield, and ameliorates the defensive weakness of the left wide at least a little bit. Johnson is a forgetful defender as a fullback, but is as honest as they come for a winger. And while Castillo can be beaten at the back post — see Pachuca’s winner in the Liguilla championship — he’s not as prone to getting pulled out of position in transition. Against a team with the likes of James Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado, that matters quite a bit.And yes, that means Beckerman, Darlington Nagbe, Christian Pulisic and Gyasi Zardes start on the bench. I’m fine with all of that and you should be, too — choosing from a handful of game-changing subs is a luxury no US coach has ever had before. That means Klinsmann can mold the game to his liking as it goes on.Assuming, of course, that he first does no harm.

Armchair Analyst: Bradley’s shift to D-mid a reason for USMNT optimism

May 30, 201612:55 AM EDTMatthew DoyleSenior Editor

ack in June of 2015, the US men’s national team were plowing through friendlies en route to a date at that summer’s Gold Cup. They cycled through lineups and formations, backline pairings and fullbacks. They downplayed results good and bad, and went into the tournament – which they hosted – with high expectations.The last friendly in prep for last year’s tournament was against Guatemala, the 93rd-ranked team by FIFA at the time. The US wiped them out, 4-0.Then came the Gold Cup itself, in which the US were wiped out. They were consistently outshot and out-played by the likes of Honduras and Haiti, and eventually lost in the semifinals to Jamaica. Then they lost again in the third place game to Panama, which wrapped up the most miserable US showing in the continental competition this century.On Saturday night the US faced 79th-ranked Bolivia in the final tune-up friendly before this summer’s Copa America. Once again it was a wipeout, with the US pummeling a weak foe by the score of 4-0, and once again it came with a new formation, a new lineup… and high expectations. Jurgen Klinsmann isn’t expecting to win, but he wants a semifinal showing (I think that’s a fair place to set the bar).Like last year, there are red flags that suggest this result was some kind of false positive. Like last year, there is a combination of young and veteran talent that seems to fit well together. Like last year, there is every reason to suspect that Klinsmann will undercut his roster’s strengths by playing certain players out of position and others through injuries.Unlike last year, however, I think there is real reason to be positive about this group. For the last 135 minutes – against admittedly weak competition – the US have figured out the shape of their midfield and used it to good effect. That is a vast departure from previous iterations of Klinsmann’s national team.Here’s a look at the midfield, the forwards and the (still worrisome) defense:

Bradley Where He Belongs

The big difference between the two teams – this year’s US and last year’s – is the presence ofMichael Bradley as the defensive midfielder. No offense to Kyle Beckerman or any of the other options, but Bradley’s a cut-and-a-half above thanks partially to his speed and mostly to his range of passing with either foot.Here he is picking up a secondary assist:That is where Bradley operates best, sitting deep with multiple options ahead of him (remember the Julian Green goal at the World Cup?). More importantly, by playing as a true defensive midfielder tasked with shielding the backline and spreading the ball around, he’s not asked to take turns swapping spots with Jermaine Jones.Klinsmann has put Bradley into a box with a specific role, and it is glorious. At the same time, putting Bradley in that box has allowed Jones to seek and destroy and link play all over the pitch. Jones is the team’s id, and Bradley its superego. The third leg of the midfield tripod in this one was Alejandro Bedoya – always smart, always in the right position, always perfectly suited to be the sidekick in any piece of play, the ego that connects the id and superego.Add in the likes of Beckerman and Darlington Nagbe off the bench, and this is the deepest and most balanced US midfield at least since 2002, and quite probably ever.I mean, Nagbe off the bench:No previous US coach has ever had a game-changer like that to call upon. The pieces are all there, and they all fit.And Klinsmann has finally showed signs he understands how to deploy them.

The Unusual Three

With the midfield sorted, the front three in this team’s 4-3-3 has become more functional and effective, though I still have plenty of reservations. Bobby Wood (a forward) and Gyasi Zardes (a forward) started on the flanks, while Clint Dempsey (a second striker) started at center forward.The US’s bread and butter has become the type of interchange we saw on the game’s opener, the first of two Zardes scored on the evening. Dempsey is naturally inclined to drop back toward the ball, changing the 4-3-3 to more of a diamond midfield with him as a back-to-goal No. 10. When the ball is being possessed on the right side of the field, that is Zardes’s signal to dive inside and make a forward’s run instead of a winger’s run:Dempsey tries to get into that spot early, and force the defenders either to A) step with him, or B) hold back and let him receive the ball, then turn. Most MLS teams realize it’s best to let Dempsey do the latter, but Bolivia obviously weren’t watching a ton of Sounders games ahead of this one.While Zardes has taken to this role with aplomb – not surprising given his surfeit of attacking roles with the Galaxy – Wood has struggled to leave an imprint. He doesn’t instinctively curve his runs, instead preferring to go direct to goal.And – this is important – neither guy is a chance creator. They don’t really link play and often struggle to present themselves to the midfield in build-up:

That’s a network passing graph made using Opta data. The circles represent the aggregate position of each player’s every touch, while the thickness of the lines connecting players represents the number of passes exchanged between each.If Wood and Zardes are on the wings, whoever is playing center forward (whether it’s Dempsey or someone else) shouldn’t expect a ton of traditional interplay with those guys.That, of course, puts the onus on the fullbacks to overlap…

Lost In Space

If Bradley as a No. 6 is the single best thing to take out of these friendlies, then Klinsmann’s apparently settling upon a No. 1 pairing in central defense is a close second. Geoff Cameron is an English Premier League veteran and John Brooks is a Bundesliga veteran, and one’s right footed and one’s left footed, and both start for their clubs, and both are World Cup veterans, and… I mean it’s really that easy, right?OK, well. Maybe it’s that easy now. Hopefully.Fullback is a different discussion, even though Klinsmann is mostly spoiled for choice. He started a pair of center backs out wide in this one, with Matt Besler on the left and Michael Orozco on the right. They predictably failed to leave much of an imprint pushing forward:

Besler is #5, and Orozco #14. Green lines are completed passes, and red incomplete. Both were OK at supporting the team in possession, but there were several bad turnovers that a better team would have punished, and it was pretty clear that both guys weren’t playing their natural spots.It looks like DeAndre Yedlin – another Premier League starter – and Fabian Johnson will be the starters when the US face Colombia next week (9:30 pm ET, FS1). Yedlin is obviously the right choice; Johnson, who starts on the wing in the Bundesliga, is still a liability at fullback.

Thanks to Ben Jata for clipping the following sequence for me:

With play occurring down the right side, why is Johnson pushed up so high on the left? He’s wildly out of position in case of a turnover, and even if said turnover happens just one time in 10… well, against a team like Colombia, Costa Rica or even Paraguay (who are dire), that type of space is deadly to concede.The beauty of the back four is its flexibility. When one fullback overlaps, the other stays back and slides central in order to help the central defenders and make certain the team keeps defensive shape. If both fullbacks overlap on the same play… I mean, that’s the equivalent of putting the pedal all the way down on your brand new sports car. It’s got to be thrilling, but it’s a deadly risk.And at the same time: Johnson is a winger! He’s a playmaker and a creator and a guy who can provide the type of linking among the front three that Zardes and Wood didn’t/don’t/haven’t. Pushing him up into his natural spot would give the US both more creativity and a more solid backline.

Is this progress?

Sort of. The US are playing their best soccer in two years and have a deeper roster than any previous coach has had to call upon (I haven’t even mentioned Christian Pulisic yet, right?). Their best player is finally in his best spot, the midfield is finally balanced, and the central defense finally has a go-to pair.Of course beating Bolivia isn’t a reason to celebrate:Any celebration should come after a quality, front-foot performance in the group stage and a win the quarters. From 1994 through 2010 the US beat the likes of Colombia, Argentina, Germany, Portugal, Spain and – of course – Mexico in games that really mattered. Since 2011, however, results like that are nowhere to be found.The fans have a right to ask for a return to those days. And the coach, if he looks at his roster and (finally) makes the right choices, has the goods to deliver it to them.

PREVIEW: #MIA HOST INDY 11

Indy Eleven Gameday & Match Preview Indy Eleven at the Miami FC
Saturday, June 4, 2016 – 8:00 p.m. ET -FIU Stadium – Miami, FL
Team Records:

Indy Eleven: 3W-5D-0L, 14 pts, 2^nd in NASL Spring standings
Miami FC: 1W-3D-4L, 6 pts, 10^th in NASL Spring standings
Click here for the complete NASL Spring Season standings

Watch Live:

Local: WISH-TV Online: ESPN3.com

Follow Live:

In-game updates: Follow @IndyElevenLive on Twitter, and Indy Eleven on Facebook
Live stats: Visit the NASL.com MatchCenter for in-depth Opta statistics
Vote for the Indy Eleven “Man of the Match” on the @IndyEleven Twitter feed immediately following the match

Last Time Out – Indy Eleven 2 : 1 Lou City FC

Indy Eleven began their 2016 run at the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, June 1 as they hosted the USL’s Lou City FC at Carroll Stadium. Going a goal down into halftime at the feet of Lou City FC’s top scorer Chandler Hoffman, the “Boys in Blue” were once again in position to fight back. Justin Braun and Eamon Zayed were injected into the game just six minutes apart (40′ & 46′) and the move proved effective as Indy’s terrible twosome began to wreak havoc on the visitor’s back line. In the 58th minute, the tide turned in Indy’s favor for good. Omar Gordon intercepted a howler of a pass by LCFC ‘keeper Greg Ranjetsingh and, after some tidy footwork, the Jamaican used his left foot to find the back of the net and square the match. Ten minutes later, it was Eamon Zayed’s turn to put his name up in lights as a neat 1-2-3 between Mares, Lacroix, and Zayed resulted in the Irishman tapping home from three yards. Full-time saw “Indiana’s Team” advance to the Fourth Round of #USOC2016 with a trip to Chicago to face the Fire on the horizon. For a full recap, click here.

Last Time Out – Miami FC 1 : 2 Wilmington Hammerheads

In their U.S. Open Cup debut, Miami FC fell to USL side Wilmington Hammerheads 2-1 in South Beach at FIU Stadium. The hosts went 2-nil down in the opening five minutes of the game after Hammerheads forward Jeff Michaud and midfielder Justin Moose scored in the second and fourth minutes, but the NASL side would not go quietly. Though trailing by two goals at the break, it took just seven minutes into the second half for the franchise club to pull one back – this time through 28-year-old striker Jaime Chavez, the first of his Miami FC career. Drama ensued in the 80th minute with Chavez again at the center of the action, winning a penalty after a challenge from Wilmington ‘keeper Eric Ati. Miami forward Dario Cvitanich, who had been on excellent form in the opening games of the spring, stepped forward to the penalty spot. Cvitanich fired a low drive to the left side of the net, but Ati chose his dive correctly and stopped the spot kick to hold the Hammerheads ead. In the end, Miami FC dropped the Open Cup game and now have all eyes on finishing the spring season strongly. For a full recap, click here.

Laundry List of Injuries

It’s a testament to the will and depth of Indy Eleven that they have gotten to this point in the season with the amount of injury trouble the squad has faced. Unfortunately for Coach Hankinson’s crew, that injury trouble persists. Brad Ring has been sidelined since the beginning of May with a nagging knee injury, Sinisa Ubiparipovic has been on and off with a hip issue, Greg Janicki is still recovering from his terrible twosome of a concussion and facial fracture, and that’s just the beginning. Though the last two of that trio are making the trip to South Beach, both Ring and Lovel Palmer will not travel. Most recently, the Eleven saw Don Smart and Jair Reinoso exit Wednesday night’s U.S. Open Cup match having picked up a couple of knocks, though their status for this weekend’s game is still up in the air.While the injuries have allowed some fresh faces into the lineup (see Cory Miller, Marco Franco, etc.), consistency has been a difficult thing to achieve. As the spring season winds down with a potential championship battle set up for next weekend (pending this weekend’s results), health will be a major factor in “Indiana’s Team” finding success.

The Chase Continues

The “Boys in Blue” head into their fourth Florida contest of the 2016 spring season sitting second in the NASL table with the very real possibility of jumping to the top by June 11. To win the title, Indy Eleven need:

To take six points out of six in their next two games; and
The New York Cosmos to draw/lose at Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night

While the team realizes the ultimate goal, it’s imperative to Coach Hankinson that the focus remain only on Saturday night as dropped points against Miami FC would rule them out of the title chase. The state of Florida has not been kind to the Eleven having seen them escape with three points in three games, and while Saturday’s opposition is looking up the table at Indy they remain just as much a real threat to the Spring title chase as anyone “Indiana’s Team” has faced so far. The team must show focus and composure to leave with the right result – and all three points.

Who to Watch, Indy Eleven edition: FW Justin Braun

After not scoring in an Indy Eleven shirt until the game against Minnesota United FC two weeks ago, Braun has been on an absolute tear – scoring two goals and his last three games will tacking on an assist. While not on the scoresheet against Lou City FC midweek, his introduction into the match helped to create the space going forwrad that Indy would eventually exploit in their 2-1 win. Additionally, Braun was the hero in last week’s 1-1 draw with Jax Armada FC as he helped to salvage a point with a crucial 73rd minute equalizer. If his recent performances are any indication of what we will see Saturday night, Indy’s workhorse will be as active as ever when they go for the win.

Who to Watch, Miami FC edition: M Ariel Martinez

Though the Miami club fell in the USOC midweek, their NASL form as of late was capped with a significant 1-0 victory over previous title challengers FC Edmonton thanks to a goal from midfielder Ariel Martinez. Having started seven games in his seven appearances, Martinez has scored twice for Alessandro Nesta’s side and helped them take four points from their last two games against FCE and the Carolina Railhawks. The 30-year-old Cuban will be deployed behind a front two of Jaime Chavez and Dario Cvitanich, both of whom will be enough of a test, and will look to play as a traditional No.10 ahead of an Eleven back four that may yet see more changes at the weekend. Though Miami FC have been light in the scoring department, Martinez and Cvitanich have been rponsible for five of their six league goals, leaving Coach Hankinson a pair of clear choices on who to mark.

Match-up to Mark: MIA M Richie Ryan vs. IND M Nicki Paterson

After arriving to Miami as part of one of the biggest financial transfers in NASL history, Richie Ryan has been at the heart of the club’s midfield in his only two league games since leaving Jax Armada FC. Spending the 2014 and 2015 seasons with Ottawa Fury FC, Ryan left the Canadian club for the Armada in the offseason only for him to join Nesta and co. in the middle of May. A smooth midfielder operating dead center of the pitch, Ryan will be the facilitator for Miami when the pair clash at FIU Stadium.His opposite number will be Indy Eleven midfielder Nicki paterson, who after serving his USOC suspension from 2013 with the Charleston Battery on Wednesday, will be one of the fresher pairs of legs at Coach Hankinson’s disposal. Being deployed centrally all season, Paterson has shifted from a starting role to a bench role but may again find himself on the pitch from the first minute on with the injury trouble the squad is still wrestling with. That, and the set piece threat he has proven himself to be, may see him have a major impact on the match.

Strong Second Half Sees Indy Eleven Post 2-1 Win over Louisville City FC in U.S. Open Cup Third Round

Goals 10 Minutes Apart by Omar Gordon & Eamon Zayed Lift “Boys in Blue” to Fourth Round Match-up with MLS’ Chicago Fire SC

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, June 1, 2016) – Indy Eleven used goals by Omar Gordon and Eamon Zayed 10 minutes apart in the second half to post a 2-1 win over USL squad Louisville City FC in the Third Round of the 103^rd edition Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium.

The win for Indy Eleven, which avenged a loss to the same LCFC side in the same round one year ago and kept the NASL squad undefeated through nine games in 2016, advances the “Boys in Blue” to a Fourth Round contest at Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire SC in two weeks’ time. Kickoff at Toyota Park in suburban Bridgeview, Ill., on Wednesday, June 15, is set for 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local).The opening 20 minutes would see neither team seriously threaten goal, although Louisville’s Greg Ranjitsingh was the more active of the goalkeepers in clearing his penalty area of crosses sent in. The lack of a clearance in Indy Eleven’s back third would lead to Louisville City’s opener in the 21^st minute, as a pair of defenders couldn’t decide who would go after George Davis IV’s spinning through ball near the arc. The rolling ball would finally be run onto by Chandler Hoffman, who beat Indy ‘keeper Keith Cardona from 12 yards out to give the visitors the early 1-0 advantage. An infraction called on Indy Eleven defender Cory Miller’s sliding challenge against Hoffman on the endline caused some confusion amongst both teams around the half hour mark, as referee Brandon Artis looked to initially signal a penalty kick, only to change his decision to an indirect free kick a few yards inside the area. Louisville’s ensuing free kick to the six did create a shot, but it couldn’t make its way through heavy traffic near the Indy Eleven goalline, the chance eventually dying on a LCFC foul seconds later.

Indy Eleven’s best look of the opening half came in the 43^rd minute when Marco Franco’s wall pass with Don Smart freed the Indy right back into the area. Franco’s bouncing square ball missed its intended target of Gordon, but Duke Lacroix did get on the end of it, only to find his shot from 15 yards deflected out for a corner.

An increasingly physical game saw another appeal for a penalty for LCFC, this time in the 56^th minute when Davis IV went down under the challenge of Omar Gordon in the top of the area, but Artis adjudged it to be a fair shoulder and play went on. Two minutes later it was Gordon equalizing for Indy, as he collected a failed clearance 20 yards out, took a touch inside into space and fired low and past Ranjitsingh to level things at 1-1.Just a couple minutes later Louisville had a great chance o go right back ahead, but Davis IV’s free kick from 22 yards out flashed just wide of the near left post. On the other Indy midfielder Dylan Mares was slipped into the top of the area on a nice 1-2, but a sliding tackle by Ben Newnam stopped him from an open look on frame. Those opportunities marked an entertaining 10-minute period of end-to-end chances, setting the pace for a frantic finish.

Hoffman nearly doubled his account in the 67^th minute when substitute midfielder Ilija Ilic slipped him through the central defense, only to see his shot from 20 yards skip off the top of the crossbar. It was another second half substitute that would give Indy the lead a minute later, as Zayed finished off a well-worked break orchestrated by Mares and Lacroix, the latter supplying the final cross for an easy redirect from six yards out.A bungled clearance by Indy Eleven in the 88^th minute nearly saw Hoffman equalize, but Cardona was alert off his line, diving in to take the ball off the charging attacker’s feet 10 yards from his line. A 22-yard free kick that sailed on Hoffman at the onset of four minutes of stoppage time would mark the last chance of any quality for LCFC to even up in the dying moments of the match.The undefeated Indy Eleven (3W-5D-0L, 14 pts., 2^nd in NASL) will return its focus to league play and renew its chase for the NASL’s Spring Season title this Saturday, June 4, with its second visit in as many weekends to the Sunshine State, this time to take on The Miami FC. Kickoff from FIU Stadium in Miami is set for 8:00 p.m. ET, and the match can be seen live in Central Indiana on WISH-TV and across the nation online via ESPN3.
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – Third Round
Indy Eleven (NASL) 2 : 1 Louisville City FC (USL)
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 2,145 -I was there!!

Scoring Summary:
LOU – Chandler Hoffman (George Davis IV) 21’
IND – Omar Gordon (unassisted) 58’
IND – Eamon Zayed (Duke Lacroix) 68’

Discipline Summary:
LOU – Cameron Lancaster (caution) 26’
IND – Eamon Zayed (caution) 81’
IND – Daniel Keller (caution) 84’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2, L–>R): Keith Cardona; Neil Shaffer, Nemanja Vuković (capt), Cory Miller, Marco Franco; Duke Lacroix (Gorka Larrea 77’), Daniel Keller, Dylan Mares, Don Smart (Eamon Zayed 45’); Omar Gordon, Jair Reinoso (Justin Braun 41’)Eleven bench: Jon Busch (GK), Colin Falvey

Louisville City FC (4-2-3-1): Greg Ranjitsingh; Ben Newnam, Sean Reynolds, Tarek Morad (capt), Kyle Smith (Enrique Montano 74’); Guy Abend, Paolo DelPiccolo; George Davis IV, Cameron Lancaster (Ilija Ilic 65’), Andrew Lubahn (Kadeem Dacres 69’); Chandler HoffmanCity FC bench: Scott Goodwin (GK); Paco Craig, Aodhan Quinn, Kenny Doublette

ATP_Gen_350x250

Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

6/1/16 Indy 11 Home Tonite, USA COPA America vs Columbia Fri 9:30 pm FS1, Europa Cup Starts 6/10, Real Madrid Wins Classic

June 1, 2016 gatorbest

Indy 11 Home Tonite, USA COPA America vs Columbia Fri 9:30 pm FS1, Europa Cup Starts 6/10, Real Madrid Wins Classic

So the Indy 11 moved into 2^nd place overall in the NASL Standings with a 1-1 tie on the road at Jacksonville last Saturday night – tonite its US Open Cup action as the Indy11 face USL’s top team Louisville FC at 7:30 pm at the Mike. The game is not on TV or Radio so get on down to the Mike to see it live – tickets still available starting at just $11 each. The USA was impressive in its final tune-up before the Copa America starts this Friday night, with the US facing Columbia at 9:30 pm on Fox Sports 1. See the entire COPA AMERICA TV schedule below as games will be on Fox, Fox Sports 1, and Fox Sports 2 each evening next week and all weekend long all thru June. The SUMMER OF SOCCER Continues – with the Europa Cup which starts next Friday afternoon and continues all of June – during the mornings and afternoons on ESPN and ESPN2 – I will have a full breakdown on that next week. Meanwhile – enjoy the start of the COPA America – and good luck to all those teams competing in State, President’s and Challenge Cup this weekend in Columbus.

2 TICKETS TO SEE the USA Men Play LIVE – Soldier Field Chicago – Tues Night- June 7 @ 8 pm

ATP_Gen_350x250

Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

ALL GAMES ON TV

Thurs, June 2

2:45 pm FS1 England vs Portugal

9 pm FS 1 US Ladies vs Japan

Fri, June 3 COPA AMERICA 100 STARTS

9:30 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Columbia

Sat, June 4

12 noon ESPN3 Spain vs Bosnia

5 pm Fox COPA Costa Rica vs Paraguay

7:30 pm FS2 COPA Haita vs Peru

8 pm TV 8, ESPN3 Indy 11 @ Miami

10 pm FS 1 COPA Brazil vs Ecuador

Sun, June 5

12 noon ESPN3 Spain vs Bosnia

12:30 pm ESPN2 US Ladies vs Japan

2:45 pm ESPN 3 Italy vs Scotland

5 pm Fox COPA – Jamaica vs Venezuela

7 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

Mon, June 6

7 pm FS1 COPA – Panama vs Bolivia

10 pm FS1 COPA – Argentina vs Chile

Tues, June 7

8 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Costa Rica – Solider Field – Tix Available!

10 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

Fri, June 10 European Cup Starts

3 pm ESPN EURO- France vs Romania

Sat, June 11

9 am ESPN EURO – Albania vs Switzerland

12 noon ESPN EURO – Wales vs Slovakia

3 pm ESPN EURO – England vs Russia

7 pm Fox Sport1 USA vs Paraguay

9 pm FS2 COPA – Columbia vs Costa Rica

MLS TV Schedule ‘ On Break June 3-June 17 for COPA

Indy 11 host Louisville City FC in US Open Cup Action tonite at the Mike

COPA AMERICA 100 –GAMES IN CHICAGO – still seats left for USA Game , Argentina game and Semi-Finals.

International Champions Cup – ICC – @ Chicago – Bayern Munich vs AC Milan Soldier Field Wed 7/27 @ 8 pm Tix still available $35 to $135

INDY 11

Indy 11 Forward Braun makes Team of Week again

Indy 11 tie Jacksonville 1-1 on road to move into 2^nd place

USA

I still have 2 Tickets at Cost to the USA vs Costa Rica Game in Chicago Tues Night 7 pm – American Outlaw Tailgating

US Highlights from 4-0 win over Bolivia

Unite Together – March of the American Outlaws!

US has questions to Answer at Copa 5 things to Watch – McIntyre ESPNFC

US Youngsters Wood, Nagbe, Pulisic make case for 1^st team time for US

Pay Disputes to Glory – US Copa 1995 – Read the story on ESPN FC

American raised Giuseeppe Rossi Regrets choosing Italy of US – agent says – (yeah tough crap- Karma is a bitch to the Turncoat!!)

COPA America 100 in USA

Fan’s Guide to the Copa America – ESPN FC

Group A – Columbia and Costa Rica are the teams US Must beat

Group B – Preview – Brazil + Ecuador

Group C – Preview – Mexico and Uraguay

Group D – Argentina + Chile

Columbia in Copa

Concacaf Teams Fairing Well in Friendlies so Far

READ/WATCH: Sports Illustrated Longform: Lionel Messi, in his own words

Mexican/Olympiacos Defender escaped on his own

Copa America – Top 25 Players

EUROS

Earn Your College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

Carmel FC Travel Soccer Tryouts for 2016-2017 teams begin June 7th!
CLICK HERE to register

Soccer Camps – Boys and Girls -Ages 6 – 14

Ok so its almost Summer Camp time – below are some nice options for Soccer Camps this summer

Indy 11 Soccer Camp June 20-23 — 9 am till 12 noon Ages 5-14 $135 @ Badger Fields

Kick in the Grass – 3 v 3 Soccer Tour at Badger Field July 9^th

Goal2Gol Soccer Camp
CHS Men’s Head Coach Shane Schmidt, a former U-20 US National Team player, runs his annual camp from 9 am to 2 pm July 11-16. $150 before 6/30 @ River Road Fields.

ndy Eleven Gameday & Match Preview

Indy Eleven vs. Louisville City FC (USL)
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – Third Round
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 – 7:30 p.m. ET
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN

eam Records:

Indy Eleven: 3W-5D-0L, 14 pts; 2^nd in NASL Spring Season
Louisville City FC: 7W-3D-1L, 24 pts; 1^st in USL Eastern Conference

nline audio: IndyEleven.com

Follow Live:

Pre-game preview via IndyEleven Facebook Live
In-game updates on Twitter @IndyElevenLive
Post-game reaction through @IndyEleven Periscope (also via @IndyEleven Twitter)

Indy Eleven and Louisville City FC are in a peculiar position … geographically they are just two hours apart (or 90 minutes depending on your driving style), but they are separately by league affiliation, putting a wedge in a potential rivalry. However, U.S. Soccer has done fans of both sides a favor for a second straight season, pitting the two together in a Third Round fixture in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup once again – a game that will again be contested at “The Mike.”While Indy Eleven’s arrival to the American soccer scene preceded Louisville’s by a year, it’s been the newcomers holding the advantage between the two by taking last year’s Third Round affair by a 2-0 score in added extra time in addition to a preseason result each of the last two seasons. While most preseason contests are ragged affairs – the new group of Boys in Blue was still very much figuring things out during the contest this past March – and the results count for nothing, tendencies can be learned, and grudges can fester from them.Sure, it’s not fit to call the occasional meeting between Indy and Louisville a rivalry at this point, but there will indeed be more than a Fourth Round pairing against MLS’ Chicago Fire SC when the two sides clash on Wednesday night.

ast Time Out – Jacksonville Armada FC 1 : 1 Indy Eleven

Indy Eleven travelled to the Sunshine State for the first of two visits in one week, this time to the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville where they faced Jacksonville Armada FC. It was a lethargic start for the “Boys in Blue” as the humid conditions added an extra challenge to the night, and the hosts took advantage of a prostrated midfield to get on the board first. After pummeling ‘keeper Jon Busch with repeated shots in the first half hour – only to see the veteran equal to every effort – captain Matt Bahner rocketed home a distance effort that beat Busch to his near post to give Armada FC a 1-nil advantage. The closest “Indiana’s Team” got to goal was a point-blank header from Eamon Zayed that was denied well by JAX ‘netminder Sebastian Evers.The second half brought a bit of a flurry from both sides as the Eleven clawed their way towards an equalizer while Jacksonville attempted to build on their one goal lead. In the 73^rd minute, Jacksonville’s lead gave way to a thumping header from Justin Braun, his second tally in as many games. Impact substitute Jair Reinoso raced towards the end line and lifted a ball dead center of the box, where Braun put his vertical leap to the test and knocked in an equalizer past substitute ‘keeper Miguel Gallardo.Both sides scrambled for a winner towards the end of the match, and substitute winger Duke Lacroix nearly created the perfect chance as he drove a low ball into the area, but with no teammates there to meet his cross the chance fell through. The 1-1 draw might not have been the full three they wanted to take back, but it did elevate Indiana’s Team to second place in the 2016 Spring Season table with two matches remaining – this weekend’s visit to Miami FC an a home match against the Carolina Railhawks on June 11.

RECAP | Jax Armada FC 1 : 1 Indy Eleven

Testing Squad Depth

A week with a congested fixture list means one where the depth of the squad will be tested. For “Indiana’s Team,” that means some new faces … and some old faces that may seem new again.For a perfect example, see Eleven defender Marco Franco. One of the more well-known “Boys in Blue,” he suited up for nearly every regular season match last year and ranked first in minutes played during the 2015 NASL season. However, on a roster that only retained eleven players there were bound to be challenges for the starting spot in each position. Franco has started only one match for Indy Eleven – Saturday night’s bout with Jacksonville Armada FC in place of an injured Lovel Palmer. For him, though, it is necessary to keep a “next man up” mentality going forward.“You just have to be mentally tough. It’s part of the game, and part of the business. You’re going to have guys come in every year and try to take your spot – you just have to give your all on the field and hope for the best. That’s all yu can do. Every day, train hard, get better, improve, and that’s all you can ask for,” said Franco.While there will be a few familiar bodies in the starting XI Wednesday night, the spotlight will be shining on those with a point to prove, and now a stage to prove it on.

One Eye on Two Competitions

The other half of tomorrow night is the difficulty of touching the top in separate competitions. For Coach Tim Hankinson, the emphasis is being placed on the competition within closest reach. Right now, that’s the 2016 Spring Season where the Eleven are two games away from potentially being champions assuming they take six points out of six and get some help from Fort Lauderdale against the front-running New York Cosmos on Saturday night.However, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a prestigious tournament in its own right, and one that’s gaining more notoriety with each passing year. To not go all out in an attempt to progress would be to disrespect the occasion of the match – something Coach Hankinson is strongly opposed to. Therefore, a balance must be found in the team between going all out for the Spring title and going for the U.S. Open Cup, where the Eleven were not up to the task last season against this same Louisville side.

Who to Watch, Indy Eleven edition: MF Duke Lacroix

Like Marco Franco, Duke Lacroix is another player with a likely chance to showcase his talents when the Eleven take the field tomorrow night in this #USOC2016 Third Round encounter. Lacroix, who featured in the first XI in Indy’s first three games to start 2016, has a tendency to flash through the back line and create chances for teammates waiting in the area – or slash inside and create for himself.While the winger has an eye for goal, he also has a variety in skillset that will allow him to be one of Coach Hank’s most formidable weapons. While he’s the youngest player on the squad as 22 years of age, he’ll still be tasked with jumpstarting the team’s attack against a LCFC defense that has allowed just nine goals in 11 matches and also shut down the Indy attack when the two met in a 1-0 Lou City win in a March preseason fixture.

Who to Watch, Louisville City FC edition: FW Jon Chandler Hoffman

A monster in front of net, Chandler Hoffman has netted seven times in ten appearances to put him at third on the USL’s scoring chart. A physical forward with MLS experience, Hoffman most recently played with the Houston Dynamo before going n a loan spell with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks. Now he commands the attack for the third-highest scoring team in the USL with a chance to prove himself in front of a NASL side. While it was Andrew Lubahn who scored the winner against Indy in the preseason, Hoffman will want to get off the mark quickly when the two meet tomorrow. An Eleven defense that may have some moving parts will have to communicate effectively and clear their line their lines properly to avoid letting a chance slip through to the scrappy forward.

Match-up to Mark: FW Jair Reinoso vs. Lou City goalkeeper TBD

Jair Reinoso has been a fairly major player this season as one of multiple new signings in Coach Hankinson’s attack. He scored the opening goal on the road at Rayo OKC and has shown his ability both on the ball and off, brushing past players with pace while making enough runs forward to outlast Roadrunner.Playing time has been limited as he worked himself to full fitness through the first month of the season, but he’s shown the ability to both finish (see his stunning strike at Rayo OKC) in addition to set up a teammate as he did with Braun last weekend. One challenge for Wednesday, though, is not knowing the opposition goalkeeper – whether Joseph Goodwin steps in net or his teammate Gregory Ranjitsingh. Both have registered six appearances – Goodwin having conceded eight goals while making 17 saves to Ranjitsingh’s one conceded and 10 saves.Regardless who is minding the net for LCFC tomorrow, the focus remains the same for Reinoso: make goals happen, then survive and advance.

Indy Eleven Stay Unbeaten with 1-1 Draw at Jacksonville Armada FC
The “Boys in Blue” take one point from the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville as the Spring Season rolls on
JACKSONVILLE (Saturday, May 28, 2016) – A crucial second half equalizer from forward Justin Braun secured an important point for Indy Eleven after a hard fought tussle with Jacksonville Armada FC ended 1-1 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The result temporarily moves “Indiana’s Team” into a tie for second place on 14 points with two matches remaining.
Chances were few and far early on between as both sides took their time settling into the match. It was Armada FC who looked most eager early on and midfielder Junior Sandoval was the first to test Eleven ‘keeper Jon Busch, though the veteran was equal to everything kicked his way in the opening fifteen minutes. For the visitors, forward Eamon Zayed came closest at the twenty minute mark as midfielder Don Smart whipped in a long, hanging cross that found the head of the Irishman, only for Armada FC ‘netminder Sebastian Evers to make a point-blank save.
In the 29th minute, the match got chippy as defender Cory Miller entered the referee’s book after fouling Jacksonville forward Danny Barrow just outside the Indy area. Again, it was midfielder Junior Sandoval standing over the free kick duties but his curling effort was deflected off the wall and off the underside of the crossbar to keep things level at zero.
However, one minute later the deadlock was broken. Following the free kick on the ensuing Jacksonville attack, Armada FC defender Matt Bahner took a pass and unleashed a powerful low drive to beat GK Jon Busch to his near post as the hosts jumped ahead.he Eleven took their first steps to an equalizer in the 35th minute via a Nemanja Vukovic free kick. A favorable angle for the left-footed defender, he clipped the ball over the wall but could not keep it on frame as ‘keeper Sebastian Evers saw the effort wide. Just before half, “Indiana’s Team” had another golden opportunity after a long throw from winger Omar Gordon, but Evers was equal to the close range chance at the far post to keep his side 1-nil up.Halftime came and went as neither side made changes for the second period of play. The Armada came out as the aggressors with an early opportunity that forced Jon Busch into one of his four saves, this time as he denied forward Alhassane Keita what would have been the go-ahead goal. Five minutes later, Jacksonville won a free kick that broke into the Indy area only for Busch to come off his line and take the effort with both palms. Potentially a match-turning moment came in the 56th minute when acksonville ‘keeper Sebastian Evers went down awkwardly following a free kick, forcing the hosts into their first change of the night bringing in Miguel Gallardo in his place.The Eleven kept pounding towards the Armada goal, and in the 73rd minute they got their reward. Impact substitute Jair Reinoso found a yard of space outside the area and lifted a ball dead center of the area where his teammate Justin Braun was waiting. Indy’s No.17 met the cross with a thunderous header leaving Gallardo scrambling on his line, with nothing to do to prevent the equalizer as Braun tallied his second goal in two weeks.The “Boys in Blue” continued to press on the host’s defense, but when Omar Gordon won a set-piece chance on the right flank in the 78th minute, Nemanja Vukovic’s delivery was too near the ‘keeper Gallardo and the opportunity was missed.Jacksonville had one more quality look at goal in the 87th minute as substitute Matt Fondy did well to angle a pass into the path of his teammate Keita. The Guinean forward then turned towards Indy’s goal to squeeze a shot past Busch, but defender Marco Franco was in the right place at the right time to clear the ball off the line, preserving the 1-1 scoreline. The match ended at one-all and Coach Hankinson and co. took their third point out of the Sunshine state in as many visits.Indy Eleven returns home midweek on Wednesday, June 1, when it will host Louisville City FC in the Third Round of the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Carroll Stadium. Tickets for last year’s USOC rematch are available starting at $5 in the Brickyard Battalion sections at http://www.IndyEleven.com or over the phone at 317-685-1100 (Mon.-Fri., 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m.)

NASL Spring Season
Jacksonville Armada FC 1 : 1 Indy Eleven
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville – Jacksonville, FL

Indy Eleven:
Spring Season: 3W-5D-0L, 14 pts., 2nd place

Jacksonville Armada FC:
Spring Season: 1W-2D-5L, 5 pts., 10th place

Click here to see the full NASL Spring Season standings

Scoring Summary:
JAX – Matt Bahner (unassisted) 30′
IND – Justin Baun (Jair Reinoso) 73′

Discipline Summary:
IND – Cory Miller (caution) 28′
IND – Nicki Paterson (caution) 41′
JAX – Matt Bahner (caution) 63′
IND – Nemanja Vukovic (caution) 70′

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2, L–>R): Jon Busch; Nemanja Vukovic, Cory Miller, Colin Falvey, Marco Franco; Omar Gordon (Duke Lacroix 82′), Dylan Mares (Gorka Larrea 60′), Nicki Paterson, Don Smart (Jair Reinoso 60′); Justin Braun, Eamon Zayed
Indy Eleven bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Neil Shaffer, Daniel Keller

Jacksonville Armada line-up (4-3-3, L–>R): Sebastian Evers (Miguel Gallardo 57′); Matt Bahner, Tyler Ruthvan, Beto Navarro, Shawn Nicklaw; Nicolas Perea (Patrick Otte 74′), Junior Sandoval, Kevan George; Jemal Johnson, Alhassane Keita, Danny Barrow (Matthew Fondy 82′)
Jacksonville Armada FC bench: Bryan Burke, Alex Dixon, Derek Gebhard, Charles Eloundou

USMNT: Five things to watch in the Copa

This story originally appeared in ESPN The Magazine’s June 6 World Football Issue. Subscribe today!

June’s Copa America Centenario will serve as a high-stakes midterm exam for the USMNT. Slotted halfway between World Cups, the tourney against the Americas’ best will reveal lots about where the U.S. squad — and controversial coach Jurgen Klinsmann — stand two years shy of Russia 2018. It’s been a tough 12 months for the Americans, as the U.S. finished a disappointing fourth at last summer’s Gold Cup, failed to qualify for the Confederations Cup and, most shockingly of all, lost 2-0 to 95th ranked Guatemala in March — a loss that temporarily put it in danger of not qualifying for Russia ’18.

Klinsmann and the U.S. desperately need a strong showing on home soil in the Copa but were drawn into a very tough Group A alongside Colombia (fourth in FIFA rankings), Costa Rica (25th in FIFA rankings) and Paraguay (39th in FIFA rankings). The tournament could also be a swan song for mainstays like Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard and Jermaine Jones before they step aside for the next generation. There are subplots all over the field — here’s what to watch for when the whistle blows on June 3.

Copa half full?
As a seeded team, the U.S. avoided title faves Argentina and Brazil in the group stage but open the tournament against Colombia, FIFA’s fourth-ranked team. Los Cafeteros’ main man is Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez, whose 16 shots (two goals) are tied for third in South American World Cup qualifying, despite Rodriguez missing two of Colombia’s six games.

The Yanks’ second opponent is CONCACAF rival Costa Rica, which reached the quarterfinal of the 2014 World Cup and currently sits atop its 2018 World Cup qualifying group after four matches. Costa Rica is never an easy out but was dealt a major blow last month when star goalkeeper Keylor Navas was ruled out for the tournament with an Achilles injury. Navas is a big miss for the Ticos, but Costa Rica has won two straight meetings against the US and boast dangerous attacking players led by Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell.

Paraguay, the U.S.’s final first-round challenger, gives up lots of shots but doesn’t concede many goals. La Albirroja has given up a CONMEBOL-high 89 shots in six games but have conceded only six times, the third fewest in South American World Cup qualifying. Did we mention that the Americans probably need to win the group to avoid Brazil in the quarterfinals?

Colombia striker James Rodriguez took the third-most shots among all player in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying.

Same as the old boss?
Despite growing calls for his head, Klinsmann’s .703 winning percentage in competitive matches tops predecessors Bruce Arena (.674) and Bob Bradley (.677). The U.S. has had some huge road wins (Germany, Mexico, Italy, Netherlands) under Klinsmann, but have also struggled to consistently produce the attacking style he trumpeted when he took the job five years ago. In fact, the U.S. creates fewer shots per game now than it did under Arena and Bradley, and it gives up more opportunities in its own end. With Klinsmann’s Yanks, it’s always feast or famine. How things swing in June is anyone’s guess.

Klinsmann’s tenure has produced mixed results on the pitch.

In his defense
Center back remains a revolving door for the USMNT, as Klinsmann has played five different center backs in the team’s first four World Cup qualifiers. The good news? American defenders made big strides in two of Europe’s top leagues this season. DeAndre Yedlin (Sunderland) and Geoff Cameron (Stoke City) were full-time starters in the English Premier League, while Borussia Monchengladbach’s Fabian Johnson and Hertha Berlin’s John Brooks had very strong campaigns in Germany. Johnson scored a career-best eight goals this season, including two in the Champions League for Monchengladbach, while Brooks was instrumental in Hertha Berlin’s eight-place improvement up the Bundesliga table this season.

Hertha Berlin’s performance was greatly improved when John Brooks played.

Old hands on deck
Despite last year’s struggles, the U.S. will largely stick with experience. Klinsmann’s 23-man Copa roster features 15 of the 23 players who went to Brazil, including aging but still effective stars Tim Howard (37), Jermaine Jones (34) and Clint Dempsey (33). Dempsey scored a team-high nine goals in 2015 and, with Jozy Altidore out injured, the rangy Texan will be leaned on for goals even more.

Though only five players over 33 remain on the U.S. roster, their impact is huge.

Youth is served
At just 17 years old, Borussia Dortmund midfielder Christian Pulisic became the fourth-youngest scorer in Bundesliga history and the youngest player to appear for the USMNT in a World Cup qualifier. Fast, skilled and seemingly unflappable, the Pennsylvania native not only earned a spot on Klinsmann’s 23-man Copa roster but should immediately contend for playing time on the wing. Yedlin, 22, has been a regular with the Nats since the World Cup and had a good season at club level, starting the final 13 EPL matches for relegation survivor Sunderland. Striker Bobby Wood (23) is another young player to watch, as the hero of 2015’s historic wins against Germany and the Netherlands buried 17 goals this season for Union Berlin, the third-highest total in the Bundesliga II. Look for Wood to push for a starting position with Altidore injured, as the native Hawaii

U.S. youngsters Wood, Nagbe, Pulisic making their case for a first-team spot

Gyasi Zardes led the lines with a brace as the United States thrashed Bolivia 4-0 in Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Friendly matches often prove to be a fertile breeding ground for false impressions. Teams are experimenting, substitutions are plentiful and what works in one game can lead into a series of blind alleys when the matches really count.Yet it’s difficult to walk away from the United States’ three recent matches and not come to the following conclusion: The kids are ready for the Copa America.You’ve had Bobby Wood either scoring goals or setting them up, at times in an unfamiliar position on the wing. Darlington Nagbe has been a creative force whenever he has entered a match, and in Saturday’s game against Bolivia he set up a goal for Christian Pulisic who, at 17 years and 253 days, became the youngest goal scorer in the modern era of the U.S. men’s national team.Even Gyasi Zardes — whose tepid performance against Ecuador left him out of the feel-good vibe following that 1-0 win — got into the act, scoring twice against La Verde. His first was a composed finish and the second all determination and grit to latch onto Wood’s cross.”I’m trying to grow in confidence,” Zardes said. “Tonight helps a ton, but you can never be satisfied, you always have to keep working.””Kid” is a relative term of course, and only Pulisic really fits that label. Wood is 23, Zardes is 24 and Nagbe will turn 26 next month. Their respective tenures are varied as well, but all seemed poised to have an impact on a side that until recently was looking stale.The emergence of Nagbe and Pulisic in particular is welcome. The U.S. pool seemed bereft of creative types, but now the side has some depth in this area.So is manager Jurgen Klinsmann ready to give that quartet the minutes needed to make an impact in the Copa? He should, and following Friday’s demolition of Bolivia, he sounded like a man who would, but only in appropriate doses. After all, neither Nagbe nor Pulisic has ever started for the U.S.”This is a process and the process is never-ending,” Klinsmann said. “Those first couple of years when you are a pro, it’s a big learning curve. How far this process takes you now into that Copa America, we’ll take it one step at a time.”We put the pieces together the best way that we get the results. But I think over the next couple of weeks, they will get the opportunity to play minutes and leave an impression and push more and more the established players towards their edge, which is their job. That’s normal.”It will be a very intense and interesting next couple of weeks.”The problem, if you can call it that, is that there are more players than there are available places in the lineup.That is down to the 4-3-3 that Klinsmann has settled upon, one that features a three-man midfield composed of Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones and Alejandro Bedoya that is as balanced as any in recent memory.Bradley’s comfort level appears to have skyrocketed now that he’s a dedicated No. 6. Jones is still the havoc-creator, and Bedoya’s craftiness has stepped to the forefront now that he’s in a more central role than he has occupied in the past. It’s a trio that looks best equipped to deal with Colombia’s array of attacking talents like James Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado, while also keeping Los Cafeteros honest on the defensive end.That reality looks set to leave Nagbe as the odd man out, but his ability to come off the bench and influence matters in the past two matches was impressive — especially against Ecuador — and it seems likely tat the U.S. will need to him to fill that role at some point during the tournament. He could be a powerful substitute card for Klinsmann to play.There is a bit more wiggle room as it relates to the three forward spots, and Wood, Zardes and Pulisic are all in contention along with Graham Zusi and Clint Dempsey.Zardes’ speed is a distinctive quality in this group, though Wood has revealed a quick burst that allows him to get separation from defenders off the dribble. Pulisic has shown off the skills befitting a player who has played attacking midfield most of his life. It seems a certainty that the likes of Wood, Zardes and Pulisic will see the field to varying degrees.It raises a question of just how vulnerable Dempsey’s place in the lineup is. Granted, his spot still feels safe at the moment, and Dempsey was far more involved in the attack against Bolivia than he was against Ecuador. He had a hockey assist in the buildup to Zardes’ first goal, connecting with Bedoya who then released the speedster.But Dempsey hasn’t always looked comfortable in the three-forward alignment Klinsmann has adopted, and Wood seems more so given that he played in that system at times last season with Union Berlin. They are different players to be sure — Dempsey has the greater level of creativity – but it will be interesting to see how Klinsmann’s thinking in this area evolves as the tournament progresses.For his part, Wood is eager to keep contributing.”I think it’s time for a lot of the younger players to step up,” he said. “It’s a new cycle, and I think we’re all ready. We just have to find a good mixture of the veterans and the younger players, and I think we’ve been doing that pretty well.”The positive impressions are there. The upcoming weeks will reveal just how real they are.Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @JeffreyCarlisle.

Copa America Group A: Colombia, Costa Rica the teams to beat

The Copa America is set to kick off, with Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay and hosts the United States getting things underway. Here is what to expect.

Overview

Arguably the most difficult group of the four, each match in Group A should be tense and hotly contested. Following up on their dazzling display in Brazil at the 2014 World Cup, Colombia should be considered the favorite to win the group with James Rodriguez leading the way. They will be joined by fellow CONMEBOL nation Paraguay, who performed well in the last two editions of the Copa America, reaching the final in 2011 and the semifinals last summer in Chile. They will also be joined by CONCACAF’s Costa Rica and the host nation United States. Costa Rica’s remarkable era continues under new coach Oscar Ramirez, while Jurgen Klinsmann is in need of a positive display after a disastrous 2015 to placate a disgruntled U.S. fan base.

Must-see game: Colombia vs. Paraguay

These two CONMEBOL nations know each other quite well and the tactical battle between Argentine coaches Jose Pekerman and Ramon Diaz should be fascinating. In addition to James, Colombia boast attack-happy Juan Cuadrado and Carlos Bacca, but they will have their work cut out for them against Paraguay. Traditionally stout in defense, there is enough up top to make the Paraguayan counterattack a lethal one, with Derlis Gonzalez the pick of the litter. Liga MX fans will recognize the names in the back as well; Toluca’s Paulo da Silva and Club America duo Miguel Samudio and Pablo Aguilar will be tasked with halting Colombia’s high-flyers.

Key player: James Rodriguez, Colombia

Yes, it is the obvious pick but this is a huge tournament for the Colombian playmaker. The 2015-16 season has been a rough one at Real Madrid, as he has largely been kept on the bench under Zinedine Zidane. With rumors of a move this summer, including a potential transfer to Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United, James will be keen to spearhead Colombia in attack and show clubs around Europe that he is worth the substantial price tag. James has often mentioned how “supported” he feels when playing for Colombia, and there will certainly be no shortage of backing when they take the field on June 3 against the U.S. in Santa Clara.

Dark horse team: Costa Rica

Oscar Ramirez has his team just where he wants them: under the radar. From back to front, the squad is largely made up of players who feature in Europe’s biggest leagues, with a sprinkling of Major League Soccer and Costa Rica’s domestic league as well. Simply put, the Ticos won’t be afraid of anyone, as was the case two years ago in Brazil. Joel Campbell is a handful for any defense, and Real Madrid’s Keylor Navas, arguably the best goalkeeper at the Copa America, will be in net. Even though Ramirez lacks experience on the international stage, his tactical acumen is impressive, evidenced by his guiding Alajuelense to two straight CONCACAF Champions League semifinals in 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Prediction: 1. Colombia, 2. Costa Rica, 3. Paraguay, 4. United States

Colombia’s talent, combined with the experience and savvy of head coach Jose Pekerman, gives Los Cafeteros the edge in this competitive group. After a disappointing quarterfinal exit in penalties to Argentina at the 2015 Copa, Colombia will be eager to show that Brazil 2014 was not a one-off. Costa Rica and Paraguay will battle for the second spot, and when push comes to shove, the Central Americans will have enough to finish above the Guarani.Perhaps it might have been different for Paraguay, but the unfortunate injury to key midfielder Nestor Ortigoza will see Ramon Diaz’s men on the outside looking in, as his absence will be felt both during the run of play and from the penalty spot. The play of the U.S. in the last 18 months does nothing to suggest that Jurgen Klinsmann’s men will advance. This will be a rough tournament for the hosts.

Copa America Group D: Argentina and Chile face off in 2015 final rematch

The Copa America is set to kick off, and Group D featuring Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Panama is high up on everyone’s lists of games to watch. Here is what to expect.

Group D is all about the three R’s: repeat, revenge and recognition. The first applies to Chile, the 2015 Copa America champions who will look to back up their home triumph with a second consecutive title.The second is for Argentina, the team Chile defeated in penalties en route to winning the 2015 championship. La Albiceleste are desperate to rid themselves of ghosts in tournaments past and validate the international career of their shining star and greatest-ever player, Lionel Messi. The five-time FIFA Ballon d’Or winner is recognized around the globe as a phenomenal talent, but the dominant storyline continues to be his inability to win a major international title with Argentina. Their 2015 Copa America final loss came on the heels of defeat in the 2014 World Cup final, so 2016 represents a chance to break the streak and finally put to rest the notion that Messi doesn’t stand up to the test of time in a head-to-head against Diego Maradona.

The third and final word applies to Bolivia and Panama, both of whom will be eager to earn the respect of the rest of the soccer world despite not being able to challenge for a spot in the knockout rounds.

Must-see game: Argentina vs. Chile

When it comes to must-see games, this one tops not only the group but the tournament table. A rematch between last year’s Copa America finalists, La Albiceleste and La Roja will face off in their respective opening-group stage games on June 6 in Santa Clara, California. If last year’s final is any indication of what’s to come, we can expect an electric, end-to-end affair with plenty of chances for both teams, and plenty of excellent saves from Chile’s Claudio Bravo and Argentina’s Sergio Romero.

The talent on display makes this match worth watching, regardless of the end result. Gerardo Martino’s Argentina boasts not only Messi, but Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria and Javier Pastore, among other exceptional players. Chile’s title defense is led by the likes of Arturo Vidal, Alexis Sanchez and Gary Medel.

The last time the two teams played was in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying, a match in which Argentina exacted a small measure of revenge with a 2-1 away win in Santiago.

Key player: Lionel Messi, Argentina

You couldn’t have possibly expected anyone else, right? Not only was Messi’s inclusion in the Argentina squad good news for the country’s chances, it was a godsend for tournament organizers and fans alike. Messi will be the star of the show, and could reach new levels of fame in the United States should his team produce the results they are capable of.

Argentina shouldn’t have any problems advancing out of the group, but all eyes will be focused on how much Messi can contribute to the cause. He has never been as comfortable playing for his country as he is with his club, so fans expecting to see the type of magic he delivers in Europe might be somewhat disappointed. Still, the talent is always there, and Messi can produce moments of pure genius out of nowhere. If Argentina hope to win the tournament, they’ll want to do it with Messi leading the way; it’ll surely make their job a lot easier, and maybe even help to combat some of the scrutiny the star faces at home.

Dark horse: Panama

If any team is capable of spoiling the party and barring one of the 2015 finalists from advancing, it’s CONCACAF competitor Panama. Los Canaleroscount among their greatest assets a resolve and defensive organization that can cause confusion for opponents who prefer intricate build-up play. Their physicality has the potential to play a role in any upset they produce; they’re no strangers to hard-fought contests and don’t shy away from disciplinary action.

The team is aging — Felipe Baloy (35 years old), Blas Perez (35) and Luis Tejada (34) — but what they lack in youth, they more than make up for in quality goalkeeping from veteran Jaime Penedo and a penchant for punching above their weight as a unit. This isn’t the Panama that threatened to break into the CONCACAF elite a few years back, but on the right day and facing opponents that perhaps underestimate their strengths, they could pull off an upset and turn Group D on its head.

Prediction: 1. Argentina, 2. Chile, 3. Panama, 4. Bolivia

Jason Davis is a writer from Virginia covering American soccer.

Earn Your College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

5/26/16 Champ League Final Sat 2:45 Fox, US vs Boliva Sat 8 pm FS1, Indy 11 into 2nd, TV games

May 25, 2016May 26, 2016 gatorbest

OK folks – first a Fantastic Indy 11 4-2 win at home over 1^st Place Minn United, then a nice 3-1 win by the US, and now its time to get ready for Saturday’s Champions League Final between Real and Atletico Madrid at 2:45 pm Sat on Fox, and the US playing its final warm up game before the COPA Sat Night 8 pm on Fox Sports 1 vs Bolivia at 8 pm. Atletico have not lost to Real in the past six league meetings, though they were edged out 1-0 in the quarterfinals of the Champions League last season. All in all, it’s bound to be close but Atletico have the belief and desire to edge it. Bet365 make them 6/4 to win in 90 minutes and 11/10 to win the trophy. As for the US – NOW IT’S REAL FOLKS. We had that nice, little kick-a-bout with Equador in a 1-0 bout, but now it’s time for real Copa America Centenario preparations. In just 10, TEN days the whole Copa thing kicks off. Wow.

So in 3 days we face another solid South American side in Bolivia in preparation for our matches against Colombia (6/3), Costa Rica (6/7), and Paraguay (6/11).

First up a solid win over an Ecuador squad that currently sit in second place in CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying defeating Argentina and Uruguay last year and drawing 2-2 with and losing 2-1 to our Copa group mates Paraguay and Colombia, respectively so far in 2016. They also dispatched Mexico in the 2015 edition of Copa. Our roster is chalk full of experience with 15 of the 23 roster additions having travelled to Brazil for Jurgen Klinsmann. Coach JK made it known that Brad Guzan will man the pipes during this tournament. Polar Bear is 11-4-4 wearing the crest. Old standbys like Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones (who’s having an electric season for the league-leading Colorado Rapids) will be asked to guide the youngsters that hopefully will pay a pivotal role not only this summer, but in World Cup Qualifying between this fall and Russia. Hopefully with the inclusion of creative MF Darlington Nagbe, Bobby Wood and Christian Pulisic along with a solid nucleus joining through this summer we’ll see where U.S. Soccer stands with the heavy-weights of North and South America.

U.S. Roster by Position:

GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), 12-Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), 22-Ethan Horvath (Molde IK)

DEFENDERS (8): 5-Matt Besler (Sporting KC), 3-Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), 6-John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), 20-Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), 21-Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), 23-Fabian Johnson (Borussia Moenchengladbach), 14-Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), 2-DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur)

MIDFIELDERS/FORWARDS (12): 15-Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), 11-Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), 4-Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), 8-Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), 13-Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), 16-Perry Kitchen (Heart of Midlothian), 10-Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), 17-Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), 18-Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), 7-Bobby Wood (Hamburg SV), 20-Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy), 19-Graham Zusi (Sporting KC)

How Coach Shane would start the first Game vs Columbia

Woods/Dempsey

Pulisic/Nagbe/Bedoya

Bradley

Johnson/Brooks/Cameron or Besler/Yedlin (if Cameron is still hurt)

Guzan

This is a soccer nation. Pack the stadiums (Including Chicago’s Soldier Field where a # of tickets are still available), pack your AO bars, pack your living rooms. Time to show the rest of the world what American soccer fans can do. Also GOALKEEPERS – don’t forget Coach Carla Baker’s Goalkeeping Camp starts next week Post2Post GOALKEEPER – Soccer Camp – May 31-June 3 – 9 am till 3 pm.

Post2Post GOALKEEPER – Soccer Camp – May 31-June 3 – 9 am till 3 pm

CFC and Carmel High Coach Carla Baker – former National Team Goalie for Canada will run her annual GK camp May 31-June 3 9 am to 3 pm $195 each @ Badger Field

Messi Video

2 TICKETS TO SEE MESSI and ARGENTINA Play LIVE – Soldier Field Chicago – June 10 8:30 pm

So I have 2 tickets to the COPA AMERICA Argentina Game on Friday night, June 10 8:30 pm (Central Time) in Chicago – Soldier Field. Tickets just $75 each (face value w/o the fees). Reach out if interested in watching Messi, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria, Javier Mascherano and the rest of the World Cup runners-up as they face Panama in a critical group stage game. Re: or email shanebestsoccer@gmail.com

I also have 2 Tickets to the USA vs Costa Rica Game June 7 8 pm– just $80 each. Join us on the drive over if you like.

MUST SEE GAMES ON TV

Sat, May 28

2:45 pm FOX Champions League Final REAL MADRID vs ATLETICO MADRID – the battle for top club team in the World

5:30 pm FS1 Mexico vs Paraguay

7 pm ESPN3 Indy 11 @ Jacksonville Armada

8 pm FS1 United States men vs. Bolivia, friendly – nice match up last one before the COPA

Thurs, June 2

2:45 pm FS1 England vs Portugal England vs Renaldo

9 pm FS 1 US Ladies vs Japan – US faces their rivals Japan at home.

Fri, June 3 COPA AMERICA 100 STARTS

9:30 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Columbia

Sat, June 4

5 pm Fox COPA Costa Rica vs Paraguay

8 pm TV 8, ESPN3 Indy 11 @ Miami

10 pm FS 1 COPA Brazil vs Ecuador

Sun, June 5

12:30 pm ESPN2 US Ladies vs Japan

5 pm Fox COPA – Jamaica vs Venezuela

7 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

Mon, June 6

7 pm FS1 COPA – Panama vs Bolivia

10 pm FS1 COPA – Argentina vs Chile

Tues, June 7

8 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Costa Rica – Solider Field – Tix Available!

10 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

Fri, June 10 European Cup Starts

3 pm ESPN France vs Romania

ATP_Gen_350x250

Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

Carmel FC Travel Soccer Tryouts for 2016-2017 teams begin June 7th! CLICK HERE to register

Soccer Camps – Boys and Girls -Ages 6 – 14

Ok so its almost Summer Camp time – below are some nice options for Soccer Camps this summer

Post2Post GOALKEEPER – Soccer Camp – May 31-June 3 – 9 am till 3 pm

CFC and Carmel High Coach Carla Baker – former National Team Goalie for Canada will run her annual GK camp June 1-4 9 am to 3 pm $195 each @ Badger Field

Indy 11 Soccer Camp June 20-23 — 9 am till 12 noon Ages 5-14 $135 @ Badger Fields

Kick in the Grass – 3 v 3 Soccer Tour at Badger Field July 9^th

Goal2Gol Soccer Camp
CHS Men’s Head Coach Shane Schmidt, a former U-20 US National Team player, runs his annual camp from 9 am to 2 pm July 11-16. $150 before 6/30 @ River Road Fields.

USA

Super Subs Nagbe, Woods and Pulisic star – Player Ratings

Nagbe makes Case to be Starting for US

US Wins 1-0 over Ecuador but lots to Improve on –ESPN FC

US gets uplifting Win over Ecuador – SI

US a Real Opportunity at home in COPA –ESPN FC

US and Klinnsman have Things to Prove

US Aims for Final 4 in COPA

Puzzling Decisions on US roster McIntyre =EPSNFC

Figuring out the Roster Decisions –Peter Nolan Got Soccer

US roster Announced for COPA – SI

Roster Decisions are Baffling

Guzan and Howard continue to push each other – ESPN FC McIntyre

Yedlin, Wood and Arriola Impress in US 3-1 win over PR –JD ESPN FC

International Friendlies recap EAPN

Emerson Hyndman – Coming of Age

Altidore and Bradley hope to Soar at Club and for Country –

Champions League

Champ League Quiz

Atletico can make History

Diego Simeone’s Alchemy keeps Athletico in contention

Real’s Talent poised to decide Final Result

INDY 11 –

Goal Party and Move to 2^nd Overall in NASL – Aaron Gunyon Permanent Relegation

3 Things – Indy 11 Win over Min United

Indy 11 Win 4-2

Indy 11 to play US Open Cup vs Louisville FC June 1- next home game

Peter Wilt GM – The Exit Interview

National Attendance Figures for Soccer had Indy 11 12^th for the weekend

MLS

MLS Power Rankings

MisMatches and Drama of Rivalry Week

Pirlo – too much running too little skill in MLS

COPA

READ/WATCH: Sports Illustrated Longform: Lionel Messi, in his own words

Dos Santos Refuses Mexico Spot – Chicarito Returns SI

ALL GAMES ON TV THIS MONTH

8 pm ESPN2 United States men vs. Ecuador, international friendly

Thur, May 26

11 am beIN Sport Bulgaria vs Mali Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

1:30 pm beIn Sport France vs Czech Republic Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

Fri, May 27

11 am beIN Sport Japan vs England Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

1:30 pm beIn Sport Portugal vs Paraguay Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

Sat, May 28

12:30 pm beIN Sport Sheffield Wed vs Hull City or Derby County – winner joins EPL next season

10:15 am ESPN2 Swisterzland vs Belgium Friendly

2:45 pm FOX Champions League Final REAL MADRID vs ATLETICO MADRID

5:30 pm FS1 Mexico vs Paraguay

7 pm ESPN3 Indy 11 @ Jacksonville Armada

8 pm FS1 United States men vs. Bolivia, international friendly

Sun, May 29

4 pm ESPN NYCFC vs Orlando City

Wed, June 1

9 pm ESPN2 Belgium vs Finland

Thurs, June 2

2:45 pm FS1 England vs Portugal

9 pm FS 1 US Ladies vs Japan

Fri, June 3 COPA AMERICA 100 STARTS

9:30 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Columbia

Sat, June 4

12 noon ESPN3 Spain vs Bosnia

5 pm Fox COPA Costa Rica vs Paraguay

7:30 pm FS2 COPA Haita vs Peru

8 pm TV 8, ESPN3 Indy 11 @ Miami

10 pm FS 1 COPA Brazil vs Ecuador

Sun, June 5

12 noon ESPN3 Spain vs Bosnia

12:30 pm ESPN2 US Ladies vs Japan

2:45 pm ESPN 3 Italy vs Scotland

5 pm Fox COPA – Jamaica vs Venezuela

7 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

Mon, June 6

7 pm FS1 COPA – Panama vs Bolivia

10 pm FS1 COPA – Argentina vs Chile

Tues, June 7

8 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Costa Rica – Solider Field – Tix Available!

10 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

10 European Cup Starts

3 pm ESPN France vs Romania

Sat, June 11

9 am ESPN EURO – Albania vs Switzerland

12 noon ESPN EURO – Wales vs Slovakia

3 pm ESPN EURO – England vs Russia

7 pm Fox Sport1 USA vs Paraguay

9 pm FS2 COPA – Columbia vs Costa Rica

MLS TV Schedule -on break June 3-17 for COPA

Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

COPA AMERICA 100 –GAMES IN CHICAGO – still seats left for USA Game , Argentina game and Semi-Finals.

International Champions Cup – ICC – @ Chicago – Bayern Munich vs AC Milan Soldier Field Wed 7/27 @ 8 pm Tix still available $35 to $135

Real Madrid’s talent poised to decide Champions League final vs. Atletico

tletico will win, say most neutral coaches around Europe.Atletico deserve to win, several unbiased football players from around the globe.Football — that fair sport specialised in meting out justice — owes Atletico a Champions League title, say the most experienced soccer journalists.Atletico have defeated Barcelona and Bayern, which in itself should be enough to grant them the trophy, add many other neutrals — including, of course, the vast majority of Barcelona and Bayern fans.There are at least five ways in which Atletico can win, adds a knowledgeable blogger in this prestigious media outlet.Since the 2014 Champions League final, Atletico own Real Madrid, adds an undoubtedly fact-based writer of this site.Not convinced by the overwhelming amount of evidence? Even high-profile neutrals, such as Gerardo Martino and Gianluigi Buffon have publicly stated their preference for Atletico. “If sporting justice exists, Atletico de Madrid will win the final”, declared Buffon.To add insult to injury, one of our own writes in this same blog that this Real Madrid win would be Real Madrid’s most impressive ever, as though all 10 previous titles were pieces of cake when compared to an unlikely victory over this mighty version of Atletico. Alfredo di Stefano must be turning in his grave.No more examples seem necessary to prove the point: since it became a fact that two teams from Madrid would play the Champions League final, public opinion has heavily leaned towards Atletico. Apparently, a Real Madrid win would represent the victory of evil over good, of money over hard work and dedication, of amazing luck in the draw over the toughest sequence of opponents since Denmark in 1992. Real Madrid are incarnated by Florentino Perez, buyers of talent at the highest price, while Atletico’s face is Diego Simeone, an agent of transformation that has turned an underperforming bunch of players into a team that excels in every item possibly measured.Such a sequence of unfavourable statements towards his club, coupled with the general atmosphere in favour of Atletico, has probably prompted Gareth Bale to try to bring the footballing world back to reality: “For me, no Atletico player would feature in Real Madrid’s team,” he declared on Wednesday afternoon. The touch of self-assurance or perhaps even arrogance is obviously there, a sign that proves that the Welshman has finally found the Madridista inside himself. Welcome, Gareth.And maybe he’s right. While equitable players, coaches and romantics run towards Atletico’s corner to declare their love for their blue-collar approach to football and their impressive ability to defend, most bookies still favour Real Madrid. The odds for the Madridistas to win (around 2.4 to 1 a few days before the match) are clearly lower than those for the Atleticos (3.2 to 1).Unless we’re discussing one of those promotions that betting houses run once in a while to get you over the fence to their — extremely profitable — playground, bookies rarely make mistakes in matches like this. If they give lower odds for Real Madrid to win, maybe there’s a rationale behind it.History obviously plays a part. The fact that Real Madrid have won 10 titles to Atletico’s zero must count to some extent. But, back to Bale’s point, there’s a more relevant reason for the men in white to be considered favourites to win the final: their squad.For the first time this season, manager Zinedine Zidane has been able to field his preferred starting XI for four consecutive weeks, with Raphael Varane the only major injury in the last month.Surprising as it sounds, differing line-ups — of course, with extremely talented substitutes — have been able to take the team to this late stage of the year. For instance, Bale has not played a single minute against Atletico this season. On the other hand, Isco, Varane and a combination of Danilo and Alvaro Arbeloa have played more than 300 minutes in the two La Liga matches between Real Madrid and their Rojiblanco neighbours. At this point, these players have become second or third-string choices for Zidane. One does not need to be a Real Madrid fanatic to think that, not only have the starters have found health at the right time of the season, but also that Zidane’s line-up has clicked when it matters most. One would dare to say that Atletico have not faced a Real Madrid this well-organised, this disciplined and this dangerous in front of the opposition’s goal in the last couple of seasons.Of course, a Champions League final depends on details, and this Atletico excels at taking care of every single issue that might work on their favour. But finals also rest heavily on talent and experience, and in this regard Zidane can look at his starting XI and, at least, feel confident that perhaps football won’t be as fair as everyone else expects on Saturday evening.Eduardo is a football analyst for ESPN FC,

Super-subs Darlington Nagbe, Christian Pulisic shine for the U.S.

A late goal from Darlington Nagbe sealed a narrow 1-0 win for the United States over Ecuador. In what proved to be a relatively low-energy warm-up friendly for the Copa America, the United States got a late goal from substitute Darlington Nagbe to beat Ecuador 1-0 in Frisco, Texas.The first half was mostly controlled by the visitors, though Ecuador never turned their advantage into real threats on goal.The second half belonged to the U.S., thanks to a couple of substitutions that not only gave the Americans energy, but provided some tactical advantages they lacked with the starting lineup. Player ratings (1-10; 10=best; players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Brad Guzan, 7.5 — Despite Ecuador controlling the game in the first half, Guzan didn’t face much action. The Aston Villa keeper was not required to make a save all day, with his work limited to a few decisions to come out early.

DF Fabian Johnson, 7 — Limited to a mostly defensive day until the match opened up towards the last 30 minutes. Johnson was good in possession, defended well, but missed out on a few chances to be involved in the attack.

DF Steve Birnbaum, 7 — Birnbaum showed significant nerves in the early throes of the match, but improved mightily as the game went along. He mis-measured a few passes, but was at least trying to keep the ball on the deck. Disrupted Enner Valencia with time running down to save the win.

DF John Brooks, 7 — For every good action, Brooks made a simple mistake or questionable decision, especially in the first half. Intervened with late challenges more than once, however, that helped keep the clean sheet.

DF DeAndre Yedlin, 6.5 — Battled with Jefferson Montero admirably in the first half, though he was beaten a handful of times. The 22-year-old was caught upfield a few times and had to be bailed out by midfielders behind him. Had a good moment or two going forward.

MF Kyle Beckerman, 5 — Part of a very ineffective midfield that had trouble pushing the ball through the middle. Made a few critical interventions, otherwise pedestrian at best.

MF Michael Bradley, 6 — Struggled to control play and help keep possession in the first half. Bradley was better after half-time when substitutions pushed him deeper. Connected well with Nagbe especially moving the ball from back to front.

MF Jermaine Jones, 5.5 — Jones will share a lot of the blame for the dysfunctional dynamic in the channel he manned in front of Birnbaum, but did manage to provide some crucial interventions. Picked up a professional yellow covering for Yedlin.

FW Gyasi Zardes, 4 — It was another night of bad touches and questionable decisions for the LA Galaxy forward. Zardes wasted the one good chance the U.S. created in the first half.

FW Clint Dempsey, 5.5 — Deuce hardly touched the ball in the first half as the U.S. struggled to function in possession. Dropped deep to try and gain some influence, but was unable to bring much to the table.

FW Graham Zusi, 5 — Did nothing particularly noteworthy other than a run late in the that resulted in a ball across the face of goal. Turned the ball over too often.

FW Bobby Wood, 8 — Provided an outlet that was clearly lacking in the first half. Worked tirelessly to make runs and push the ball towards the Ecuador goal. Set up Nagbe for the American winner with a header in the box.

MF Darlington Nagbe, 8 — Made a night-and-day difference in the midfield with his speed of thought and ability to play the ball into space quickly and with purpose. Nagbe scored the winning goal by hanging around the box, and he deserved it on balance.

MF Christian Pulisic, 7.5 — The 17-year-old did not look out of his element in the slightest. Excellent on the ball, showed soccer smarts with his choices from a wide left position. Helped close out the game with excellent possession play.

MF Alejandro Bedoya, 6.5 — Had a few nice moments in just under 30 minutes, though Bedoya did turn the ball over with simple mistakes at least twice. Improved the midfield with a willingness to work back to the ball.

DF Matt Besler, NR — Besler handled himself well enough in a cameo, helping to see out the clean sheet and the victory. Professional job.

DF Michael Orozco NR — Did not have enough time to make an impression as the Americans dealt with a few final Ecuadorian forays.Jason Davis is a writer from Virginia covering American soccer

U.S. can take confidence from Ecuador win, but there’s room for improvement

FRISCO, Texas — Here are three quick thoughts after the U.S. beat Ecuador 1-0 on substitute Darlington Nagbe’s 90th-minute goal at Toyota Stadium in the national team’s penultimate pre-Copa America friendly. Jurgen Klinsmann’s team will meet Bolivia on Saturday in Kansas City in its last preparation game before kicking off the tournament on June 3 against Colombia.

This game looked like a friendly

For all the talk about how taking on South American foes Ecuador and Bolivia in the final two tune-ups would provide just the tough, highly physical tests the hosts need to get ready for first-round opponents Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay, Wednesday’s game was surprisingly lifeless.Perhaps it was the Texas heat; temperatures hovered in the mid-80s at kickoff, and it was unusually muggy in the Dallas area. Or perhaps both teams were easing into the tournament and saving their best for June. Either way, a beautiful game it was not. Both teams combined for little attacking play. They had combined for an amazing one shot on target before Nagbe, off a broken play, sent his winner past Esteban Dreer. Even so, it’s a confidence-boosting result. The Americans defended well, to be sure. But while they were better going forward in a second half that had more intensity from both teams, they have plenty of room to improve their sharpness and cohesion in Saturday’s match before the games that matter get underway.

Brooks excels at the back

Nobody questions the 23-year-old center-back’s pedigree, but Brooks struggled mightily in last summer’s Gold Cup. Although he is coming off the best of his three years in the Bundesliga with Hertha Berlin, he has been worryingly injury-prone for such a young player. As such, the questions heading into this summer are: Can Brooks stay healthy? And can he take the next step?So far, so good. Three days after he played the first half against Puerto Rico, Brooks played 77 minutes and was probably the best American on the field Wednesday. He put out several fires in the opening 45 minutes against Ecuador and showed off his growing composure and maturity.He is not yet a finished product — in an interview this week with ESPN’s Taylor Twellman, Klinsmann said that Brooks, among other things, must become less reactive — but if he can take the next step in his development during the Copa America, it will be a huge boost to the Americans’ chances of making a deep run.

Johnson’s unexpected return huge for the U.S.

Another injury-plagued German-American, Fabian Johnson, arrived in camp last week nursing the groin injury that prevented him from playing in Borussia Monchengladbach’s final three games of the Bundesliga season or joining his American teammates for the trip to Puerto Rico. For Johnson, the country’s most complete player, to be able to not just play Wednesday but also start and not just start but also go the entire 90 minutes is an enormously positive development for the U.S., given the all-world competition the team will face in June.The news is even better for the hosts, considering the dearth of other even serviceable options at left-back and the fact that Geoff Cameron, aother key defender, was forced to sit out against Ecuador because of a lingering hamstring injury.

Options for Copa America emerge in USA’s uplifting win over Ecuador

USMNT enters Copa America with reasons for optimism

BY BRIAN STRAUSADD FAVORITETwitter EmailPosted: Thu May 26, 2016

Jurgen Klinsmann has preached proactive soccer but for the most part, his U.S. team has failed to deliver—even when it’s managed to get good results. On Wednesday night in Frisco, Texas, the Americans stepped up their preparation for next month’s Copa América Centenario with an exhibition against Ecuador that showcased both the pragmatic style to which Klinsmann has often resorted and the high-pressure, attacking soccer for which he’s hoped.After grinding the game to a halt in the first half, the U.S. rode the energy of super subs Darlington Nagbe (the goal scorer), Bobby Wood and Christian Pulisic to a 1–0 win that was only its third triumph in 13 all-time meetings with Ecuador. The visitors were missing the likes of Antonio Valencia and Michael Arroyo, but still fielded the majority of the men who are expected to start in June.It was an uplifting result for the U.S., which has had close to its full complement of Copa players for only a few days. The Americans will meet Bolivia in Kansas City on Saturday before heading to the Bay Area for the Copa América opener against Colombia on June 3.Here are three thoughts from Wednesday’s win:

After a slow start, possession and Nagbe make the difference

Like many friendlies, Wednesday’s was altered dramatically by the second-half substitutes. Nagbe, Wood and Pulisic entered the game with a combined 23 senior caps (Wood had 17 of them) but each boasts speed, skill and the ability to create in the offensive third. The U.S. was barely able to find the Ecuador penalty area in the first half but enjoyed several dangerous forays in the second thanks to increased possession and the attacking menace offered by the three subs.

In the second half, with Wood and Nagbe in the game and Michael Bradley retreating to a more defensive position from where he could see the field and pick out passes, the U.S. enjoyed a 55%–45% possession advantage and 87% pass completion rate. In the first 45 minutes, Ecuador owned possession by the same margin, and the Americans’ completion percentage was eight points lower, according to ESPN.Clint Dempsey, isolated in the first half, plays better alongside or underneath a second forward. Nagbe replaced Kyle Beckerman, allowing Bradley to shift back, and Wood came in for Gyasi Zardes. The new Hamburg signing proved to be an instant upgrade in decision-making and technique. Possession creates chances. A floating Bradley cross in the 47th minute just missed three U.S. teammates, Jermaine Jones forced a save in the 59th and then Dempsey and Bradley came close a minute later.Finally, in the 90th, after Pulisic had replaced Dempsey and done some wonderful work on the left, Nagbe tallied his first international goal. DeAndre Yedlin got things started with a cross from the right. Wood knocked the ensuing clearance over to Nagbe, who chested the ball down and scored with a half volley. The U.S. dominated following the first-half stalemate, deserved the win and can be increasingly confident that some of its newer players have what it takes to make an impact next month.

Recipe for a result against Colombia

There is, of course, a potential downside to opening up the game.On paper, Colombia presents the toughest test, by some distance, on the Americans’ Copa schedule. Ranked fourth by FIFA, Colombia boasts world-class attackers like James Rodríguez, Juan Cuadrado and Carlos Bacca and manhandled the U.S. in a November 2014 friendly. Getting off to a good start in group play is important. Avoiding a heavy, demoralizing defeat is even more so.Klinsmann started Wednesday’s game against a talented Ecuador side with a formation that put the contest on lockdown. It was tedious, occasionally feisty and tough to watch. And if the U.S. wants to stay conservative and play for a draw against Colombia and then look to advance with good results in its next two games, Wednesday’s starting lineup may be just the answer.For the first time since the 2014 World Cup, the U.S. played with a three-man midfield comprising Beckerman, Bradley and Jones. The only space Ecuador could carve out was through Jefferson Montero on the left flank. But Yedlin, now Klinsmann’s clear first choice at right back, stood toe-to-toe with the Swansea City winger as the Americans held the visitors to only one shot.The U.S. had nothing going forward. Dempsey isn’t a target striker and was nowhere to be found. He had only 10 touches in the first half. Zardes struggled and right forward Graham Zusi was solid but not dynamic enough to make much of a difference as the Americans could barely cross midfield. But the U.S. defense never really came close to breaking. Goalkeeper Brad Guzan made a couple of good decisions early and Montero did get one or two looks, but for the most part the visitors were stifled and silenced. They had the ball but didn’t do a whole lot with it.Could the U.S., with one or two tweaks up front, go 90 minutes against Colombia with that midfield trio and a solid back four? A draw would put Klinsmann’s team in good position. It would be unwatchable, but could get the job done.

Copa lineup clues emerge

There have been so many questions concerning the U.S. back four, but it seems that most of them have been answered more than a week before the Copa kicks off. Yedlin’s defensive improvement is obvious, and the groin injury that kept Fabian Johnson off the field for a month obviously has healed. He went 90 minutes on Wednesday.John Brooks was imperious in front of Guzan and while Steve Birnbaum had a couple of shaky moments in the first half, he’s unlikely to start over a healthy Geoff Cameron. The Stoke City defender missed the Ecuador game while he recovers from a hamstring injury.If Klinsmann decides that the midfield lockdown isn’t the answer against Colombia, then Bradley clearly demonstrated his comfort and efficacy as a No. 6. He plays there for Toronto FC, and it appears that Klinsmann’s effort to turn his captain into a No. 10 finally may be over. And even though Nagbe typically is more dangerous in a central role, his touch and vision are so superior to Zardes’s that it now seems foolish to omit the Portland star. And don’t worry about Nagbe’s bite. He can defend and create turnovers as well.Klinsmann likes options, and he now has them. He can shut a game down or open it up. In Nagbe, Wood and Pulisic, Klinsmann has players who want to play the sort of proactive soccer he promised five years ago. And they made a case for a significant role next month. It’ll now be down to the manager to make the right choices.

Klinsmann calls Pulisic, omits Morris for USA’s Copa America team

BY AVI CREDITORADD FAVORITEEPosted: Sat May 21, 2016Updated: Sun May 22, 2016

U.S. men’s national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann has lifted the lid on a couple of notable developments ahead of Copa America Centenario: Jordan Morris will not be on this summer’s squad, while Brad Guzan will be his No. 1 goalkeeper.The U.S. released its final 23-man roster on Saturday, with 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund rising talent Christian Pulisic making the squad, but the 21-year-old Morris missing out. An otherwise established core of veterans will take onColombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay in group play at next month’s competition.Klinsmann has turned to 15 players from his 2014 World Cup squad, including captain Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Jermaine Jones, Geoff Cameron, Kyle Beckerman, Tim Howard, Brad Guzan and Alejandro Bedoya. Guzan will be Klinsmann’s starter this summer, according to U.S. Soccer, with Howard and 20-year-old Ethan Horvath backing him up. It marks Horvath’s first senior national team camp.Just 10 of the 23 are with the team in its current “transition camp,” which concludes Sunday afternoon with a friendly at Puerto Rico before the full Copa team gathers together.Here is the USA’s Copa America roster, followed by some initial thoughts on the 23-man team and some of the 17 omissions from the preliminary roster:

GOALKEEPERS: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), Ethan Horvath (Molde IK)

DEFENDERS: Matt Besler (Sporting KC), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler WHYYY??? (Eintracht Frankfurt), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana) WHYYYYYY??? , DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham)

MIDFIELDERS/FORWARDS: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (FC Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), Perry Kitchen (Heart of Midlothian), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Bobby Wood (Hamburg SV), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy), Graham Zusi (Sporting KC)

OMITTED, ON PRELIMINARY ROSTER (and available in event of injury up to 24 hours before the opening match)

GOALKEEPERS: David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS: Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Ventura Alvarado (America), Edgar Castillo (Monterrey), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest), Matt Miazga (Chelsea), Tim Ream (Fulham)

MIDFIELDERS: Mix Diskerud (NYCFC), Alfredo Morales (FC Ingolstadt), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution), Danny Williams (Reading)

FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC – out 6-8 weeks with a hamstring injury), Ethan Finlay (Columbus Crew SC), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders)

Finally, three thoughts on Klinsmann’s selections:

The omission of Morris is a stunner

After a slow start to his MLS career, Morris has rounded into form with four goals and an assist in his last five games. Given Klinsmann’s affinity for him and his skill set, fearlessness and productivity prior to his professional days, one would’ve thought that his recent scoring outburst in MLS would’ve had him safely in the final 23. Instead, it appears that Wondolowski, whose seven goals are one off the MLS lead, has beaten him for the final forward place.Did Morris’s decision to choose Seattle and MLS over Werder Bremen play into this at all? Nobody knows that except Klinsmann, but the fact that he chose a veteran MLS forward would dispute that narrative emphatically.Klinsmann loves Wondolowski’s selfless nature, experience and ability to carve out chances in dangerous areas, but if there’s one roster debate that will drive many fans wild, it’s this one.MORE: Full list of Copa America Centenario final rosters “We believe that players really played their way into that roster, and it’s difficult,” Klinsmann said in comments released by U.S. Soccer. “There are some situations that probably the fans will now discuss. Why not Jordan Morris and Wondo is in there? Well, because Wondo proves all the time that he’s just is so hungry for goals, and Jordan is on his way through the ranks coming up.”Without Altidore being available, Klinsmann opted for a player more useful for direct play over one likely to have more dynamic potential.

Fabian Johnson is a defender

Johnson enjoyed a fantastic season with Borussia Monchengladbach, doing his damage from a wide midfield role and scoring six goals (and playing some of his best soccer against Champions League competition). Naturally, it appears he’ll be a defender this summer. With a thin fullback pool that features just Yedlin and Chandler as true options, the U.S. staff prefers that Johnson’s services are used on the back line. With that being the case, expect a starting back line of (L-R) Johnson, Brooks or Besler, Cameron and Yedlin against Colombia on June 3. Meanwhile, the continued reliance on the likes of Orozco and Chandler, who have both exhausted their opportunities without truly showing they are international-caliber defenders at the highest level, remains a head-scratcher. It’s in part a product of the fact that the established U.S. fullback pool is thin and both are options on the outside with whom Klinsmann is familiar. Still, it feels a bit like Groundhog Day, and at this point there simply has to be better alternatives … right?

Klinsmann makes his goalkeeper call

Guzan will start in net for the U.S., putting an end to the goalkeeper tug-of-war between him and Howard. Klinsmann certainly could not have foreseen Guzan and Howard both losing their starting jobs in the Premier League this season, and the “race for the No. 1 shirt” surely has felt more like a battle between the lesser of two evils over the last six months. Guzan fell out of favor at the worst team in England, while Howard did the same at an Everton side that limped to the finish line (and if you saw how Joel Robles played down the stretch, you wonder how Howard didn’t start more than the final two home games). It’s not what you’re hoping for from your defensive leaders entering a major competition. At his age and being untested on the highest international level, Horvath was never going to unseat the two mainstays, but you do wonder how far he is from competing for minutes. Klinsmann easily could have taken another veteran goalkeeper like Nick Rimando to be more secure about his options, but he chose Horvath. Guzan will handle the reins, with Howard, who quietly cannot be happy about this, eager to step in if necessary this summer. At the very least, there’s a new No. 1 contender for both veterans’ top status on the road to Russia 2018.”We decided to really go with Tim Howard and Brad Guzan as the two leaders still, because we believe their experience and their leadership will help us a lot,” Klinsmann said. “We brought in Ethan Horvath as a third goalkeeper to build him for the future, to learn from Tim Howard and Brad Guzan but also to get his first taste of what such a tournament means. We go into the tournament with Brad Guzan being the No. 1. That’s been communicated clearly to Tim and Brad. We believe that Brad deserves it. Brad, throughout the last two years, played very consistently and very solid with us. “He had a very tough year with Aston Villa, there’s no doubt it, but he knows that, and for many, many reasons. But it’s also a different environment. Tim Howard finished a huge, huge chapter in his career with Everton Football Club. He’s always going to be a legend for Everton, and he did wonderful things with that club. But he wasn’t with us for a year after the World Cup, and he also lost his starting spot the last half of the year with Everton, so we think that in that moment Brad has a little bit of an edge and deserves it. Having Tim on board, being there to push Brad, to help him, and obviously if something goes wrong he’s always there anyway, is big for us because his presence and his confidence and his leadership is vital for our group.”

Klinsmann’s Copa America Squad – The Good, The Bad and The Unlucky

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Peter Nolan

On Saturday afternoon at halftime of a shockingly lopsided MLS New York Derby that was already 3-0 and on the way to a 7-0 New York Red Bulls win over New York City FC, the U.S. MNT revealed its 23 man COPA America roster.There were no shocks on the scale of that 7-0 thrashing the Bulls laid on their Bronx rivals but being a Jurgen Klinsmann production, there were a few head scratchers. Also revealed on the Fox halftime show was that Klinsmann has ended his goaltender rotation, a welcome development ahead of the Copa America, although an eyebrow or two was likely raised when Brad Guzan was handed the number one designation over World Cup hero Tim Howard.So here is a quick look, by position, at what we like and don’t about the U.S. COPA 23.Goalkeeper. I have no problem with Howard taking a back seat to Guzan. Both players endured a tumultuous time in 2015-16 in England but while Guzan won his job back after losing it, Howard only got back into the lineup as a thank you and au revoir from Everton manager Roberto Martinez, who himself was sent packing before Howard’s emotional goodbye in Everton’s season finale.I like that Ethan Horvath got the nod over dependable veteran Nick Rimando. Horvath starts for Molde in Norway and did well in the failed U.S. Olympic bid. I can’t imagine Horvath seeing the field in June but with both of his veterans struggling somewhat it might be worth taking a flyer on the future.Defense. Tim Chandler, really? Chandler was a pretty exciting get when Klinsmann snared the Germerican as one of his first moves on becoming U.S. coach in 2011. Chandler looked good in some early friendlies but has failed to convince since, frankly appearing disinterested at times.Klinsmann could have selected Edgar Castillo, a regular for Liga MX finalists Monterrey. Castillo also started the two most recent U.S. World Cup Qualifiers, so even if he is a bit of a weak link defensively, Castillo’s omission is a surprise.Klinsmann could also have gone with long overlooked Nottingham Forest fullback Eric Lichaj. It was a shock to see Lichaj on the 40 man roster, unfortunately, it was less of a surprise to see the physical defender left out of the final 23.And while Klinsmann selected Michael Orozco who made just three appearances this season for 14th place Tijuana, there was no room for Omar Gonzalez, the former L.A. Galaxy man who is a starter for Pachuca, Monterrey’s opponent in this week’s two-legged Liga MX Final.Klinsmann likes Orozco’s versatility, and it is a plus that he somehow resisted the urge to pick Ventura Alvarado, but what about Tim Ream? Ream plays central defense and fullback like Orozco and is a better fullback than the Tijuana man while Gonzalez is clearly a better center back than the Tijuana man.DC United middleman Steve Birnbaum also got the nod ahead of Gonzalez, a selection I have no problem with, although others may differ. One last bit of back line controversy involves Fabian Johnson who is listed as a defender, not as many would prefer in the midfield.Bruce Arena used to say that Landon Donovan was the team’s best player at several positions, making it hard to decide where to pick Klinsmann’s old pal. Johnson presents a similar dilemma today.Johnson scored a career-high seven Bundesliga goals for Borussia Monchengladbach this season playing as a wing midfielder but Klinsmann remembers Johnson’s fine play at left fullback for the U.S. in the 2014 World Cup, where the coach rated FabJo as one of the best fullbacks in Brazil.With high caliber opposition at the COPA and some decent options in wide midfield roles, I don’t begrudge Klinsmann the right to slide Johnson back one position.Perhaps hoping to keep Colombia, Costa Rica, and Paraguay guessing U.S.Soccer listed midfielders and forwards as one unit when it released its 23 man roster.Midfield/forward. The biggest surprise of the likely midfielders is d-mid Perry Kitchen, who plays for Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premier League. Not that there’s anything wrong with that but the former DC United man has played just 10 times since signing with the Scottish club in March while Alfredo Morales is a first 11 player for Ingolstadt in the Bundesliga.The most exciting of the midfield/forward group is clearly 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund starlet Christian Pulisic, let’s just hope Klinsmann plays the kid. Darlington Nagbe also earned a spot, can he step up and fill the huge creativity void in the U.S. midfield? Will he be given the chance?Although he is not in great goal scoring form veteran Clint Dempsey tends to score when it matters, so he leads the forward group where the biggest misstep for me is Klinsmann’s choice of Chris Wondolowski over Jordan Morris.Yes, Wondo is tied for second in MLS with seven goals but Morris has four and minus the San Jose man’s two pk’s, Morris is just one back. More important however is the feeling that at 33 we know what Wondolowski is at the international level while the 21-year-old Morris is just getting started.So, that’s my take on the COPA 23. On the one hand, there is enough depth that Kinsmann can leave out a Bundesliga starter and two defenders set to meet in the Liga MX Final. There are young and youngish players to be excited about, like Pulisic, DeAndre Yedlin, Bobby Wood, and Nagbe. Young vets Fabian Johnson, Geoff Cameron, and Alejandro Bedoya are established in top European leagues and MLS stars like Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, and Gyasi Zardes will be looking to show their wares with the world watching (hopefully).Whether it comes together or not will be up to the players and up to Klinsmann. The Gold Cup, the Olympic flameout, the loss to Mexico in the CONCACAF Cup, and the World Cup Qualifier loss to Guatemala in March are recent stains on this team’s resume.Those stains are deep and they won’t be easily scrubbed clean. June 3rd in Santa Clara, California the Americans begin COPA play against a tough opponent, Colombia.A good showing by the U.S. MNT would go a long way towards polishing that sullied rep. A bad result would only deepen the stain.

GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), 12-Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), 22-Ethan Horvath (Molde IK)

DEFENDERS (8): 5-Matt Besler (Sporting KC), 3-Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), 6-John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), 20-Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), 21-Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), 23-Fabian Johnson (Borussia Moenchengladbach), 14-Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), 2-DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur)

MIDFIELDERS/FORWARDS (12): 15-Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), 11-Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), 4-Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), 8-Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), 13-Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), 16-Perry Kitchen (Heart of Midlothian), 10-Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), 17-Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), 18-Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), 7-Bobby Wood (Hamburg SV), 20-Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy), 19-Graham Zusi (Sporting KC)

U.S., Jurgen Klinsmann have questions to answer ahead of Copa America

Now that the glorified scrimmage that was Sunday’s friendly against Puerto Rico is over, the U.S. men’s national team’s preparations for Copa America can really begin.The 10 MLS players who comprise part of the Copa roster are free to join their teammates at last, and the same is true for Christian Pulisic. (Timothy Chandler, who helped Eintracht Frankfurt win its relegation playoff against FC Nuremberg on Monday, won’t arrive until Tuesday afternoon).Now U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann can go about finding answers to his personnel and tactical questions. He has already made a decision in goal, opting for Brad Guzan over Tim Howard, but there are several more topics to ponder.

Who are the starting center backs?

It has been a case of musical center backs for much of this cycle, which isn’t to say that is Klinsmann’s preference. There was a time when a modicum of stability had been achieved through the pairing of Geoff Cameron and Matt Besler. Then Besler got smacked in the head by a wayward clearance the day before the away World Cup qualifier against Guatemala, and the volatility returned.Steve Birnbaum stepped in for the home qualifier against Guatemala and showed well alongside Cameron. But Cameron is dealing with a minor hamstring injury and sat out Sunday’s match in Bayamon. John Brooks has yet to show a high level of consistency for the U.S., going back to last year’s Gold Cup. Besler’s recent form with Sporting Kansas City has been spotty as well.If everyone is healthy, Cameron and Brooks would appear to have the inside track, but there is still time for that to change before the U.S. opener against Colombia on June 3 in Santa Clara, California. That said, Klinsmann needs to decide, and this decision will weigh heavily on the Americans’ chances of getting out of the group stage.

One forward or two?

Coaches say all the time that too much is made of formations. But the reality is the U.S. has historically looked more fluid in attack with two frontrunners. During the previous cycle, the closer Clint Dempsey was to Jozy Altidore, the better off the U.S. was.The U.S. alternated approaches in recent World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala, opting for two forwards in the loss in Guatemala City and one central striker in the return encounter, though the U.S. attacked in waves in a 4-0 win.Bobby Wood has proved adept in both setups, as he scored 17 goals this season for a Union Berlin side that employed both systems. Perhaps more critically for the U.S., can he offer the hold-up play that injured striker Altidore was counted on to provide? If he can, that will allow Dempsey to take on the support striker role in which he has long thrived. If Wood can’t, Dempsey might be asked to shoulder the bulk of that load — again.

What will the midfield look like?

The choice of forward alignment will impact the shape of the midfield and vice versa. In the latter game against Guatemala, both Michael Bradley and Graham Zusi pushed up, secure in the knowledge that Kyle Beckerman was covering their backs. But Guatemala doesn’t remotely resemble Colombia or even Costa Rica. Especially against Colombia, the Americans will need to settle on a system that leans more toward backline protection. That would hint at Beckerman taking the field in a diamond with which he has long been familiar.Perhaps the bigger question is who between Bradley and Jermaine Jones will be given more attacking responsibility? Bradley has played a deeper role with Toronto FC, while Jones has excelled in an attacking midfield role for the Colorado Rapids. Reprising those roles would give the U.S. more security in midfield, yet Klinsmann has preferred to use Bradley further forward since just before the previous World Cup. It would seem out of character for him to change now.

Does youth get a chance?

This question is focused primarily on Borussia Dortmund midfielder Christian Pulisic, but it also applies to Darlington Nagbe and Perry Kitchen. Klinsmann insisted that he chose his roster based on which players could help him win now. But the midfield is aging, with Jones and Beckerman both 34, and the question of who can step up needs to be answered. There’s also the continuing concern over where the next wave of creative players will come from.For that reason, expect all three to get time, with Pulisic and Nagbe vying with Zusi to be Klinsmann’s designated super-subs if the U.S. finds itself in need of a goal.Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @JeffreyCarlisle.

Copa America will test U.S. and offer valuable experience for future stars

United States head coach Jurgen Klinsmann explains his thinking on the 23-man squad he chose for the Copa America Centenario.

DALLAS, Texas — Experience may have trumped potential on U.S. coachJurgen Klinsmann’s Copa America Centenario roster, but with nine players 25 or younger making the cut, young players’ participation in next month’s tournament stands to benefit the national team for years to come.Outside of World Cups, Americans rarely get the chance to test themselves against the world’s best in international games of consequence. As a result, participating in South America’s prestigious regional championship — in particular, this beefed-up, one-off version celebrating the competition’s 100th anniversary — is important to the U.S. team in ways beyond just how it performs after the hosts kick off the event on June 3 against Colombia.”It’s a huge opportunity on so many different levels,” said starting goalkeeper Brad Guzan on Monday, before the team trained at SMU ahead of Wednesday’s penultimate tune-up against Ecuador in nearby Frisco, Texas (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2/WatchESPN). Guzan is one of just two members on the current squad (Kyle Beckerman the other) who has participated in a Copa, having played in Venezuela in 2007.”To take that experience, you have a taste of what it means for these other countries, what the Copa America means to them. When you play against these big teams and big players, it’s always going to be beneficial.”Guzan had just one cap entering that Copa almost a decade ago, one that featured a largely experimental U.S. team. The Americans had beaten Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final just days earlier, and then-coach Bob Bradley had to release the majority of his players back to their clubs. As a result, just five took part in both tourneys: Guzan, Jonathan Bornstein, Ricardo Clark, Benny Feilhaber and Kasey Keller.Not surprisingly, the U.S. promptly went three and out. Yet the experience was invaluable to Bornstein, Clark, Feilhaber and Herculez Gomez, all of whom would end up starting World Cup games three years later in South Africa.”I felt more confident after playing in that Copa America,” Bornstein said in a phone interview. “The games were a little faster. Players made decisions quicker than they do in CONCACAF. It definitely prepared me to play in some really hard games later on.””I got my first cap against Argentina, and the very first play, I’m trying to take the ball away from Lionel Messi,” Gomez told ESPN FC. “It was surreal.”Like any major competition, Copa America is also a shop window. Two years ago, DeAndre Yedlin’s energetic contributions off the bench in Brazil caught the eye of scouts: he ended up landing a big contract with Premier League Tottenham. Still just 22, Yedlin believes teammates like Steve Birnbaum and Darlington Nagbe (both 25), along with 24-year-old Gyasi Zardes, could benefit from the extra exposure.”A lot of people will be watching,” Yedlin said. “It’s a good opportunity to put yourself on the radar or whoever it may be, whether its [for] more national team call-ups or different clubs.”It’s not a World Cup, of course, but as far as developing the next generation of national team regulars, it may well be the next best thing. “There’s nothing like a World Cup, but having played in a big tournament before gives you something in your corner, some idea of what to expect,” Gomez said. “These guys are in store for something special this summer.”

Chandler injury scare?

Defender Timmy Chandler finished the German season strong with Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt, but his Copa participation appeared briefly in doubt after he limped out of his club’s 1-0 win against Nurnberg on Monday — a victory that preserved Eintracht’s top-flight status for another season.

As it turns out, any fears about Chandler’s health appear to be unfounded. According to a U.S. team spokesman, Chandler contacted assistant coach Andi Herzog after the match to assure him he was fine. The German-American will arrive in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Tuesday afternoon, as planned. He won’t participate against Ecuador, however, which is why FC Dallas standout Kellyn Acosta was added to the roster for the friendly at Toyota Stadium even before Chandler’s injury scare.

Yedlin cool on his future

Yedlin spent the Premier League season on loan at Sunderland and helped them avoid the drop, but the right-back is still not sure which team he’ll play for next year.”Nothing’s come up yet,” he said on Monday. “Like I said before, I wouldn’t mind going back to Sunderland, whether it be on loan or whatever. I think it’s a great club and I had a great experience there, so I’d be open to that. But nothing has come up, so right now I’m just focusing on the Copa America.”The successful experience in England has Yedlin riding a wave of confidence going in. “I definitely feel more and more comfortable,” he said. “Defensively I’ve grown, and obviously the right-back position is a defensive position, so it’s a good thing. I think it also just comes with getting older. I’m maturing as a person and as a player.”

Horvath joins the team late as scheduled

Third-string Copa goalkeeper Ethan Horvath has one more league game to play for Norwegian side Molde before the Tippeligaen takes a break for the European Championship. As a result, former U.S. U-20 standout Zack Steffen will serve as Klinsmann’s No. 3 behind Guzan and Tim Howard until Horvath joins the group just before the tournament.Howard has only seen Horvath play once, in March’s Olympic qualifying loss to Colombia. “But I’ve heard good things,” the veteran told ESPN FC recently. “One of the things I like about him — and again, I’ve never been around him — is he looks like a goalkeeper. When you see him move around the goal, he looks the part.”Doug McInty

United States aiming to reach Copa America semifinals – Jurgen Klinsmann

DALLAS — The U.S. national team’s goal is to make the semifinals of next month’s Copa America Centenario, coach Jurgen Klinsmann said here on Tuesday afternoon.The U.S. is in Texas preparing for Wednesday’s pre-Copa friendly against Ecuador in suburban Frisco (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2/WatchESPN). Asked what the measure of success would be in a tournament that includes global heavyweights Argentina and Brazil, Klinsmann didn’t mince words.”As you know, we drew the most difficult group,” Klinsmann said of the Americans’ fearsome first round slate that includes games against Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay. “But we had a similar situation in Brazil [at the 2014 World Cup] and we made it out of the group.”The U.S. advanced from a quartet that featured Ghana, Portugal and eventual world champion Germany two summers ago before falling to Belgium in extra time in the round of 16.”After the game against Belgium we said we have to learn to come through the knockout games. I hope that will be the learning curve for us at this Copa America, that we find a way to get though the group with these very difficult three opponents, but then when you get through the group you want go further. The goal then really is the final four.”In order to get there, though, they’ll likely have to set the tone in the opening match, June 3 against Colombia in Santa Clara, California.”We start with a final right away with Colombia, No. 4 in the world,” Klinsmann said. “They deserve a lot of respect.”But Klinsmann also noted that the last time the Yanks and Cafeteros met, in a friendly at London’s Craven Cottage in November of 2014, a young American squad gave full-strength Colombia all it could handle in a 2-1 loss.”We had them on the edge two years ago in Fulham but we just conceded a late, late goal with a roster that was not the roster that we have together right now,” Klinsmann said. “That’s exciting.”We want to get to the final four. This is our goal.”

Emerson Hyndman – Coming of Age

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Peter Nolan

Miami, Florida – Only the slightest trace of an English accent could be detected as Emerson Hyndman sat down to talk with GotSoccer Friday afternoon on a perfect day at the U.S. Men’s National Team’s plush Miami hotel. The playmaking midfielder, who left home as a 15-year-old to join Fulham’s youth set up in London, was fresh from a hard earned beach break with his teammates on this “transitional” U.S. roster as he settled in.But Hyndman didn’t fly all the way from London to Florida to bask in the sun, no this trip was strictly business for the 20-year-old and the first order of business was to impress. “Anytime I get the chance to show Jurgen and his staff what I can do is a good opportunity,” is how Hyndman put it to GotSoccer.Left off of the provisional U.S. MNT roster for the COPA America Centenario, Hyndman was not eligible for the final 23 man group that would be announced less than 24 hours after our Florida chat. “Obviously, I was a little disappointed,” Hyndman said of missing out, “but it is something I have to live with.” “It’s a big tournament,” Hyndman continued, “it’s COPA America, something every player wants to be a part of.” And while Hyndman won’t be involved in the expanded South American championships next month, he did go on to earn his second full U.S. cap Sunday afternoon against Puerto Rico when the U.S. topped their underdog hosts by a 3-1 score without ever managing to quite click. Although scrappy, the opposition wasn’t great, still Hyndman likely helped his cause, giving an assured performance in playing the final 45 minutes.Missing out on the COPA does not mean that Hyndman is facing a low-key summer, in fact, the soon to be free agent is facing the most important decision of his young career. With his Fulham deal set to expire Hyndman said of finding a new club, “it’s a hard decision to make because it’s a big one.”Raising the ante for the former U.S. U20 World Cup captain is his age. “Yeah, it is,” Hyndman said when asked if this is a particularly important time in his career. “I’m 20 years old now, I’m not 18 anymore,” Hyndman told GotSoccer, adding with a quiet laugh, “I’m moving on into big boy years.”This past season at Fulham has certainly exposed Hyndman to some grown-up realities. Injuries for one. A broken collarbone -“the shoulder is perfect” – limited his appearances but so too did Hyndman’s decision to announce that he would be leaving Fulham following the 2015-16 season.Does he think those comments hurt his chances at the Cottage? “Possibly,” Hyndman conceded. “When I look back on when I said that, I was disappointed in my playing time; looking back it was something I shouldn’t have said but I was young,” then catching himself the 20-year- old corrected, “I was younger at the time, so I’ve learned from that.”With Fulham fighting to avoid relegation from the Championship to League 1, manager Slovan Jokanovic told the local media that Hyndman wasn’t up to the relegation battle. It seemed an unnecessary slap at the up and comer, especially given that the manager also said that Hyndman “may have played only 11 games for Fulham but I expect he’s going to play 500 more over the next 17 years.”“He’s going to be an important player for us,” he added.As he sat overlooking Miami Beach on Friday, Hyndman still seemed mystified by Jokanovic’s words. “He (Jokanovic) always told me, he knew I was a hard worker and I was a good player. He thought it would be hard for me to adapt to the championship,” which Hyndman pointed out, “I’d already played in for a year and a half.”Hyndman “knew where he (Jokanovic) was coming from but at the same time, “I knew that I could make an impact if I got the chance.” The chance came on Hyndman’s 20th birthday and it was Hyndman who was handing out the presents, his stoppage time winner over Cardiff going a long way toward keeping Fulham in the Championship.Hyndman’s performance that day elicited this extraordinary mea culpa from his coach after the Cardiff match, “He’s probably one of the more talented players. I am little bit disappointed with myself that I haven’t found more minutes for him this season.”Hyndman admitted to GotSoccer that he felt some vindication on hearing those comments. “It was nice to hear him say those things, that I could have played him more.” Hyndman doesn’t come off as bitter adding, “I knew what he did think of me and that is all that matters to me.”That late in the year rapprochement may have come too late for Fulham to retain Hyndman, although he refused to rule out a return to the Thames side club on Friday. “I’m looking at everything,” Hyndman said. “I’m taking everything into account, including Fulham, so I’m looking at other things as well.”Since his move to England as a teenager, Hyndman has been a regular on the transfer rumor mill, and with that expiring contract, speculation has intensified around the Dallas native. Manchester United has been prominently mentioned for some time, and recently Celtic, Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan have been mooted.Not surprisingly, Hyndman wouldn’t offer specifics, “like I said, I’m looking around. I’m looking at England, I’m looking at different places in Europe, I’m just looking around.” As Hyndman weighs his next move GotSoccer wondered if his head would be turned by some of the big name clubs said to be in the running, or would potential playing time be the determining factor as he decides on his next club? “Yeah, that’s another big thing,” Hyndman answered thoughtfully. “There’s different sorts of clubs, different places, different leagues, there are different paths you can take. You take a bigger club and possibly not play as much, maybe go on loan or you can settle for a good solid club, maybe not fighting for the same things but you’ll get more chances along the way.”Hyndman admits that the process is difficult. “I feel like I need to make the best decision for me, personally and that’s going to take a little bit of time.” “I’ll take this time, discuss it with my family, people around me that really help me make these decisions and we’ll see.”Does Jurgen Klinsmann have a role? “Oh, of course,” Hyndman told GotSoccer in Miami. “He said if you need any help, I’m the national team coach, so I’m here to help in any way I can, so obviously if it comes down to that, I’ll be sure to ask him.”So, COPA or not, this offseason is a big one for the young midfielder. Should he stay at Fulham or move on? Is a big club the right fit or should Hyndman think small, and what league to play in, what country to live in? These are no small questions for the young professional.Hyndman seems very unlikely to play 500 more games for Fulham like Jokanovic mentioned. Beyond that, Hyndman could only say, “I’m sure it will be decided very soon,” telling GotSoccer, “I’d say within the next month or so it should be all finished.”And then it is on to the “big boy years,” for Emerson Hyndman.

Colorado Rapids still top Power Rankings; Philly Union up to No. 2

Rivalry week has come and gone, leaving a slightly shuffled Power Rankings. No surprise that the biggest movers are the Red Bulls (up eight spots) and NYCFC (down eight spots). A 7-0 score has ramifications.

Colorado Rapids(no change)

Back-to-front building isn’t sexy, but it’s getting the job done for the Rapids. Colorado has five clean sheets on the season and needed just a single goal to take down the Sounders in Seattle.

Philadelphia Union(+1)

What a time for Richie Marquez’s first career goal. It not only gave the Union the win against D.C. United on Friday, it put Philly in first place in the Eastern Conference.

FC Dallas(+2)

Without Mauro Diaz, FC Dallas earned a big road win — their first of the year — over the wasteful, mistake-prone Revolution.

LA Galaxy(-2)

Rivalry games are rarely easy, especially when the rivalry runs as deep as the California Clasico. That said, LA will feel it missed out on three points Sunday.

Real Salt Lake(+2)

For the second time this season, RSL went on the road to Kansas City and sent a message. Justen Glad’s rise is a major part of the club’s success.

Montreal Impact(-2)

A six-game winless streak isn’t the end of the world for Montreal, especially in a weak Eastern Conference, but turning things around will be tougher when Laurent Ciman heads to the Euro as part of Belgium’s team.

Toronto FC(-1)

The thing about TFC’s decent record during a long, season-opening road trip was that they had to make their home games count. In their first road stand, they earned five of a possible 12 points.

Portland Timbers(+4)

Big win for the Timbers, who got a heaping helping of good feelings out of a 4-2 win over the Whitecaps. Credit Diego Valeri for his show of leadership by giving Dairon Asprilla a chance at a penalty.

San Jose Earthquakes(-1)

Fatai Alashe saved the Quakes with a late header to salvage a draw in LA, but it was once again evident how important goalkeeper David Bingham is to the San Jose cause.

New York Red Bulls(+8)

What can you say about a 7-0 victory? The Red Bulls “no mercy” attitude created what might be the first chapter of the New York rivalry that will stand the test of time.

Vancouver Whitecaps(-2)

As bad days for a defender short go, they don’t get much worse than the day Pa-Modou Kah had for the Whitecaps. Kah’s two penalty fouls sealed Vancouver’s fate.

Orlando City SC(+5)

Eventually, Cyle Larin will need help with the scoring burden in Central Florida, and the Lions will have to figure out how to slow other teams down.

Sporting Kansas City(-2)

Again, Children’s Mercy Park proves to be no fortress for Sporting. SKC now has three losses at home on the year, two more than the total between every team ahead of them in the standings.

Indy Eleven Takes “Fight for First” with Minnesota United FC via 4-2 Win

Crowd of 9,076 at Carroll Stadium Spur “Boys in Blue” on to Three Points, Share of Top Spot in NASL Spring Standings

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 21, 2016) – In a game fit for a fight for the top spot in the NASL, Indy Eleven managed to join Minnesota United FC atop of the standings – at least for a night – via a thrilling 4-2 win over the Loons in front of 9,076 fans at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium.Indy Eleven came out the aggressor in the first quarter hour with some nice build up play, but it was a counter-attack in the 16^th minute that put the “Boys in Blue” on the board first. Defender Nemanja Vuković won possession in his defensive third and carried across midfield before playing Justin Braun into the area, where he was cleared out by Minnesota goalkeeper Sammy Ndjock coming off his line. However, Braun was able to push the ball towards goal, and Eamon Zayed beat a pair of defenders to slide the ball into the open net for his team-high third tally of the season.Minnesota looked to have a golden chance just before the Indy opener when Danny Cruz found some space to fire from 12 yards out, but a sliding Greg Janicki would knock the ball off his foot to deflect out for a corner.Both teams had quality chances to get on the board in the half’s final five minutes, starting when Indy had two bang-bang shots in the 40^th minute. Midfielder Dylan Mares sliced a shot past a diving Ndjock but off the base of the right post, and the rebound would bounce right to Braun, who pushed his shot from the top of the six wide left. A minute later Christian Ramirez contorted himself to get a high boot on Bernardo Anor’s looping ball to the far left post, only to miss the chance from five yards out high.Indy Eleven had a dream start to the second half thanks to Omar Gordon’s NASL account opener four minutes into the stanza. The well-worked play saw Don Smart, Braun and Zayed work the ball down the right side and into the area, the latter trying to take a chance on frame but pushing the ball towards the endline. It was Gordon racing to reach the ball and, with Ndjock off his line, slotting on a near angle to double the lead for the Eleven.But that two-goal advantage wouldn’t last long, as Stefano Pihno woke up the Minnesota attack in the 54^thminute with a scorcher from 25 yards out that gave Indy goalkeeper Jon Busch no chance as it whistled into the upper left side of goal, slicing the Indy lead to 2-1.It was Venegas playing provider again for the Loons’ equalizer in the 69^th minute, as his corner kick service into traffic just outside the six found a crashing Damion Lowe, the center back adjusting to get a leg to the service and sweep a shot past Busch to even things up heading into the final 20 minutes.The back-and-forth affair took another swing in the 75^th minute when Braun finally managed to put one home. Ndjock did well to dive and save Vuković’s free kick from 25 yards, but Braun crashed the six and somehow snuck the rebound between the Minnesota ‘keeper and the right post to put Indy back in front.Eleven substitute midfielder Nicki Paterson looked to make an impact of his own on a free kick opportunity in the 84^th minute, but his dipping effort from 25 yards missed just high – and Ndjock may very well have had a beat on it regardless.Due to a clash of heads between Greg Janicki and Stefano Pinho with 20 minutes in regulation, eight minutes of stoppage time was added to the second half. It was Indy controlling things throughout, thanks in part to a pair of cautions and subsequent red card issued to Loons captain Justin Davis, the second for a foul on Mares that set up a free kick just a yard outside the area. This time Paterson was able to hit home, bending his shot into the right side netting to secure the biggest three points in Indy Eleven’s short history – and a temporary spot on top of the league on 13 points with Minnesota, which remained in first by one goal in the goal differential department, and third-place Carolina.Indy Eleven will return to Florida for a third time this Spring Season next Saturday, May 28, when it takes on Jacksonville Armada FC (1-1-4, 4 pts., 10^th place) at 7:00 p.m., a match that can be seen live online via ESPN3. Following that game, another trip to the Sunshine State for a first meeting with Miami FC (0-3-4, 3 pts., 11^th place) on June 4 and the home finale on June 11 vs. Carolina will close out Indy’s chase for the Spring Season title.

QUOTE SHEET – INDY ELEVEN HEAD COACH TIM HANKINSON

On his team’s effort vs. Minnesota:

“One of my favorite words in sport that epitomizes this team is resilience – the ability to get knocked down and to come back and not stay on the floor. We showed that again tonight and we’ve shown it in almost all of our games, even in Fort Lauderdale when we just wouldn’t break. It’s a great quality to have. You have to have it to win championships. Hopefully this will be a part of the foundation of what’s inside of us that we remind ourselves of before every match to bring in for 90 minutes.”

On a change in approach defensively for tonight’s match:

“We changed the way we defended a little bit tonight, going with a more high pressure game. When you’re not scoring goals, when you’re sitting back, you have to build possession to create quality moments. We haven’t done that often enough. It’s not enough to be dangerous. Tonight we decided to pressure so we can force turnovers closer to their goal hoping that turns into more goals, which we have to look at this game and say ‘we’re better tonight.’”

NASL Spring Season
Indy Eleven 4 : 2 Minnesota United FC Saturday, May 21, 2016
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN Attendance: 9,076

Indy Eleven:
Spring Season: 3W-4D-0L, 13 pts., 2^nd place

Minnesota United FC:
Spring Season: 4W-1D-2L, 13 pts., 1^st place
Scoring Summary:
IND – Eamon Zayed (Justin Braun) 16’
IND – Omar Gordon (Eamon Zayed) 49’
MNU – Stefano Pinho (Kevin Venegas) 54’
MNU – Damion Lowe (Kevin Venegas) 69’
IND – Justin Braun (unassisted) 75’
IND – Nicki Paterson (unassisted) 90+’

Discipline Summary:
MNU – Danny Cruz (caution) 7’
IND – Colin Falvey (caution) 56’
IND – Jon Busch (caution) 76’
MNU – Justin Davis (caution) 90+’
MNU – Justin Davis (caution) 90+’
MNU – Justin Davis (ejection, 2^nd caution) 90+’
Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2, L–>R): Jon Busch; Nemanja Vuković, Greg Janicki (Cory Miller 74’), Colin Falvey (capt), Lovel Palmer; Omar Gordon, Dylan Mares, Gorka Larrea (Nicki Paterson 67’), Don Smart (Duke Lacroix 77’); Eamon Zayed, Justin Braun Indy Eleven bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Marco Franco, Daniel Keller, Jair Reinoso

Minnesota United FC (4-2-3-1): Sammy Ndjock; Justin Davis (capt), Brent Kallman, Damion Lowe, Kevin Venegas; Juliano (Daniel Mendes 80’), Jeb Brovsky; Stefano Pinho, Danny Cruz (J.C. Banks 70’), Bernardo Anor (Lance Laing 70’); Christian Ramirez United FC bench: Steward Ceus (GK), Tiago Calvano, Ismaila Jome, Aaron Pitchkolan

THREE THINGS: #INDY 11 vs MIN UNITED

Three observations from Saturday’s six-pointer vs. MNU May 24, 2016

1) Goal scoring in numbers

Indy Eleven are rolling along as the team to beat in the spring part of the 2016 season, sitting in 4^th place but with 13 points (3W-4D-0L) and a game in hand. Saturday night was the first time in all seven matches that the Eleven were able to post more than two goals and in fact doubled that tally in the 4-2 win over Minnesota United FC.Having gone up 2-nil thanks to Eamon Zayed’s mark after 16 minutes and a gut punch from Omar Gordon just four minutes into the second half, the Eleven couldn’t stop the Loons from getting on the scoresheet forever. In the 54^th minute, Stéfano Pinho pulled one back before Damion Lowe equalized in the 69^th minute, both assisted by the dangerous fullback Kevin Venegas.

Needing to respond, it took “Indiana’s Team” just six minutes to restore their lead as Justin Braun tallied his first in an Indy Eleven uniform following a Vukovic shot that rebounded into the path of the attacker. Battening down the hatches in the final 15 minutes, the Eleven were awarded a free kick in the seventh minute of stoppage time, and Nicki Paterson put the final nail in the coffin with a scorching curler to Loons’ keeper Sammy Ndjock’s left side.The four goals scored on Saturday are the most ever scored by Indy Eleven at “The Mike,” eclipsing the 3-0 win over Jax Armada FC at Carroll Stadium on September 5, 2015.

2) Goal scorers in numbers

In terms of separate goal scorers, the “Boys in Blue” have found the back of the net ten times at the feet of seven different players – the second-most in the league behind the New York Cosmos (8).Eamon Zayed is the team’s leading scorer (3) and sits T-3 in the league in that column, while the only other player to have scored multiple goals is Nemanja Vukovic (2). Goals from Justin Braun, Omar Gordon, Greg Janicki, Nicki Paterson, and Jair Reinoso round out the field, meaning the Eleven have scored three goals from defenders, two from midfielders, and five from their attackers.In assists, Justin Braun, Nicki Paterson, and Eamon Zayed all add one assist to their respective goal counts, while Sinisa Ubiparipovic has also registered one assist.

3) Leaving it all to play for

In what was perhaps the single most important game in franchise history, the Eleven prevailed and came away with the crucial three points, as anything but might have ruled them out of the race for the Spring Season Championship.Though the Cosmos and FC Edmonton sit at the top in positions one and two, the game in hand the Eleven have mean that three wins out of three could potentially take them from fourth to the top, depending on how Minnesota United FC fair in their final three games.Just below the Eleven are the Carolina Railhawks, who are level on points but have played eight games, and the separation begins with sixth-placed Fort Lauderdale Strikers who are four points off the Eleven’s total. Though the Indy 500 brings the biggest racing event in the world to Indianapolis this coming weekend, the Eleven hope their race continues until Saturday, June 11, the season finale and home stand with the Railhawks that could possibly see a spring title-winner crowned.

ATP_Gen_350x250

5/19/2016 Indy 11 Biggest Ever Game?, Domestic Cup Finals, Champ League, TV Games of Week

May 19, 2016May 20, 2016 gatorbest

So could this be the Biggest Game in Indy 11 ‘s short history? A home matchup at the MIKE with NASL league leading Minnesota United and former goalie Das Boot looms with the Indy 11 within striking distance of the top 2 in the league. The 11 stand 5^th after stealing the tie with Ft. Lauderdale behind the magnificent goalkeeping of former Chicago Fire veteran Jon Busch. The 11 are the only team in the league without a loss as they have 4 ties on the season to go with 2 wins. A win on Sat night could go a long way towards getting the 11 into playoff contention. So make plans to hit the MIKE Saturday night 8 pm kickoff – tix still available or on TV 8 or beIN Sport.

Its Cup Weekend in the Europe this weekend as the FA Cup 12 noon on Fox TV (England’s Crystal Palace vs Man United) guarantees Europa League action for Crystal Palace if they win (Man U is already in at 6^th in the league). The German Cup features probably the biggest game as the top 2 Bundesliga teams match up – Bayern Munich faces Dortmund at 1:45 pm. I am not sure if beIN sport is carrying the French Final – PSG vs Maseille at 3 pm or the Italians Milan vs Juve at 2:45 pm. MLS comes on Fox TV – right after the FA Cup with Rivalry Week NYCFC vs NY Red Bulls –plenty of star power there.

Sunday has a USA/MLS Triple Header – with the US men facing Puerto Rico in a warm up – check the fitness and reacquaint the European based US Nats at 12 noon on Fox Sports 1. Sporting KC will host Orlando City and Kaka at 3:30 on ESPN, while FS1 will have the highlight of Rivalry Week Sunday night at 7:30 pm – as defending Champion Portland faces #3 Vancouver. Sad to hear US Forward Jose Altidore is out for the COPA with a Hammy again – might be time for young Seattle man Jordin Morris to see if he and Clint Dempsey can duplicate their current fantastic form together for Seattle. It should be interesting to see how the battle in goal plays out as both Tim Howard and Brad Guzan struggled in the EPL this season. And disappointment city for former US Manager Bob Bradley now coaching in the French 2^nd division as his La Harvre team missed advancing to Ligue 1 by just 1 goal. I still think Bradley will be the 1^st US Manager in a European 1^st Division someday.

Don’t forget the All Spanish – Champions League Final Next Saturday, May 28^th 2:45 pm on FOX. Congrats to Sevilla – who knocked off Liverpool 3-1 Wed Night to win their 3^rd Consecutive Europa League Championship. Sevilla face Barcelona Sun at 3:30 on ESPN for the Copa Del Rey.

How No Parent Coaching From the Sidelines helps Develop Creative Footballers

Interesting Article on Successful Women Playing Sports Growing Up – Fortune Magazine

Top 5 Soccer Movies you can Watch on Netflix

Carmel FC Travel Soccer Tryouts for 2016-2017 teams begin June 7th!
CLICK HERE to register

ATP_Gen_350x250

Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

MUST SEE GAMES ON TV

Sat, May 21

12:30 Fox FA (England) Cup Final – Crystal Palace vs Man United Wembley – Can Van Gaal Win a Trophy – yes its watered down but its still the FA Cup – gotta watch !

1:45 pm ESPN3+Deportes German Cup Final – Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund – the 2 best teams in Germany go head to head before Bayern buys all of Dortmunds good players this summer.

2:45 pm Gol TV Italian Cup Final – Milan vs Juve Juve and 38 YO goalkeeper Buffon looks for the Treble

3 pm beIn Sport French Cup Final – Maseille vs PSG – last chance to see Ibra in a PSG Uniform – he will score

8 pm Ch 8 +beIn Sport Indy 11 vs Min United Biggest game in Indy 11 history ? Yes – win and we could be first in the league!!

Sun, May 22

12:00 p.m. Fox Sports 1 Puerto Rico vs. United States men, international friendly – getting Ready for the Copa America in 2 weeks –

3:30 pm ESPN 2- Barcelona vs Sevilla – League champs vs Europa League Champs

Wed, May 25

8 pm ESPN2 United States men vs. Ecuador, international friendly – US Starts mixing in some MLS players

Sat, May 28

2:45 pm FOX Champions League Final REAL MADRID vs ATLETICO MADRID

8 pm FS1 United States men vs. Bolivia, international friendly – nice match up last one before the COPA

Carmel FC Challenge Cup and Prez Cup Advancement – Good Luck to All those in Prez Cup this Weekend !

cfc_u11G_PrezCup — Carmel FC U11 Girls swept 3 games at Prez Cup 1st round to Advance. 3 Shut outs with 7 players with goals, 3 others with assist and a GK with 135 minutes of clean sheet. Coaches Mark Stumpf (R) and Scott (L)

IMG_7144 (1) — U14 Boys Gold – Advance to Finals in Columbus (Coach Matt Lienhauser)

CFCU16B_Redlion — U16 Boys Advance to Challenge Cup Finals Coach Jeff Oberndorfer (L) and Mike Pickard (R)

CFC_ODP_05boys

Braden, Caden and JD (’05 Gold players) have been a part of the ODP 2004 Boys State Pool this year. This week final selections for the 2016 State Team were announced and all three boys were selected. Congrats to the boys and their families. Carmel FC is proud of you guys.

Soccer Camps – Boys and Girls -Ages 6 – 14

Ok so its almost Summer Camp time – below are some nice options for Soccer Camps this summer

Post2Post GOALKEEPER – Soccer Camp – May 31-June 3 – 9 am till 3 pm

CFC and Carmel High Coach Carla Baker – former National Team Goalie for Canada will run her annual GK camp June 1-4 9 am to 3 pm $195 each @ Badger Field

Indy 11 Soccer Camp June 20-23 — 9 am till 12 noon Ages 5-14 $135 @ Badger Fields

Kick in the Grass – 3 v 3 Soccer Tour at Badger Field July 9^th

Goal2Gol Soccer Camp
CHS Men’s Head Coach Shane Schmidt, a former U-20 US National Team player, runs his annual camp from 9 am to 2 pm July 11-16. $150 before 6/30 @ River Road Fields.

INDY 11

Indy 11 Steal Tie with Ft. Lauderdale

Military Appreciation Night May 21

Indy 11 to play US Open Cup vs Louisville FC June 1 at home

GK Jon Busch Playing for a Cause

See Busch’s Great Saves

Peter Wilt GM – The Exit Interview

Game Recap – the Game Beckons

Bloody Shambles – Championship Sprint

Bloody Shambles – Indy 11 Steal a Road Pt.

USA

Klinsmann’s Puerto Rico Squad has Subplots Galore

Clint Dempsey USMNT Motivation Evolves – SI Brian Straus

Altidore’s Injury a Bummer says Juergan – out for Copa

US without Altidore will Hurt – Leander Schaelaeckens – Yahoo FC

UF Forward Options without Altidore – SI

USMNT’s most sensible 23-man roster for Copa America Centenario – yahoo FC –

Howard ready to Resume as #1 Keeper for US –Mcintyre – ESPNFC

US Hot List – Lee Nguyen making Copa Case – McIntyre – ESPNFC

Former US Manager Bradley falls 1 goal short of taking French Squad to Legue 1.

Sunderland may bid 2M to keep Deandre Yedlin

COPA AMERICA

Dos Santos Refuses Mexico Spot – Chicarito Returns SI

MLS

Power Rankings MLS – Jason Davis

MLS Players always Second – Charles Boehm – USSP

Portland’s Nat Borcher’s Musical Taste – fear the beard!!

Cheering as Champions – Portland a Home Game Glance at 1 of MLS Best Home Atmospheres I MUST GET TO PORTLAND’s Providence Park!!

Arm Chair Analyst – Breaking Down’s Seattle’s turn

California Classico – LA Galaxy vs San Jose -Back in focus Sunday

Rivalries Key to MLS Expansion Plans

Portland’s Darlington Nagbe a US MLS Hero’s Story

EPL + World Leagues

EPL Quiz of the Season

Best and Worse of 2016 EPL Season – sI

EPL in a Sentence for Each Team – ESPN STAFF

Petre Cech Wins Golden Glove

John Terry Signs for 1 more Season with Chelsea

Terry’s Highs and Lows

Report Card – Wenger Falls short for Arsenal Again – Tom Adams –ESPNFC

CREDITOR: Ranieri finally gets his due

Aston Villa Sold to Chinese Businessman

Is Renaldo happy at Madrid ?

Zlatan Ibra to Leave PSG

EUROPA and CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Liverpool players let Klopp down in Final loss

Sevilla Soar to 3^rd Straight Europa League Crown

Sevilla Continues Europa League Mastery – SI

San Siro Staff Insist Milan Pitch for Final is Fit

Why are Spanish Teams Dominating Europe?

Real’s Madrid looks to shut up Pique

ALL GAMES ON TV THIS WEEK

Sat, May 21

12:30 Fox FA (England) Cup Final – Crystal Palace vs Man United Wembley

1:45 pm ESPN3+Deportes German Cup Final – Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund

2:45 pm Gol TV Italian Cup Final – Milan vs Juve

3 pm beIn Sport French Cup Final – Maseille vs PSG

2:30 pm Fox NYC FC vs NY Red Bulls

8 pm Ch 8 +beIn Sport Indy 11 vs Min United

Sun, May 22

12 pm Fox Sport 1 Puerto Rico vs. United States men- friendly

3:30 pm ESPN 2- Barcelona vs Sevilla –
4:30 p.m. ESPN Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps,
7 p.m. Fox Sports 1 Los Angeles Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes,

Mon, May 23

11:15 am beIN Sport Japan vs Portugal Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

1:45 pm beIn Sport England vs Guinea Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

Tues, May 24

11 am beIN Sport Bulgaria vs Mexico Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

1:30 pm beIn Sport France vs Mali Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

Wed, May 25

1:45 pm beIn Sport England vs Parguay Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

8 pm ESPN2 United States men vs. Ecuador friendly

Thur, May 26

11 am beIN Sport Bulgaria vs Mali Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

1:30 pm beIn Sport France vs Czech Republic Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

Fri, May 27

11 am beIN Sport Japan vs England Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

1:30 pm beIn Sport Portugal vs Paraguay Toulan Tourney (U-20s)

Sat, May 28

12:30 pm beIN Sport Sheffield Wed vs Hull City or Derby County – winner joins EPL next season

10:15 am ESPN2 Swisterzland vs Belgium Friendly

2:45 pm FOX Champions League Final REAL MADRID vs ATLETICO MADRID

5:30 pm FS1 Mexico vs Paraguay

8 pm FS1 United States men vs. Bolivia friendly

Sun, May 29

4 pm ESPN NYCFC vs Orlando City

Wed, June 1

9 pm ESPN2 Belgium vs Findland

Thurs, June 2

2:45 pm FS1 England vs Portugal

9 pm FS 1 US Ladies vs Japan

Fri, June 3 COPA AMERICA 100 STARTS

9:30 pm Fox Sport1 USA vs Columbia

Sat, June 4

12 noon ESPN3 Spain vs Bosnia

5 pm Fox COPA Costa Rica vs Paraguay

7:30 pm FS2 COPA Haita vs Peru

10 pm FS 1 COPA Brazil vs Ecuador

Sun, June 5

12 noon ESPN3 Spain vs Bosnia

12:30 pm ESPN2 US Ladies vs Japan

2:45 pm ESPN 3 Italy vs Scotland

5 pm Fox COPA – Jamaica vs Venezuela

7 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

Mon, June 6

7 pm FS1 COPA – Panama vs Bolivia

10 pm FS1 COPA – Argentina vs Chile

Tues, June 7

8 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Costa Rica – Solider Field – Tix Available!

10 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

10 European Cup Starts

3 pm ESPN France vs Romania

Sat, June 11

9 am ESPN EURO – Albania vs Switzerland

12 noon ESPN EURO – Wales vs Slovakia

3 pm ESPN EURO – England vs Russia

7 pm Fox Sport1 USA vs Paraguay

9 pm FS2 COPA – Columbia vs Costa Rica

MLS TV Schedule ‘

Why this two-week span means more for Jon Busch May 19, 2016

COPA AMERICA 100 –GAMES IN CHICAGO – still seats left for USA Game , Argentina game and Semi-Finals.

International Champions Cup – ICC – @ Chicago – Bayern Munich vs AC Milan Soldier Field Wed 7/27 @ 8 pm Tix still available $35 to $135

NO COACHING FROM PARENTS DURING MATCHES HELPS DEVELOP BETTER PLAYERS

by Mike Nicholson, 8 Feb 2016

I strongly believe that in order to develop creative players of the future, something that England has been pretty dire at achieving over the past few decades, you need to give players the freedom to make their own decisions. Of course during training sessions you teach them how to make better decisions and players can then improve their decision-making through repetition over time, butduring the game, I don’t shout instructions while the ball is rolling. Occasionally I might call out with some questions or instructions while there is a break in play, but I try my best to never do so while the ball is rolling. Some of the most creative players on the world stage today grew up playing street football. No adults making the rules. No rigid ‘if this happens then do this’ instructions. Just play. Trial and error. Improvisations. Messi, Aguero, Suarez … this list is long and compelling. Rene Muelensteen put it simply while he was in charge of youth development and the academy at Manchester United when he said “footballers cannot learn how to make their own decisions if they are used to receiving instruction from the touchline.” In an interview with the daily Telegraph Muelensteen said that at the Manchester United academy, parents are asked to sign a contract that says they will not shout out during coaching sessions, and that the Manchester United coaches do not shout instructions while the ball is rolling. I am glad to say that at academies this ‘no coaching from parents’ is standard practice these days, but in grass roots football in England we still have a culture in which parents and coaches shout out a stream of instructions while young players are trying to concentrate on the game, and that leads some to observe that grass roots youth football matches can appear to be like ‘Playstation for dads’ with the parents holding the controller and the kids running around according to instructions. So many England internationals from the past 30 years have grown to become more functional than creative, and the fact that I have to hark back to players like Hoddle and Gascoigne to remember truly creative, unpredictable, England players is a concern for English football. This rigid, predicable footballer is a product of the coaching they received when they were young. Its great to see this changing in professional academies, but there are still far too many ‘touchline tigers’ pacing up and down next to youth football matches at grass roots level.

So how can grass roots coaches help? As a youth coach you are of course aiming to be a positive influence on the young players in your care, but no matter how well you do as a coach the parents will usually and understandably be the most important influence on the young player.

With that in mind I think it is so, so important that the lines of communication are constantly open between the coach and parents. I see parents as a part of our team. I think that to create the environment you want that you need to ensure it is communicated clearly to the parents. It is much easier to build a positive learning environment for the players if the parents and coach work together, but sadly many coaches don’t feel that the coaching they deliver is any of the parents business. I am of the view that the opposite is true, and I regularly write to the parents of my players to keep them updated on what we are practicing, why, and how they can help if applicable. The no coaching rule is a part of that two-way communication.

Football is an emotive game, and often as a parent or a coach you will see an opportunity that the kids playing do not see, so keeping quiet can be really difficult for some. You might feel compelled to shout out to a player to adjust their position, or tell them to pass, shoot or whatever. The urge is understandable, I appreciate that, but the result of that action is that you short-circuit the players own decision-making in the short-term and it is more difficult for the coach to gauge deeper, longer-term learning.

I have seen games where the coach is constantly screaming instructions at the kids who are trying to focus on the game, and on the other side of the pitch there are many parents shouting their own instructions. It is ridiculously confusing for the kids to receive multiple instructions from the adults, and most importantly, it can stop them from making their own decisions if they become used to receiving instructions form the coach or parents.

Before the players in my team were even selected for the squad, I wrote to all parents with a message that said if their child was selected, they would be expected to abide by the team rules which state that we do not allow parents to shout instructions from the sidelines. Once I had selected the players I wrote to the parents of the kids in question once again to say that their child had a place, but subject to the strict rule above. I believe it is that important to the long-term development of the players. I have only had to speak to one parent about shouting instructions from the side thus far right at the start, so I’d like to think that I havehelped to create the right environment for the boys in my team to flourish.

I of course whole-heartedly encourage the parents to shout encouragement, and praise, as that makes for an energised atmosphere, but as long as the calls don’t offer the boys instruction on what they should do. In that environment, I am happy that the boys have the freedom to make their own decisions based on what they have been learning in training.

—–<Brilliant article. Let the coach present an environment that creates independent athletes in charge of their own challenges: mistakes and solutions… that is how they increase their game intelligence! This article isn’t just for football either. Bravo Mike Nicholson! – DH>

Klinsmann’s U.S. squad to face Puerto Rico has no shortage of subplots

The 22-man roster U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann named on Monday for Sunday’s friendly match at Puerto Rico may be under-strength, but that doesn’t make it any less intriguing.Klinsmann did not have access to the full contingent of players he’ll have available for next month’s high-profile Copa America Centenario; those in MLS and whose Mexican or European clubs still have games to play are not available for Sunday’s matinee in Bayamon. But plenty of familiar faces were among those summoned, as were a few lesser-known youngsters who could become national-team staples in the months and years to come.Joining surefire Copa starters like Alejandro Bedoya, John Brooks, Geoff Cameron and Fabian Johnson — all veterans of top European leagues — are several players who are either long shots to make the final 23 for the U.S.-hosted tournament or who weren’t on Klinsmann’s 40-man preliminary list at all.Yet in what is essentially being treated as a glorified scrimmage arranged to keep players ticking after long club seasons, U.S. fans can be excited to see potential international debuts from the likes of Paul Arriola and Fabrice “Fafa” Picault.The pair are among six players not eligible for a place on the Copa roster (as are once-capped Emerson Hyndman and World Cup goal scorer Julian Green), they could become candidates for places when World Cup qualifying resumes in September. Arriola and Picault have earned their invitations.Former U.S. U-20 standout Arriola, who plays for Club Tijuana, started the final eight games of the Liga MX campaign after breaking into the Xoloslineup in March. New York City-born Picault, of German second-division club St. Pauli, finished his season with four goals in his last eight Bundesliga 2 games.Meantime, others will be hoping to use this week of training in Miami to make their case for inclusion on the Copa America squad. Those players include defenders Eric Lichaj, Matt Miazga, Michael Orozco and Tim Ream, and midfielders Perry Kitchen, Alfredo Morales and Danny Williams.Catching Klinsmann’s eye won’t be easy, though. The training sessions at Barry University are expected to be light this week and with the submission deadline for the final Copa roster looming on Friday, its safe to assume that Klinsmann has already settled on his squad.Still, Sunday’s game isn’t meaningless. Scoring would help forward Bobby Wood, who just signed with Bundesliga side Hamburg after a 17-goal season for second-tier Union Berlin, as he tries to transition to a starting role. Given Monday’s news on Jozy Altidore, who will miss the Copa America because of a hamstring injury suffered playing with Toronto FC over the weekend, Wood’s performance will be scrutinized closely.The entire starting back line for the Copa could get a valuable first rep together, assuming Brooks, Cameron, Johnson and Yedlin are the coach’s preferred back four, although presumed left-back Johnson’s status is unclear after he missed Borussia Monchengladbach’s final two games because of a groin injury.And who between veterans Brad Guzan or Tim Howard gets the nod in goal, and what will that say about the pecking order when the real matches begin?For a friendly game against the world’s 152nd-ranked team, there’s certainly no shortage of subplots.Doug McIntyre is a staff writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @DougMacESPN.

U.S. Hot List: Lee Nguyen makes Copa America case: Jozy Altidore struggling

The FC team discuss Jozy Altidore’s latest hamstring injury which is set to keep him out of the Copa America Centenario.

With U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann set to submit his 23-man squad for next month’s Copa America Centenario this Friday, the final Hot List of the 2015-16 season has arrived. Who is trending up (or down) this week? Take a look below.

Warming up

Steve Birnbaum, D, D.C. United (MLS)

Why he’s here: The steady center back has helped D.C. United record an impressive defensive record this season; only six of MLS’s 20 teams have conceded fewer goals.

What this means: The easy-going Californian doesn’t get much press, but his form for D.C. United, combined with his solid performances for the U.S. this year, have all but ensured that his name will be on the roster when it is made public Saturday.

Mix Diskerud, M, New York City (MLS)

Why he’s here: After being an unused sub in New York City FC’s midweek win in D.C., Diskerud made his first start in a month in Sunday’s victory in Portland.

What this means: It’s certainly a welcome development for Diskerud, even though he didn’t make a huge impact on the match. Still, it’s probably a case of too little, too late for him to crack the Copa roster.

Tim Howard, G, Everton (England)

Why he’s here: In his 414th and final game with the Toffees, Howard kept a clean sheet in Sunday’s 3-0 win against Norwich.

What this means: The late-season action could give Howard an edge over idle Brad Guzan ahead of the tournament.

Emerson Hyndman, M, Fulham (England)

Why he’s here: The tricky and technical midfielder, who will leave Craven Cottage when his contract expires next month, was a late cut from Klinsmann’s 40-man preliminary roster, but could earn his second cap in Sunday’s friendly in Puerto Rico.

What this means: As a free transfer, Hyndman is attractive to wealthy clubs; he’s been linked to Celtic, Manchester United, Milan, Borussia Dortmund and others. However, the potential for regular playing time will likely dictate where he ends up, according to a source with knowledge of the 20-year-old’s thinking.

Lee Nguyen, M, New England Revolution (MLS)

Why he’s here: The crafty 29-year-old scored a golazo in the Revs’ last match, a 2-0 win against the hapless Chicago Fire.

What this means: It can’t hurt his chances, but they remain slim: only one of Nguyen, Diskerud and Darlington Nagbe are likely to make the Copa squad, with the Portland Timbers’ Nagbe the front-runner.

.Bobby Wood, F, Union Berlin (Germany)

Why he’s here: After scoring 17 goals for second-tier Union this season, Wood signed a four-year contract with Bundesliga side Hamburg on Sunday. And he could be thrust into a starting role for the U.S. next month after a hamstring injury ruled Jozy Altidore out of the Copa.

What this means: Germany’s top tier will be a significant step up in competition for Wood, but the Hawaiian-born striker’s growth during the past year suggests he’s ready for the challenge. Arriving on the heels of a successful summer with the U.S. would help.

DeAndre Yedlin, D, Sunderland (England)

Why he’s here: In his first full season in Europe, Yedlin, on loan from Tottenham, helped the Black Cats avoid relegation from the Premier League with last week’s win against Everton.

What this means: The 22-year-old’s drastically improved defensive play at right back was one of the reasons Sunderland stayed up. It also makes him the odds-on favorite to man the position for the U.S. this June.

Cooling down

Jozy Altidore, F, Toronto FC (MLS)

Why he’s here: Altidore will miss the Copa because of yet another hamstring injury — the same ailment that has prevented him from playing an entire summer tournament for the U.S. since the 2010 World Cup.

What this means: Given his history, Monday’s news can’t help but make one wonder if the chronic hamstring issues might prevent Altidore, who is still just 26, from playing with the national team into his 30s.

Ventura Alvarado, D, Club America (Mexico)

Why he’s here: Alvarado has missed three straight games since making two starts at the end of April, and he didn’t make the bench for Sunday’s playoff win versus archrival Guadalajara.

What this means: The lack of consistent playing time this season will probably keep the Phoenix native home this summer.

Brad Guzan, G, Aston Villa (England)

Why he’s here: The 31-year-old was an unused substitute in 10 of Villa’s final 19 games, including three straight to end the campaign.What this means: It’s a bad way to end a bad season for Guzan, who arrives at U.S. training camp in Miami having not played since April 23.

MATT Miazga, D, Chelsea (England)

Why he’s here: The 20-year-old center back did not make the bench for Chelsea’s past four games — including two matches last week — even though the club had little but pride to play for.What this means: It’s difficult to see Miazga making Klinsmann’s Copa roster, and harder still to see him realistically competing for regular playing time under new Blues boss Antonio Conte next season. Look for him to go on loan like Yedlin did in 2015-16.Doug McIntyre is a staff writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @DougMacESPN.

USMNT’s worst possible start for Copa America Centenario preparation

Leander Schaerlaeckens,FC Yahoo 22 hours ago

More than two weeks and three tune-up friendlies remain until the United States men’s national team kicks off its 2016 Copa America Centenario against Colombia in Santa Clara, Calif. Yet the Yanks’ campaign to prove themselves anew, after a difficult two years since the 2014 World Cup, is already troubled.

[ FC Yahoo: Making sense of this USMNT 22-man roster for Puerto Rico friendly ]

Increasingly brittle striker Jozy Altidore has injured his hamstring once again and will miss the tournament entirely. That’s the same injury that cut short the 26-year-old’s World Cup in just the 23rd minute of the U.S.’s opener against Ghana, by the way. Oh, and his 2011 Gold Cup and 2015 Gold Cup. Nobody seems to know exactly why he keeps getting the same injury.

And here’s where U.S. fans’ feelings grow muddled. [FC Yahoo: USMNT’s most sensible 23-man roster for Copa America Centenario ]

Altidore has a legion of detractors. He’s mercurial and prone to long stretches of utterly anonymous games. He can be maddeningly ineffectual, and his promise has always outpaced his actual performances.But then he’s also kind of crucial to the team. His skillset, limited though it may be, is irreplaceable. Jurgen Klinsmann simply has no other target man at his disposal, or not one he’s willing to entertain as a full national teamer anyway. Altidore’s ability to hold up the play and get others involved, or to allow a deep-lying forward or playmaker to combine with him, is unmatched within the player pool.Nobody else can really do that. We found that out quickly in Brazil, where Aron Johannsson – who is currently injured anyway – withered quickly in that role and Clint Dempsey tried his hardest but was mostly wasted that high up the field.Of the players on the preliminary 40-man roster for the tournament, seven others are listed as forwards. But Dempsey, as mentioned, is better playing off another striker, sitting behind one or even playing on the wing. Jordan Morris, Bobby Wood and Gyasi Zardes are speed merchants who are most useful running at defenders, not stretching the game from the top of the formation. Chris Wondolowski is a poacher who isn’t very well qualified to start at the elite international level anyway and is most useful as a late, need-a-goal sub. And Ethan Finlay and Christian Pulisic are really attacking midfielders, who can slot in as wingers where necessary but have no business being up top.There’s only one Jozy Altidore. This is a fact and a tactical truth. So now what?Absent any other target man – or even a forward who can effectively play up top by himself – Klinsmann will most likely have to go to a two-striker system, probably lining up side by This has a domino effect elsewhere on the field. Chances are it pulls one of three central midfielders out of the middle of the mark. Meaning that rather than field two defensive midfielders and one attacking one, a playmaker freed from any defensive shackles, two men will have to ferry back and forth between shielding the back line and joining up the attack. That, in turn, makes several players potentially relied upon to create chances centrally – Darlington Nagbe? Pulisic? – a much harder fit into the lineup. And it will surely put more of the playmaking onus on the likely central midfield pairing of Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones. The wingers, meanwhile, will have to sit a bit deeper so as not to crowd the two strikers.These are all tactical adjustments that will probably make the U.S. worse. And the timing is fairly disastrous, happening ahead of a tournament where the Americans need every bit of talent and experience at their disposal – as the latter is concerned, Altidore is a veteran of two World Cups and a Confederations Cup. The group stage draw of Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay is a difficult one. And the U.S. is keen to show well at the biggest tournament on home soil since the 1994 World Cup.This is all the more true after the debacle at the 2015 Gold Cup – a semifinal elimination by Jamaica, which was the worst American performance in its regional tournament in a decade and a half – and the subsequent loss in a Confederations Cup playoff with Mexico. To say nothing of the form on display ever since the World Cup in Brazil, which has vacillated somewhere.

USA’s forward options without Jozy Altidore at Copa America

Jozy Altidore (hamstring) out 6-8 weeks, will miss Copa America

BY AVI CREDITOR: Tue May 17, 2016

At least Jurgen Klinsmann and the U.S. men’s national team has been here before. With Jozy Altidore ruled out of Copa America with yet another awfully timed hamstring strain , Klinsmann must look elsewhere in his player pool for a forward to lead the line. It’s the same scenario that the U.S. faced last summer at the Gold Cup, about 20 minutes into the 2014 World Cup and in the knockout stage of the 2011 Gold Cup. If there’s a silver lining, it’s Altidore’s injury happened before Copa America started, so Klinsmann does not have to exhaust a roster spot on an unusable forward and then thrust a replacement from his preliminary squad into the mix.

“It’s a huge bummer for all of us, especially for Jozy, because he had so much drive and ambition going towards the Copa America,” Klinsmann told reporters Monday in Miami, where the U.S. is convened for a “transition” camp and a friendly against Puerto Rico. “He was preparing himself for the entire year, starting in January and he hoped to really peak in June for this special tournament. Now, that message, I told him ‘You have to put it behind you and keep going and stay positive. The next tournament is waiting for you.’ Obviously it’s a big blow for us and him personally, but there’s nothing you can do, unfortunately.”

PODCAST: Brian McBride on USMNT expectations this summer

The next tournament for Altidore of any consequence figures to be next summer’s Gold Cup, while for Klinsmann and the U.S. players, it’s deja vu–again.”It’s a blow, of course,” Alejandro Bedoya said. “He’s one of our key players, one of our best strikers. But like with every team, injuries happen. They’re part of the game. We’re just going to have to deal with it and move on. It’s another opportunity for other players to step in and prove their worth and help us out.”And at least for Klinsmann, he has some intriguing options. Clint Dempsey, Bobby Wood, Jordan Morris, Gyasi Zardes, Chris Wondolowski, Ethan Finlay and Christian Pulisic are the other listed forwards on his preliminary roster, and while none of them really mimic Altidore’s game or skill set, there are plenty of ways for the U.S. to find goals this summer.

STRAUS: Recent results’ impact on Klinsmann’s Copa calls

“To substitute a player like Jozy is very difficult,” Klinsmann said in a Facebook Q&A on Tuesday. “We’re going to find solutions. We’re happy to see other strikers right now being in good form.”Here are some of Klinsmann’s likeliest combinations up front without Altidore, who is tied for third all time on the U.S. goal-scoring charts with Eric Wynalda (34).

Dempsey-Wood

The most prolific American abroad and the most prolific American, period. Should Klinsmann opt for a 4-4-2, he has two capable, complementary scorers at his disposal. They started together in the March World Cup qualifier in Guatemala, but didn’t really produce much in the surprise loss. That said, for as much as Altidore was going to be counted on at Copa America, he has had just two assists and no goals in eight games of MLS play with Toronto FC. Wood’s 17 goals at Union Berlin and subsequent move to Hamburg have him poised for a breakout summer, while Dempsey, who has a pair of goals in MLS, remains the USA’s most reliable option, even at the age of 33. “Bobby did a huge jump over the last 12-14 months, in the club environment as well as the national team,” Klinsmann said Tuesday. Look for his role to expand regardless of how and when he’s deployed.

Zardes-Dempsey-Wood

Klinsmann turned to this triad in the bounce-back win over Guatemala, with Dempsey and Wood up top and Zardes cutting in on the wing. While Zardes wound up with two assists, the second was quite accidental. Dempsey scored the crucial early opener with this combination, however, with Zardes showing his target ability by bodying up a defender, winning a long ball and getting it down to Dempsey for the finish. Klinsmann name-checked Zardes during his chat with fans on Tuesday, and he’s become a mainstay ever since emerging in the winter of 2015. With two goals and four assists in his last five games, you’d think his place is secure.

Pulisic-Wood/Dempsey-Morris

This puts an extreme amount of defensive responsibility on two young players, but flanking Pulisic and Morris on either side of a poacher with a goal for nose like Dempsey or Wood gives the U.S. its fastest, most dynamic approach. If Klinsmann opted for a 4-5-1/4-3-3 that he has used in the past, deploying Pulisic and Morris (with Fabian Johnson and DeAndre Yedlin overlapping from defense) could unleash hell on opposing fullbacks. Klinsmann could even get all four on the field at the same time should he put Dempsey in the midfield ahead of two holding players like Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones and sacrifice the likes of Bedoya or Darlington Nagbe from the XI. It’s the riskiest of all the options, throwing a pair of relatively green players into a cauldron, but Klinsmann is a known proponent of the sink-or-swim approach.

Jermaine Jones

Just kidding. Mostly.

Morris-Dempsey

Another two-forward option includes the two Seattle Sounders teammates. Seattle’s attack had been finding its groove until this weekend’s 2-0 setback against FC Dallas, and Morris and Dempsey are building a club chemistry together. This doesn’t give the U.S. a constant presence between the center backs, as Dempsey has a penchant for dropping to find the ball and Morris is less of a target option, but it’d figure to be a reliable combination of players who have an understanding of one another.

Finlay and Wondolowski would seem to be the players on the outside looking in, but should either make Klinsmann’s final 23-man squad or be needed in case of another injury, Finlay would slot in as a wide option, while Wondolowski is another veteran poacher with a nose for creating chances from close range.

We won’t be able to glean much from Sunday’s friendly against Puerto Rico, withWood the only player on the roster for the match eligible for Copa America. Presuming Wood gets the start, how he is used and in what system could be a clue into what Klinsmann is thinking in how to go about replacing Altidore. Either way, it’s business as usual for Klinsmann and his attack in another major competition.

Tim Howard is ready to resume as the No. 1 goalkeeper for the United States

MANCHESTER, England — Tim Howard slides into his seat in a hotel lounge just outside the tiny village of Hale, England, and starts to talk about the final act of his decorated career. He’s still just 37, not outrageously old for a goalkeeper, and he looks pretty much the same as he did fewer than two years ago in Brazil when his 15 saves in the U.S. national team’s extra time, last-16 loss to Belgium set a World Cup record and made him a household name back home.That night in Salvador might not seem so long ago for the rest of us but for Howard, it might as well be an eternity. A lot has changed for him since then.As the New Jersey native sips his coffee, he’s fewer than two weeks from making his final appearance for Premier League Everton, the club he’s been the backbone of for the past decade. A day after saying goodbye, he’ll report to U.S. national team camp as he has done since 2002. But for the first time since 2006, he’s unsure if he’ll start for the Americans at a major international tournament — in this case, next month’s Copa America Centenario — or be relegated to the supporting role he occupied for the second half of his farewell season in the Premier League.Not playing has been a big adjustment for a player who can barely remember not being an automatic No. 1. It’s just one of many he’s had to make lately. Howard has lived in the northwest of England for the past 13 years. He moved here shortly after signing with Manchester United from Major League Soccer’s MetroStars (now the New York Red Bulls) in 2003, when he was barely 24. But having signed with the Colorado Rapids in March, he’s counting the days until it’s time to go home.”I won’t miss the weather. I won’t miss the food,” he joked as rain pelted the windows. “But I definitely got lucky. When I left Man United, it came down to three teams: Everton and two others that aren’t in the Premier League anymore. To be at one club that long is special.”Do I leave I fulfilled? For sure. There’s no better place in the world to play football.”That’s not to say these past few months have been easy. Howard started his 414th and final game for Everton on Sunday, a 3-0 win against Norwich. He’s played 107 times for the U.S. national team. But for the most part he’s been a spectator for both club and country since January, making a total of three appearances.”When you play all the time you get accustomed to it,” he said. “It’s not that you take it for granted but it becomes such a second nature that when you’re not in there, you begin to appreciate it so much more. I never took it for granted. But now I’m thinking, I never, ever want to be in this position again.”The thing is: he soon could be. U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann has yet to name a starter heading into the Copa America and while Howard appears to have the inside track after starting Everton’s past two home games (Brad Guzan finished Aston Villa’s season on the bench), Klinsmann could easily decide that the 31-year-old Guzan is his guy for this cycle. “We’ll have good talks over the next couple of days with Brad and Tim, and then I’ll let you know more,” said the U.S. coach during a Facebook chat on Tuesday.If that happens, would Howard — the American that tournament organizers are promoting most alongside Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez — be OK with that?”I knew when I left Brazil that the next four years would be different,” Howard said. “There are guys that when they get to my point, they retire from the national team. I still feel like I can contribute, and I think those thoughts are justified.”This is a process,” he continued. “The plan is to end in Russia in 2018. I know that things are changing for me professionally. Would I be content [not starting]? No. But would I be a rabble-rouser, throwing things and upsetting the rhythm of the team? No. But that’s not even played into my thinking.”It’s important to note the doubt around Howard’s role this summer is largely of his own making. It was his decision to take a year off from the national team following Brazil 2014 in order to spend the international breaks with his two children, who live in Tennessee with his ex-wife.”In hindsight I probably shouldn’t have taken the year off,” Howard said. “By making that decision, I gave people questions they actually didn’t have. That paled in comparison to what I got from taking the year off but the smart thing to do would have been to not take it.”It was also his choice to call Everton chairman Bill Kenwright late one night halfway through last season and tell him he wanted to leave two years before his contract expired. That, as much as anything else, led him to losing his starting job to Joel Robles.”There’s a lot of stuff people don’t know,” Howard said. “The conversations with Colorado happened way back in October and November. The chairman and the board literally did everything in their power to grant my wish. That doesn’t happen very often. They’ve been beyond loyal to me. At the same time, I basically went in and told my employer I need to leave,” Howard added. “I knew going in that once I told them that, the manager’s got to put the team first.”But a vocal minority of Everton fans had been calling for Howard to be dropped before word leaked in January that the Colorado deal was in the works. He had made a couple of costly mistakes and speculation was rife about how much Howard had left.”He’s not been as good the last two years,” said Neil, a Liverpool taxi driver and lifelong Everton supporter, outside Goodison Park following Howard’s penultimate start for the club, a 2-1 win over Bournemouth on April 30. Fans are fickle, of course, but he wasn’t necessarily wrong, either, because the standard Howard set during his first eight years at the club was so high.Howard admits that at first, the criticism stung.”One of my main goals when I first came here in 2006 was to win the fans over,” he said. “The amount of cards and messages and well wishes that I’ve gotten is astounding. It’s drowned out any fickle, pretend Everton fans.”If Howard gets the gloves from Klinsmann this summer, it won’t be solely because of his skills or experience. His presence in goal and ability to organize the players in front of him will be factored in, too.”Tim’s really particular about the way his defense is set up,” said U.S. defender Geoff Cameron. “He’ll tell you straight up: you need to do this. Brad’s like that, too, but Tim can kind of scare you in a way. There’s a fear factor a little bit. Tim and I are good friends but he’ll lay into me or he’ll give me that look… you don’t want to let him down.”Howard will be 39 when the next World Cup kicks off and what happens beyond this summer is anyone’s guess. But if he’s back in goal for the U.S. next month, his aim will be to prove that he hasn’t lost a step.”He’s still a very, very capable goalkeeper,” Everton captain Phil Jagielka, Howard’s teammate for the past nine years, told ESPN FC after the Bournemouth match. “He will be sadly missed here, but he’s got a lot left in his football career.”Whatever happens this summer, Howard will be ready to give his best. “My mentality has never been to be a No. 2,” he said. “I think that’s what’s gotten me to this point. I’m a number one goalkeeper even if I don’t play on a certain day.”Doug McIntyre is a staff writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @DougMacESPN.

USMNT’s most sensible 23-man roster for Copa America Centenario

By Leander SchaerlaeckensMay 12, 2016 11:44 PMFC Yahoo

There are a few different ways to go about it – several prisms to view the United States men’s national team’s objective at this summer’s stateside Copa America Centenario.This one-off mega-tournament – which might not be so mega, if more stars like Barcelona’s Neymardrop out – can be the ultimate preparation and learning experience for the next World Cup in 2018 when the outcome really counts. It’s a rare chance for the Americans to measure themselves against some of the world’s best sides in a competitive setting and improve. Or it can be its own thing, and the best possible performance for the U.S. should come before all else.A little more context: The U.S. is very likely to bid for the hosting rights to the 2026 World Cup, and putting on a successful tournament will go some way in gathering momentum for that effort. And part of a successful tournament is a respectable showing from the home team.Yet, for all that, the bigger picture must not be overlooked.In the ambitious sweep of the Jurgen Klinsmann era, which continues to consist of greater parts hope and hype than progress, the end game is improved performance at the World Cup. His preliminary 40-man roster blended veterans with younger players, and that’s the right approach.So, with an eye to 2018 as well as a decent run on home soil this summer, we would advocate for the strongest possible starters, regardless of age, backed up by younger players with the most upside two years down the line. A compromise, in other words, insofar as one is possible with the current player pool.Here’s who we’d pick for the USMNT’s final 23-man roster, with an average age of just over 26: ry

.Goalkeepers
Brad Guzan, age 31
Ethan Horvath, age 20
Tim Howard, age 37

Klinsmann has indicated that Howard, who is leaving Everton for the Colorado Rapids after losing his starting job, and Guzan, whose Aston Villa was relegated, will rotate for the time being. This throwback Kasey Keller-Brad Friedel arrangement could last for a while, although Howard is in decline. Guzan should have another half decade in him, considering that his body clock is running in goalkeepers’ years.But all the same, it’s time to start thinking about succession. And with Bill Hamid injured until sometime this summer, Horvath, who has made a name for himself with Molde in Norway, is the logical understudy.

Defenders
Steve Birnbaum, age 25
John Brooks, age 23
Geoff Cameron, age 30
Timmy Chandler, age 26
Eric Lichaj, age 27
Matt Miazga, age 20
Tim Ream, age 28
DeAndre Yedlin, age 22

Things are more complicated along the back line. Because of the endless turnover in Klinsmann’s defense, not to mention the frequent shuffling of players between positions, this group is as unsettled as any.But Cameron and Yedlin turned in solid Premier League seasons and should be automatic in the middle and on the right, respectively. John Brooks has rebounded very nicely with Hertha Berlin in its strong season and should also start in central defense. And there are a few different options on the left – Chandler, Lichaj and Ream – who could be a good tournament away from being in the mix for the coming years.Since Chandler and Cameron can spell Yedlin on the right, why not go young with the cover up the middle? Miazga barely played at Chelsea after his January move but plainly is a big prospect. Birnbaum has looked totally at home on the field with the U.S. in his four caps so far and has even proven an attacking threat in the air.

idfielders
Alejandro Bedoya, age 29
Michael Bradley, age 28
Fabian Johnson, age 28
Jermaine Jones, age 34
Perry Kitchen, age 24
Darlington Nagbe, age 25
Christian Pulisic, age 17

This area of the field has suddenly gotten crowded, with Bedoya playing well in France, Johnson doing the same in Germany, Jones dominating since his MLS suspension, Pulisic breaking out with Dortmund and Nagbe making a strong case in his recent U.S. appearances. Jones and Bradley will likely form the spine of this team in midfield, flanked, ideally, by Bedoya and Johnson. Nagbe and Pulisic will offer alternatives at several positions, although the latter is listed as a forward on the preliminary roster.There isn’t much to discuss here, especially since those alternatives are quite young. All that’s left open is the job of holding midfielder. Since Kyle Beckerman is now 34, we wonder if giving a younger option a look might make sense. The Real Salt Lake pillar is still at his best, but health becomes fickle at his age.Why not give Perry Kitchen a try? He’s only 24, sufficiently disciplined to sit behind the ball and shield the defense, and he’s already plenty seasoned as a professional.

Forwards
Jozy Altidore, age 26
Clint Dempsey, age 33
Jordan Morris, age 21
Bobby Wood, age 23
Gyasi Zardes, age 24

Altidore remains both mercurial and the best target man option out there, so his spot in the lineup remains firm. Dempsey, meanwhile, keeps chugging along with the Seattle Sounders and, in spite of his age, is still the most likely to offer a creative spark. Behind those two, Morris, Wood and Zardes all offer youth, potential for improvement and the versatility to play either on the flank or in a two-man front line, supporting Altidore or Dempsey.Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter

Clint Dempsey’s USMNT motivation evolves, but his hunger remains /Icon SMI

BY BRIAN STRAUSADD FAVORITEPosted: Wed May. 18, 2016

It was May 2012, the U.S. national team was preparing to kick off a new World Cup qualifying cycle and Landon Donovan, the program’s all-time leading scorer, sat down with four reporters at an Orlando hotel and began revealing the physical and emotional fatigue that led to that notorious 2013 sabbatical and then his retirement the following year.“All players reach a point in their career where it’s natural to lose some of that hunger, that desire,” Donovan said that day. “There’s no question at some point, sooner rather than later, I’ll be pretty burned out and it’ll be time to take a step back.”Then Clint Dempsey came up. The Texan was (and still is) only one year younger than his former teammate. But as Donovan’s fire started to flicker, he saw no such ebb in Dempsey.“Clint’s a little bit of a different animal,” Donovan said. “He still has that crazy hunger to succeed, more so than most. That’s great. That’s a beautiful thing and the more players we have like that, the better it’s going to be.”Some of that “crazy hunger” is the result of temperament and some of it comes down to timing. That same week, Dempsey offered a few details on its origin. He pointed out that Donovan already was established at age 17—a golden ball winner at the 1999 U-17 World Cup and a reserve at Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen. At that age, Dempsey was just trying to get a game.“I did it every way possible. I was playing pickup, high school, club ball. I was playing in a men’s league, then I want to [Furman] University,” he said. “I just tried to do everything I could. I was grinding because I knew it was going to be difficult. And even though I’ve come this far, I’m humbled in the fact that I know it could have easily not have happened.” Dempsey made his pro debut at 21 and earned his first U.S. start on March 9, 2005—his 22nd birthday. When Donovan turned 22, he’d already started for his country 39 times.“It’s always been a race against time really for me,” Dempsey said back in 2012. “It’s kind of my mentality, to make up for lost time.”His three-hour-rides to riches story is well known. It began with the long-haul drives from Nacogdoches to Dallas for practices, the unexpected death of his 16-year-old sister, Jennifer, and his 2004 emergence with the New England Revolution. Dempsey went on to become an icon at Fulham, the first American to score in three World Cups and the recipient of a life-changing, $33 million commitment from the Seattle Sounders in 2013.An extended contract expires at the end of next season. Dempsey turned 33 last month and is father to four children. He’ll be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. All that’s left to write is the conclusion to his unparalleled story, and the denouement could begin at next month’s Copa América Centenario. A fourth World Cup is a long two years away, the body ages quicker in its mid-30s and the pressure to bring an MLS Cup to Seattle is intensifying.Donovan’s all-time U.S. scoring record is out there, calling (Dempsey trails by eight). So is the April spawning season, which Dempsey, an avid fisherman, has missed just about every year of his adult life.His hunger hasn’t diminished, but his perspective has changed now that he can glimpse the finish line. Dempsey spent years fighting to prove himself and secure his place. Now he hopes to hold off the next generation for just a little bit longer. He’ll relish this Copa América played on home soil, before big crowds against elite opposition. There are accolades still to win and a sport still to build, and Dempsey, who’s still the national team’s most reliable finisher, intends to squeeze every last drop out of his remaining opportunities.“With the national team, you never know how long you’ve got so you always have to be pushing and making the most of it,” he told SI.com this week. “At certain times during your career, at different ages, you feel better than others. But you still want to be productive and make the most of it. You want to be able to look back at it and be proud of what you were able to to when you were playing …. I’m proud of what I’ve done. But I’m still pushing while I’m still playing.”Dempsey’s importance remains indisputable. That was evident at the 2014 World Cup, where an early goal helped spark the U.S. to a cathartic 2-1 over Ghana and a late goal provided a crucial (but short-lived) lead against Portugal. And it was evident at last summer’s ill-fated CONCACAF Gold Cup, where the stuttering Americans might have exited even earlier if not for Dempsey’s tournament-high seven markers. He was poor in October’s Confederations Cup playoff but then looked revitalized in March as he tallied one goal and one assist in a vital 4-0 qualifying demolition of Guatemala. PODCAST: McBride on USMNT’s expectations this summer

With Jozy Altidore now out thanks to his infuriatingly frail hamstrings and heirs apparent Jordan Morris and Bobby Wood still finding their international feet, the U.S. attack likely will revolve around Dempsey once again.His combination of ruthlessness in the penalty area and an ability to withdraw, find the ball and create within ephemeral slivers of space remains unique among current American players.“There haven’t been many soccer players in U.S. soccer history that are game changes like Clint is,” Donovan said recently on the Sounders’ club podcast. “If the team needs a special player, a special moment or a goal, there’s not too many names on the U.S. roster that you would look to and say, ‘Yeah, that’s the guy who can do it.’ I think the team needs him.”That need ensures the pressure on Dempsey remains high. This Copa América isn’t a farewell tour and he hasn’t ruled out trying to hang on for a fourth World Cup. In addition, the sour taste of 2015 still lingers.“It’s a situation where you want to get back to playing good ball and progressing the game in the States,” he told SI.com. “When you don’t do well in the Gold Cup and we didn’t do well in the playoff game, it’s a chance to kind of bounce back from that, get back on track and doing things right. I look forward to playing in the tournament and to try to do something special.“I’ve always put pressure on myself to perform well,” he continued. “I think what I’ve done in big games I’ve played has showed that. My mentality doesn’t change as far as that’s concerned, to be the best and make the most of those games that I’m available for no matter the situation.”It represents a different sort of tension than the type he felt when he was younger—wondering if he’d be able to secure the opportunity, respect and stability he sought.He often felt compelled to defend his record, reminding people of his statistics when playing for the U.S. or in a withdrawn role and taking umbrage when some suggested that his form for country occasionally didn’t match his form for club.There were hints of angst and frustration his words, as if his career could be snatched away at any time. “That’s just being young and worrying about stuff that doesn’t really matter,” Dempsey explained. “At the end of the day, you know what you’ve accomplished and you don’t have any control over other people’s opinions. People are going to think what they want, and as I’ve gotten older I’ve become more at peace with that and not stressing about those type of things.”Dempsey’s motivation has evolved. His power doesn’t have to come from the chip on his shoulder. He now has his own established standards to meet, not to mention a country that’s counting on him. He acknowledged that he’s “not blind” to the fact that Donovan’s scoring record is “out there,” but he’s aware that “there’s a balance to do it in the right way.”Dempsey said the key is, “To stay hungry, but also not to be so hungry that you’re missing opportunities to help your team win games, like finding the right pass instead of taking that shot.”If he plays well, victory will come. And if victory comes, so will the statistics—not to mention future opportunities. Dempsey said he wants to continue to represent the U.S. and hopes to deliver a championship to Seattle. He is not longing for retirement, as Donovan seemed to be in 2012. But Dempsey doesn’t fear it. He’s taking it “one tournament at a time,” he said. At 33, he now recognizes how far he’s come.“The work you put out there, and when you know you’re out there trying to make a difference and make an impact and gains for both club and country, that’s good enough for me. It’s not going to be all that when I’m done,” he said. “I’ll have the memories for myself. It’s not about what’s written about me. I’ll be out in the country. I’ll be fishing and hunting out in the country.”If he’s caught on a TV set in a jacket and tie arguing with Alexi Lalas, “you’d better come flatten me,” he said.“For me, it’s been about playing the game as long as I could, to be able to take it as far as I could and to be able to take care of my family,” he said. “I come from a small town. To go see the world and be able to hold your own, that’s something that gives me pride. That’s something I can tell my kids and grandkids about, and hopefully inspire others to do the same thing.”

Metz promoted to Ligue 1 over Bob Bradley’s Le Havre by tiny margin

FC Metz became the third team promoted to Ligue 1 this season despite a furious late push from Le Havre.On the final day of the season on Friday, Metz lost 1-0 at Lens while Le Havre, managed by former United States coach Bob Bradley, defeated Bourg-Peronnas 5-0.Both Metz and Le Havre finished level on 65 points with a plus-15 goal difference, and Metz were awarded third place and promotion because of their superior goals scored — 54 to Le Havre’s 52.One more goal would have seen Le Havre go through in their place, and they very nearly had it.After Aliou Dembele was sent off in the 34th minute, Bradley’s team pushed forward and scored their fifth by the 82nd minute.They hit the woodwork four times and keeper Fabien Farnolle pushed forward and had a header saved in stoppage time, but the goal would not come.Le Havre were fourth when Bradley took over the club on Nov. 10. Under his guidance they won 12, drew six and lost six.Metz return to the top flight after one year in the second division. They will join Nancy and Dijon as the new clubs in Ligue 1 in 2016-17.

DeAndre Yedlin open to Sunderland stay amid reports of £2m bid

Tottenham’s DeAndre Yedlin has not ruled out a return to Sunderland next season and says he is hoping to impress at this summer’s Copa America in the hope of resolving his future.Yedlin joined Spurs from Major League Soccer outfit Seattle Sounders in January 2015, but made just one appearance before joining Sunderland on a season-long loan in the summer.After a mixed start, the 22-year-old made the right-back spot his own under Sam Allardyce, making 24 appearances, including 21 league starts, as the Black Cats beat the drop.Spurs are well-stocked at right-back with Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier, and the USMNT star, who is back in the States for this summer’s Copa America, admits he is keeping his options open amid reports of a £2 million bid from Sunderland.”It’s definitely a door I would not close. I would not mind going back [to Sunderland],” Yedlin told Goal.com. “I had a great time there.”I’m keeping all doors open, I don’t want to shut any right now. Any opportunity that is offered to me is a big opportunity. When you’re dealing with the Premier League, it’s still unbelievable to think that I’m playing in the Premier League.”I don’t want to close any doors right now,” he continued. “I’ll just keep my head down and perform at Copa America. Obviously if I can have a good tournament here it’ll impress a lot more people.”Yedlin says the example of Premier League Golden Boot-winner Harry Kane gives him hope that he can still make it at White Hart Lane, however.”Sometimes that’s all you need, is a year of playing, that little bit of confidence,” he added. “You look at Harry Kane, two years ago coming back from loan and playing, he comes back to Tottenham and absolutely kills it and is now England’s No. 1 striker.”Confidence is a funny thing, and sometimes that’s all you need is just that little bit to elevate you to the next level.”

Premier League season in a sentence as Leicester crowned champions

It was another memorable Premier League campaign. Our ESPN FC bloggers take a quick look at how their team fared in the 2015-16 season.

LEICESTER: Leicester ended 2015-16 with a fairytale Premier League title, the PFA player of the year, a Premier League scoring record and Champions League football — so not bad, then! — Ben Jacobs

ARSENAL: Not good enough to sustain a title challenge but not bad enough to drop out of the top four — stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before. — Tom Adams

TOTTENHAM: A top four spot looked ambitious but Spurs exceeded all expectations, enjoying a prolonged title challenge before a sour end to the campaign. — Ben Pearce

MAN CITY: A season of gradually diminishing returns mirroring Manuel Pellegrini’s three years in charge left City fans in the extremely unusual situation of counting the days until it was finally over. — Simon Curtis

SOUTHAMPTON: Another season of progression for Southampton, who would have had a shot at not just a Europa League spot, but maybe even the top four had they avoided that midseason dip in form. — Alex Crook

MAN UNITED: Winning the FA Cup shouldn’t save Louis van Gaal following a season of dire football and wretched results, culminating in failure to qualify for the Champions League for the second time in three seasons since Sir Alex Ferguson left. — Scott Patterson

WEST HAM: A fantastic season with many highs, few lows, superb teamwork, individual brilliance and plenty of attacking football. — Peter Thorne

LIVERPOOL: Frustration in the Premier League, but impressive cup performances point to a bright future under Jurgen Klopp and with good recruitment this summer, the Reds could contend at the top next year. — Dave Usher

STOKE: A disappointing 2015-16 for the Potters, who saw injuries and patches of abysmal form end any chance of European qualification. — James Whittaker

CHELSEA: Chelsea’s disastrous campaign rendered the club trophyless and short of being relegated, it really couldn’t have been any worse. — Mark Worrall

EVERTON: Fewest home points in Everton history is the rotten cherry on top of another season of failure for a manager and players failing to learn anything from the equally dismal season preceding this one. — Luke O’Farrell

SWANSEA: A summer of complacency and questionable decisions almost cost Swansea their Premier League status, but in hiring Francesco Guidolin the board look to have restored their reputation for shrewd managerial appointments. — Max Hicks

WATFORD: The season has to be seen as a big success overall, but morale is lower than it should be following a disappointing end to the campaign. — Michael Moruzzi

WEST BROM: Everything you’d expect of a Pulis side — dull football, a strong defence and safety with games to spare. —Matthew Evans

CRYSTAL PALACE: Palace were dragged into a relegation fight after being fifth at Christmas but all will be forgiven if the Eagles manage to win the FA Cup. — Jim Daly

BOURNEMOUTH: Despite a downbeat end, comfortably staying in the Premier League is a fantastic achievement for Eddie Howe’s inexperienced squad. — Steve Menary

SUNDERLAND: Sunderland again started badly and seemed a lost cause but if recovery under Sam Allardyce was slow and agonising, safety was eventually achieved with time to spare and hope that brighter times may at last lie ahead. — Colin Randall

NEWCASTLE UNITED: It’s been a season that has always seemed on the brink of collapse from the first few games and it unfolded into an inevitable conclusion — relegation. — Lee Ryder

NORWICH: So much early promise following promotion to the Premier League was replaced by a painful crash landing back in the Championship. — Paddy Davitt

ASTON VILLA: A humiliating shambles which resulted in a first ever relegation from the Premier League — Villa were rooted to the bottom of the table after 10 games and never looked like getting out of trouble. — Kevin Hughes

Premier League superlatives from a storybook 2015-16 season

Leicester City claimed its first top-flight title in the team’s 132-year history on Monday.

BEN LYTTLETONTwitter Email osted: Mon May. 16, 2016

Such is the smartness of the Premier League marketing machine, every season seems to end with fans declaring it the best ever. But perhaps 2015-16 will be remembered as just that; a season when champion side Chelsea slumped to mid-table, and Leicester City, tipped for relegation during preseason and was 5,000-to-1 odds to win the title, romped to the trophy by a clear 10 points. There was drama, controversy, glory and surprises. Here are some of the bests and worsts of an unforgettable, storybook campaign (which has one game to go after Manchester United’s bomb-scare-turned-training-exercise fiasco on Sunday):

Coach of the Year: Claudio Ranieri, Leicester

It’s impossible to look beyond the charm and humility of Ranieri. A coach belittled by Jose Mourinho, he showed quiet leadership (incidentally, that’s the title of a new book by another former Chelsea boss, Carlo Ancelotti) and enough confidence to make only minor changes to the Leicester side that ended last season so well. Leicester’s local butcher made Ranieri sausages in his honor and he can expect a street to be named after him. CREDITOR: Ranieri finally gets his due He seems to enjoy the absurdity of it all and unlike many of his colleagues, does not take himself too seriously.

Honorable mentions: Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham), Slaven Bilic (West Ham)

PODCAST: Brian McBride interivew; EPL coaching carousel

Player of the Year: Jamie Vardy, Leicester

The Premier League players voted for Riyad Mahrez, the Leicester players voted for N’Golo Kante, and the football writers went for Vardy, whose 24 goals propelled the Foxes to the title. His story is well-known–rejected as a youngster, playing non-league football five years ago, and scrapes with the law along the way–but it is so unlikely that a Hollywood film is in the pipeline. So is his autobiography, which will come out later this year.After a sensational season. the clamor for him to start for England at Euro 2016 continues.

Honorable mentions: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham) GALLERY: Best moments of Leicester’s title run

Young Player of the Year: Dele Alli, Tottenham

Dele Alli began this season wanting to play 10 games for his new club.After all, he was 19, had never played in the Championship before, let alone the Premier League, and was at a team competing in the top four. But that didn’t stop Mauricio Pochettino, who gave Alli his debut in the first game of the season and started him for the second time in Spurs’ 4-1 win over Manchester City.He kept his place ever since, forming a partnership with Eric Dier in midfield that has continued into the full England squad. He scored from 25 yards on his England debut against France and will be a key player at the Euros this summer. Pochettino deserves great credit for giving him the opportunity.

Honorable mentions: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Jack Butland (Stoke City)

Signing of the Year: Kevin de Bruyne, Manchester City

£55 million is a lot of money to be considered a bargain, but when you look at how badly City fared in De Bruyne’s absence–albeit with an imbalanced squad and an injury-prone captain–it was clear that the young Belgian will continue to prove Chelsea’s decision to sell him to Wolfsburg a wrong one.More than Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero, De Bruyne was the decisive player for City this season, and had he stayed fit in spring, when the club dropped out of title contention, it might have ruined Leicester’s party. His teammate Raheem Sterling cost a little less, but the difference between the two could not have been bigger.

Honorable mentions: Lamine Kone (Sunderland), N’Golo Kante (Leicester City)

Flop of the Year: Florian Thauvin, Newcastle

The French winger raised eyebrows when he cost Newcastle £12 million last summer–it seemed a lot for player who had issues at his previous club Marseille–but was dressed to impress when he turned up for his first home game wearing a tux complete with bow tie. Unfortunately his performances did not match the outfit and he only played three games before going back to Marseille on loan in January.

That was quite a fee Newcastle paid for him; it paid the same for Jonjo Shelvey in January, when it was apparent that the defense needed improving. The recruitment mistakes contributed to Newcastle’s relegation.

Honorable mentions: Seydou Doumbia, Henri Saivet (both Newcastle), Eder (Swansea)

Goal of the Season: Jamie Vardy, Leicester vs. Liverpool

This was a goal that summed up Leicester’s season: A long ball from Mahrez, and confidence, impudence and perfection execution from Vardy. The context was significant too: it came at the start of a run of games against Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal when everyone expected Leicester to slip away. Instead it won the first two matches. And often, its best goals came in the big games: Mahrez’s against Chelsea and Manchester City were among the best all season.

Honorable mentions: Dele Alli (Spurs vs. Crystal Palace), Cuco Martina (Southampton vs. Arsenal)

GALLERY: Best of Leicester’s title celebrations

Mystery of the season: Eden Hazard’s loss of form

No team defending the title has ever done as badly as Chelsea this season, and the player who embodied its struggles was Hazard.He went from Player of the Year to a place on the bench and couldn’t seem to work out why himself. Some cynics suggested that, once Chelsea was eliminated from Europe, he was keeping his powder dry for the Euros. He definitely looked in better form in the last two weeks of the season, with goals against Spurs and Liverpool reminiscent of last season’s player. New coach Antonio Conte’s challenge next season will be to recapture that form.

Honorable mentions: Why did Watford get rid of Quique Sanchez Flores for doing what he was brought in to do? Why did Crystal Palace sign Emmanuel Adebayor in January?

Quote of the Year: “Dilly-ding, dilly-dong!” (Claudio Ranieri)

Only towards the end of the season did the Leicester players reveal the Italian’s habit of ringing an imaginary bell in training to keep the players focused. It’s a long-standing technique in the Ranieri coaching handbook, as former Cagliari player Ivo Pulga told The Guardian that Ranieri used the line on his squad in 1989. “At Christmas, he gave us each a bell with “Dilly-ding, dilly-dong’, and his name on it,” Pulga said.Whatever Ranieri did, it worked.

Honorable mentions:

“In sex masochism, then it is allowed.” – Louis van Gaal on Robert Huth pulling Marouane Fellaini’s hair

“Even if you are a medical doctor or secretary on the bench, you have to understand the game.” – Jose Mourinho on the opening-day row with club doctor Eva Caneiro that sowed the seeds for them both leaving the club

Team of the Season

GOALKEEPER: Joe Hart (Manchester City)

DEFENDERS: Hector Bellerin (Arsenal), Virgil Van Dijk (Southampton), Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham), Christian Fuchs (Leicester City)

MIDFIELDERS: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), N’Golo Kante (Leicester City), Dele Alli (Tottenham), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City)

FORWARDS: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham)

Colorado Rapids top MLS Power Rankings, L.A. Galaxy # 2, Philly up to # 3

The Supporter Shield leaders Colorado Rapids welcome Sporting Kansas City, who look to turn around their six game winless streak.

A midweek round and the usual weekend slate have resulted in a new No. 1 team atop the MLS Power Rankings in Week 11.

Colorado Rapids(+1)

It just feels right to elevate the Rapids to the top spot after a four-point week off of a home win over Sporting and a road draw against Crew SC.

LA Galaxy(-1)

The Galaxy were outplayed overall on Wednesday against the Union, but the flashes of irresistible team play they showed on both of their goals show why they can still get points.

Philadelphia Union(+2)

Two draws on the week for the Union is a good return considering the competition and the road trip to Montreal. Philadelphia is third in the East but their points-per-game is the best in the conference.

Montreal Impact(+2)

Didier Drogba. Ignacio Piatti. Drogba. Piatti. With seemingly every big goal coming from one of the Impact’s marquee names, Mauro Biello will be intent on keeping both of them healthy.

FC Dallas(+4)

The Hoops truly are a different team at home than they are on the road, as evidenced by their six-point week after a three-game losing streak. Next up: back on the road for a game in New England.

Toronto FC(-3)

Sebastian Giovinco is now TFC’s all-time leading scorer after his brace, replacing Dwayne De Rosario at the top of the list. If the Italian sticks around, it will be more a few years before someone replaces him.

Real Salt Lake(-3)

Those early season doubts about RSL are getting new run in light of some bad recent results. A loss to the lowly Dynamo, especially without scoring, is a bad look for the team from Utah.

San Jose Earthquakes(+3)

A weekend off after a midweek win over the Dynamo is just what the Quakes need ahead of a trip down the coast to face the Galaxy for Rivalry Week.

Vancouver Whitecaps(+5)

The Caps beat TFC at their own game on Saturday, sitting deep and hitting the Reds with devastating counters. As if the league needed a reminder, the win displayed the immense talents of Kekuta Manneh.

New York City FC(+3)

How close are things in the East? So close that NYCFC, a team with just a single home win on the season, is now tied atop the standings thanks to a three-game winning streak.

Sporting Kansas City(+4)

Sporting’s shot output against Orlando City was astounding (16 in the first half, 34 overall) and not only set records, it indicated a concerted effort on the part of Sporting to create the chances that have been eluding them.

Portland Timbers(-5)

Another valley for the Timbers, who fell to NYCFC at home on Sunday. It’s not that the Timbers were bad (and they suffer at the hands of the refs) but the lack of a comeback is troubling.

Seattle Sounders(-5)

The battle became just too difficult in Texas for the Sounders after Chad Marshall pulled down Walker Zimmerman in the box in the third minute.

D.C. United(+2)

United was randomly good on Friday night against the Red Bulls. Whether that was because of the rivalry or something else, they need more of that to establish a place among the East’s playoff contenders.

New England Revolution(+4)

On the one hand, New England ended their six-game winless streak. On the other, they did so against the worst team in the East and a team that simply cannot score.

Houston Dynamo(+1)

Houston has sandwiched a couple of wins around a midweek loss, likely buying Owen Coyle some time to figure out the balance of his club. Sunday’s blanking of RLS was a good start.

Orlando City SC(-7)

The defense is an absolute mess, but at least Orlando has Kaka and Cyle Larin to give them hope, right? Adrian Heath has work to do as the Lions’ season slips away.

New York Red Bulls(-6)

The Red Bulls allowed themselves to be pushed around in the midfield on Friday night in D.C., the saddest part of their 2-0 loss at the hands of their biggest rivals.

Columbus Crew SC(-1)

No Kei, plenty of problems. Replacing their center forward won’t be easy for Columbus, but at least the post-Kei era didn’t end with a home loss.

Chicago Fire(no change)

The Fire have, well, no fire at all. Road trips on opposite sides of the continent don’t help, but it’s amazing just how toothless Chicago has become under Veljko Paunovic. Jason Davis is a writer from Virginia covering American soccer.

CDC_Indy11camp

Busch’s Big Night in Goal Helps Indy Eleven to 0-0

Draw at Fort Lauderdale

Veteran Netminder’s Season-high Six Saves Earn Crucial Road Point, Set up Possible Fight for First Next Weekend at Home vs. Minnesota

FORT LAUDERDALE (Saturday, May 14, 2016) – The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were all over Indy Eleven from the beginning this evening at Lockhart Stadium, but Eleven goalkeeper Jon Busch was there at every turn to help the visitors earn a crucial standings point from a 0-0 draw in a rain-delayed affair in South Florida.Busch came through with an inspired effort, making a season-high six stops – a few of the highlight-reel variety – to help keep “Indiana’s Team” the lone undefeated team in the NASL on the season.With the draw, Indy Eleven (2W-4D-0L, 10 pts.) remained in fourth place in the Spring Season standings, while Fort Lauderdale (1W-3D-2L, 6 pts.), a week after beating the then-league-leading Carolina RailHawks on the road, saw their momentum halted by sticking in eighth position. More importantly for Indy Eleven, the “Boys in Blue” managed to stay within a game of first place, which for now is occupied by next week’s opponent at Carroll Stadium, Minnesota United FC (13 pts.). However, the second-place New York Cosmos (12 pts.) will help round out Week 7 action tomorrow afternoon at FC Edmonton.Busch was alert from the early-going, starting in the 8^th minute when he adjusted well to Geison Moura’s deflected shot from the top of the area. Scrambling to his right post, Busch dove to get a hand – and then a foot – to the ball on the line to keep it out. Four minutes later a failed clearance sat up around the penalty spot for a hard-charging Maicon Santos, but his rocketed shot would be kept out by Busch’s two-handed parry.While it wasn’t a save, Busch came up big again in the 21^st minute when Santos got behind the Eleven backline. The Indy ‘keeper came off his line to force Santos wide, and while the Brazilian was able to get a shot towards the open net, Eleven center back Colin Falvey and forward Justin Braun combined to keep it out of goal and clear the danger.Indy’s offense finally showed some bite in the final 15 minutes of the half, starting when midfielder Omar Gordon latched onto Justin Braun’s cross from the right endline and fiercely headed a shot just wide of the left post. Gordon was at it again in the 38^th minute as he pounced on a loose ball and fired from 15 yards out, but what could have been a dangerous shot was blocked by a diving Gale Agbossoumonde. A minute later Falvey was able to get on the end of a corner with a free header from 10 yards out, only to push the chance wide left.The halftime break was an extended one, as storms that entered the area forced a nearly hour-and-a-half delay in the action. Coming out of the break it was the Strikers nearly striking first in the 48^th minute when Jose Angulo cut across the area and rifled a shot from 10 yards out that smacked off the crossbar but stayed out of goal. Three minutes later it was Busch again thwarting Santos with his finest effort yet, diving and extending fully to steer a header from eight yards around the right post.The Eleven made things more interesting with better possession and attacking presence throughout the second half, but it wasn’t until the 69^th minute that Fort Lauderdale goalkeeper Diego Restrepo was forced to make a save. And it was a quality one, as he dove low and right to bat away defender Nemanja Vukovic’s low, skipping effort from 30 yards out on the slick turf.Down the stretch the Strikers would press for the decisive tally, but Busch had other ideas, first stopping defending NASL Player of the Week Nana Attakora’s point-blank effort in the 88^th minute. Then in stoppage time it was the veteran goalkeeper batting away Dalton’s header from the top of the six off a set-piece delivery from Ramon Nunez, a play that helped Indy Eleven – and the 20-year pro Busch – to a second clean sheet in 2016.Indy Eleven returns home next weekend on Saturday, May 21, when it will host Minnesota United FC on IMS & Military Appreciation Night at Carroll Stadium. Tickets for the pivotal 7:30 p.m. ET showdown at “The Mike” are available starting at $11 in the Brickyard Battalion and East Goal Top sections atwww.IndyEleven.com or over the phone at 317-685-1100 (Mon.-Fri., 9:00a.m.-5:00 p.m.).
NASL Spring Season
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 0 : 0 Indy Eleven
Saturday, May 14, 2016 Lockhart Stadium – Fort Lauderdale, FL

Indy Eleven:
Spring Season: 2W-4D-0L, 10 pts., 4^th place
Fort Lauderdale Strikers:
Spring Season: 1W-3D-2L, 6 pts., 8^th place
Scoring Summary:
None
Discipline Summary:
IND – Justin Braun (caution) 61’
FTL – PC (caution) 75’
FTL – Maicon Santos (aution) 83’
Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2, L–>R): Jon Busch; Nemanja Vuković, Greg Janicki, Colin Falvey (capt), Lovel Palmer; Dylan Mares, Gorka Larrea, Sinisa Ubiparipović (Don Smart 55’), Omar Gordon; Justin Braun (Eamon Zayed 66’), Jair Reinoso (Nicki Paterson 81’)Indy Eleven bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Marco Franco, Daniel Keller, Duke Lacroix

Fort Lauderdale Strikers (4-2-3-1): Diego Restrepo; PC, Dalton, Gale Agbossoumonde, Nana Attakora; Luis Felipe, Jean-Marc Alexandre (capt) (Manny Gonzalez 67’); Jose Angulo, Ramon Nunez, Geison Moura (Matheus Carvalho 56’) (Adrianinho 89’); Maicon Santos Strikers bench: Bruno (GK), Victor Pineda, Aurelio Saco Vertiz, Luis Zapata

GK PLAYING FOR A CAUSE

It’s Sunday at 6 P.M.Jon Busch is home from Fort Lauderdale sitting next to his wife, Nicole, waiting for the phone to ring. He’s expecting a call from his father like he has every Sunday for nine years. But that phone won’t ring.That’s because three days before last weekend’s match, Jon got the news that his father had passed away. Robert Busch was 74 years old.“They were very trying and difficult days leading up to that game,” said Busch.The calls started when Jon was in Chicago for the first time – circa the beginning of the 2007/08 season for the Fire – and had continued as tradition ever since. His first coach, Robert was always there for his son – always wearing his coaching hat, even years later.“I think it all started when I was like 8 or 9 and he was my first ever club coach – he and my brother – so I think if you look all the way back it started then. It really picked up during my first go-round in Chicago when I was living by myself before my wife had moved up. I started talking to him quite a bit on the phone about soccer and about life in general and we just kind of made it a thing,” said the guy everyone calls “Buschy.”“It followed me to San Jose then back to Chicago, and we always did it. Every Sunday at six. He’d just kind of give me his thoughts and opinions on the night before and it was always just fun to listen to him.“When you’re young, you think you know everything about everything. Then as you get older you realize you didn’t know anything about anything. But, I always had a good time with him and it was always fun. Never without a smile,” stated Busch.Three days after getting the news, Indy’s No.18 suited up in goal after two days of training, never skipping a beat. Busch’s performance was better than could have been expected, his best in an Eleven uniform and one of the most respectable in his 19-year tenure, saving all six shots cannoned in at him and diving across every single one of the 27,648 square inches of his goal box.“[My dad] loved watching me play and I knew the best way to honor him was to put in a good performance. I can honestly say I think he was standing by my side in the goal that night and helping me knock some of those balls away,” said Busch.“But, I think my performance was a bit of a combination. Every now and then you have games like that where you’re going to have to make a few saves. I was fortunate enough to be able to step up to the plate and take care of the team in that aspect.”Saturday’s 0-0 draw in Fort Lauderdale against the Strikers was an opportunity lost when it came to the standings, as even though Indy remained the NASL’s lone undefeated team (with 2 wins and 4 losses) it dropped a spot to fifth place. But that’s not the takeaway of the match in the grand scheme of the Spring Season – at least not to the veteran netminder.“I’m not sure if it’s a disappointment that we didn’t find a winner that game. It was a disappointment in the fact that we honestly know we didn’t play that well in a good situation where we could have jumped up the table more with a win,” said the former MLS captain.“We won’t give up, though. We’re still working. We still believe.”Now, “Indiana’s Team” faces what could be the most important regular season outing in the team’s three-year history – a home game against the league leader, Minnesota United FC, with a chance to joins the MNUFC on top of the table at the end of the night. Busch and his teammates are aware of the task at hand and see the match as a make-good opportunity for recent performances.“Obviously it’s a big game. They’re a very good team and (Sporting Director) Manny (Lagos) has them playing very well up there. They’re on the top of the league for a reason,” explained Busch. “It’s a good measuring stick for us to see where we are. We feel like we have a good team here and have missed a couple of results that we wanted, especially in the last two, but we feel we’re very competitive and can fight for a championship. It’s exciting, it’s a challenge.”To add to the occasion, this Saturday the club is honoring our nation’s heroes in uniform on Military Appreciation Night at Carroll Stadium. Since 2011, Jon Busch has been paying his version of respects to the military through his foundation, Saves for SEALs. He created the program to support the Navy SEAL Foundation, which helps families of those fallen warriors who have given their lives for their country. DONATE | Jon Busch’s SAVES for SEALs program

“It’s going to be a special night. Any way we can say thank you to all the branches of the military is always special. We’re fortunate enough to play the sport that we love and grew up playing because of these men and women who have sacrificed their lives and their livelihood for our freedom,” said Busch.A warrior in his own right, Jon Busch dedicated last Saturday to Robert, and we could only guess that 6 PM phone call on Sunday would have been a lively one. This Saturday, while “Buschy” will continue to play with thoughts of his father in mind, he’ll also have another cause to dedicate his performance to. If it’s anything like last Saturday’s, he’ll make a lot of people proud.

THREE THINGS: #FTLVIND

Three takeaways from weather-beaten trip to Fort Lauderdale May 16, 2016

In our latest “Three Things,” we look at the excellence of Jon Busch, and staying unbeaten ahead of a big test this weekend.

WATCH | Highlights from the 0-0 draw with the Strikers

1) Jon Busch is a badass

Saturday belonged to Jon Busch. Seriously. A brick wall if there ever was one, Busch made multiple point blank saves, dove across his line to keep every effort out, and even got a little good karma from the crossbar hanging above him.So, yeah, Jon Busch is a badass, and he played like one on Saturday. In the five games Indy Eleven had played before their trip to Fort Lauderdale, the former Chicago Fire netminder had faced 12 shots and produced eight saves. Against the Strikers, Busch faced and saved all six efforts rifled at him, nearly doubling his season tally.And shameless plug time … if you haven’t made a donation to Buschy’s Saves for SEALs program to benefit the Navy SEAL Foundation, there’s no better time to do so as we head into Military Appreciation Night at “The Mike” this weekend – head to www.IndyEleven.com/savesforseals for all the details and to make your per-save donation today.

2) First time tested

Though his debut against Tampa Bay featured a few saves, as well as the home contest against New York, Saturday night was the first time Busch had been consistently called upon across 90 minutes to secure a result.Similar to the season opener, also in Florida, the Eleven couldn’t capitalize on chances in their attacking third and relied on their ‘keeper for a couple of big-time stops. This time around, though, the difference was the intensity with which the Strikers attacked, often slipping in behind the defense leaving the guardian of the goal with it all to do.True to his position though, Busch sent back efforts from all three of the Strikers’ trio of Ramon Nunez, Maicon Santos, and defender Dalton, and helped secure a valuable road point with just four games left in the Spring Season.

3) The streak continues – and top spot is in sight

Six games in and Indy Eleven remains the only unbeaten side in the NASL. Despite dropping to fifth place in the table due to FC Edmonton’s huge win over the New York Cosmos, the Eleven have it all to play for as a result on Saturday against Minnesota United FC could see them shoot up to a tie for first place depending on other results.Having already played both the Cosmos and Eddies and taking four points out of those encounters, the only other two teams in the way are the Carolina Railhawks, who come to the Circle City on June 11 in the Spring Season finale, and MNUFC. The Railhawks have their bye week at the end of the month, while Minnesota has already taken theirs, meaning things will likely stay tight down the stretch drive.To sum it up, the biggest home game in Indy Eleven’s short but growing history goes down on Saturday night against Minnesota. And if that goes well, along with another Sunshine State swing, it will set up an even bigger one to finish off the Spring in four weekends.

ASL 2016 Spring Championship Final Sprint! – Teams Close In On Playoff Spot!

By: James Cormack – Bloody Shambles
For some teams only three games remain and for some four. We are nearing the eleventh hour (sorry had to go there) and each round between now and June 11/12 will likely see some teams slowly lose sight of the Spring title and others tighten their grip around it.For one successful team winning the Spring Championship trophy means an automatic playoff spot and home field advantage, effectively allowing that team room to breath and work on their team without fear of non-qualification.Outside of the speculative opinion below, it should be noted that every one of these teams will play a US Open Cup tie amongst their final games on June 1st. There may be injuries incurred, tired legs or even just squad rotation to rest players. Cup games can also bring extra time and penalties further increasing the physical pressure on squads. Some teams may rest players for the Open Cup, some may not.The 2016 Spring Championship race is extremely close. There are only nine points between 1st and 10th place, it’s about to get very intense, hearts will be broken every weekend for the next four weeks. Let’s take a look at the teams from bottom to top.

Current NASL 2016 League Table

Miami F.C.–[eliminated] It’s been a rough start for Alessandro Nesta and Miami, sparse crowds, very few points. They have shown a willingness to spend and bought Richie Ryan from Jacksonville for $750,000 last week, they may come good in the fall, but for now they are the first team mathematically eliminated from the Spring Championship. However, this does not mean they can’t influence the ultimate outcome. Miami FC are the bye team this coming weekend.MIA Remaining games – FC Edmonton (H) Indy Eleven (H) Minnesota Utd (A)

10. Jacksonville Armada – The new boys of 2015 not giving a good showing in their second season. Their only win this season has come against the hapless Miami FC. After gaining one other point against the Strikers they are now on three straight defeats. JAX still have four games remaining, but even if they win I don’t think 16pts will be good enough to win spring, their current form definitely isn’t!JAX Remaining games – Ottawa Fury (A) Indy Eleven (H) Carolina (A) Tampa Bay (H)

9. Ottawa Fury – Ottawa could be a big spoiler in this race, but I doubt they have any chance to win Spring. Although they won’t play any of the current top five teams they could put a dent in Tampa or Rayo OKC’s chances of staying in the race for Spring. A draw in their next game against JAX could potentially kill both teams chances, a loss definitely will.

OTT Remaining Games – Jacksonville (H) Strikers (H) Tampa Bay (A) Rayo OKC (H)

8. Fort Lauderdale Strikers – For a while the Strikers looked to be making sure nobody else takes that bottom spot from them, a surprise win over Carolina Railhawks and a point at home against Indy Eleven has lifted them into 8th. Three of their final four games are away from home, their only remaining Florida fixture being against New York Cosmos. Safe to say they won’t be in the reckoning, but they could cause problems at the top for New York and Edmonton.

FTL Remaining Games – Rayo OKC (A) Ottawa Fury (A) Cosmos (H) FC Edmonton (A)

7. Rayo OKC – Rayo have been the surprise package from the two new teams this year, two wins and two draws have them on 8 points after six games, with a game in hand over some teams they still have to be considered. A win over the Strikers next round would put them on 11, but they have a tough run in with the Cosmos and Minnesota in their final three. Still a dark horse, and definitely a team that could be a spoiler for NYC and MNU.

OKC Remaining Games – Strikers (H) Cosmos (A) Minnesota (H) Ottawa Fury (A)

6. Tampa Bay Rowdies – Tampa are at the top of an underperforming Florida pile. No team in the sunshine state appears to have got a handle on things yet. Despite a formidable roster and adding Joe Cole in a big news signing, Tampa continue to stutter after dropping two points at home to Rayo. Tampa though I think could be the the biggest upsetter in this race, they need better performances and they need points and their next two games are away to the Cosmos and Minnesota! With their final home games against Ottawa and JAX, their chances hinge on pegging back those above them, which of course could benefit themselves and others.

TBR Remaining Games – Cosmos (A) Minnesota (A) Ottawa (H) Jacksonville (A)

5. Indy Eleven – Still the only undefeated team in the NASL, but have dropped 8 pts in 4 of their 6 games, 4 of those points at home. Indy is still a work in progress but they have proven they can rise in the big games as they did by defeating New York Cosmos. Next game for Indy at home to Minnesota is pivotal for both teams. Indy really needs to win. If Minnesota wins you’d have to think that they go on and win overall if they reach 16 pts with a game in hand over others.

IND Remaining Games – Minnesota (H) Jacksonville (A) Miami FC (A) Carolina (H)

4. FC Edmonton – I am not sure why I am ever surprised by FC Edmonton, always tough and good for a positive run in at least one part of the season. A win over the Cosmos at the weekend has put them in amongst the front runners. They only have three games remaining, but they have the potential to win out on all three of them which would leave them on 20pts, which is the total New York won with in 2015.

FCE Remaining Games – Carolina Railhawks (H) Miami FC (A) Strikers (A)

3. New York Cosmos – Changed days from 2015 when the Cosmos went undefeated throughout Spring and won the first playoff spot. Three defeats now from Minnesota, Indy Eleven and Edmonton leave Cosmos on 12 pts, meaning of course they are the only team in the league to have not drawn any of their games. They have three games left, I wouldn’t say they were easy, but two at home and finishing away at Ft Lauderdale, they also have the potential to win all three and finish on 21pts.

NYC Remaining Games – Tampa (H) Rayo OKC (H) Strikers (A)

2. Carolina Railhawks – After a storming start in the first round defeating Minnesota, the Railhawks won four straight games to sit atop the table. After a loss in New York they have not won since, losing at home to the Strikers and taking one point against Miami FC. The run in for them is tough, finishing up in Indianapolis, can’t write them off but I wouldn’t make them favorites either.

CAR Remaining Games – FC Edmonton (A) Jacksonville (H) Indy Eleven (A)

1. Minnesota United – Minnesota are definitely the in form team and probably now the favorites. After an opening game defeat they have won four and drawn one achieving top spot in the table after week seven. Their final four games are far from easy, but they should be able to get 6 to 9 points if their current run of form continues.

MNU Remaining Games – Indy Eleven (A) Tampa (H) Rayo OKC (A) Miami FC (H)

Week 8 Fixtures – May 21st to May22nd 2016 (EST)

Indy Eleven v Minnesota United 5/21 7.30pm
Rayo OKC v Ft Lauderdale Strikers 5/21 8.00pm
Ottawa Fury v Jacksonville Armada 5/22 2.00pm
FC Edmonton v Carolina Railhawks 5/22 4.00pm
NY Cosmos v Tampa Bay Rowdies 5/22 6.00pm

The most interesting scenario that could happen this weekend would be Indy Eleven to win, Rayo OKC to win, Edmonton and Carolina to draw and Tampa Bay to win (see table below). This would put Carolina back on top of the table but it would create a situation where there is only three points separating the top seven teams! I am not going to lie, I would actually like that, and definitely would not bet against it.

Carmel FC Travel Soccer Tryouts for 2016-2017 teams begin June 7th!
CLICK HERE to register

Soccer Camps – Boys and Girls -Ages 6 – 14

Ok so its almost Summer Camp time – below are some nice options for Soccer Camps this summer

Post2Post GOALKEEPER – Soccer Camp – May 31-June 3 – 9 am till 3 pm

CFC and Carmel High Coach Carla Baker – former National Team Goalie for Canada will run her annual GK camp June 1-4 9 am to 3 pm $195 each @ Badger Field

Indy 11 Soccer Camp June 20-23 — 9 am till 12 noon Ages 5-14 $135 @ Badger Fields

Kick in the Grass – 3 v 3 Soccer Tour at Badger Field July 9^th

Goal2Gol Soccer Camp
CHS Men’s Head Coach Shane Schmidt, a former U-20 US National Team player, runs his annual camp from 9 am to 2 pm July 11-16. $150 before 6/30 @ River Road Fields.

Check out The Ole Ballcoach online https://theoleballcoach.wordpress.com/
Proud Member of the Brick Yard Battalion – http://brickyardbattalion.com, Sam’s Army, American Outlaws https://www.facebook.com/IndyAOUnite

Earn Your College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

5/13/16 Europe Leagues Wrap up, Europa Final 5/18, CFC night at Indy 11, Games of Week on TV

May 13, 2016 gatorbest

Wow so what a celebration at Leicester on Saturday as the Foxes won their first EPL title in 193 yrs – still plenty to play for in the EPL as Man United and Man City are battling for that 4^th spot to qualify for Champions League. Can you imagine how uncomfortable incoming wonder coach Pep Guardiola is right now – with Man City on the edge of NOT being in Champions League during the same season when they advanced to the UCL Final 4 for the first time in their history? It makes for intrigue down the stretch, as do the battles for 5^th and 6^th (Europa League Qualification) and of course Relegation at the bottom of the standings was quite dramatic this week as well. Sunderland won in dramatic come from behind fasion Sunday as former Toronto FC man Jermaine Defoe scored off US defender Deandre Yedlin’s cross to put the black cats 1 pt above Newcastle and then a 3-0 stomping of Howard less Everton mean Sunderland stays in the Premier League next season while New Castle and Norwich are heading down to the 2^nd division with Aston Villa and US keeper Brad Guzan. This weekend all the EPL games are on Sunday at 10 am across the NBC network of channels – with Swansea hosting Man City on NBC, Man U home to Bournemouth on NBCSN (Man City is 4^th with a win or tie), Leicester City travels to Chelsea on CNBC, Southampton is home looking to make up 2 pts on West Ham for a Europa League qualifying 6^th place – who travels to Stoke City and US Defender Geoff Cameron on Bravo. Sat Night the Indy 11 (the only NASL team with no loss 2-3-0) – currently standing tied for 4^th overall travel to Ft. Lauderdale on ESPN3 at 7 pm.

So it comes down to the final games on Sat 11 am on beIN Sport as Barcelona holds a slim 1 pt lead on Real Madrid for the La Liga Championship. Barca play hapless Grenada while Real Madrid travels to Deportivo needing a win and a Barca tie or loss to snag away the title. In France League 2 US Manager Bob Bradley needs a Metz loss and a win by his Le Havre to complete a move to the top French division. (Not likely to happen – but he would become the 1^st US Manager in Europes 1^st Division if so).

Of course Juergan Klopp’s Liverpool looks for a Europa League Championship Cup, immortality and a Champions League Spot next year as they face 3 time finalist Spain’s Sevilla in the Europa League Final Wednesday at 2:45 pm on Fox Sports 1. Join us at the Brockway Pub off old Meridan behind Meyer as the Indy Liverpool fans unite to root their team on!!

Great Story on Player Development – What your Soccer Coach Won’t Tell the Parents –Renegades Soccer

Pictures Carmel FC night at the May 7 Indy 11 game

CFC_indy11_tunnel — Carmel FC players form the tunnel for the Indy 11 players to run thru Sat Night.

I forgot the U9 Red Lion Champions in last weeks email – sorry folks –

CFC_U9G_RedLion

U9 Girls Red Lion Champions – coach left Bill McGee, and Betty Shepherd (right)

cfc_U9boys_RedLion_MarkFlanders

U 9 Boys Red Lion Champions – Coach Mark Flanders

Carmel FC is looking for a new DOC

GAMES ON TV THIS WEEK

Sat, May 14 (final day in Germany+Italy+Spain)

9:30 am Fox Bayern Munich vs Hannover 96

9:30 am Fox Sports 2 Live whip-around coverage all German games
9:30 am Fox Soccer+ Werder Bremen vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
9:30 am GolTV Bayer Leverkusen vs. Ingolstadt
11 am beIn Sport Deportivo vs Real Madrid

2:45 pm beIn Sport Milan vs Roma

7 pm ESPN3 Ft Lauderdale Strikers vs Indy 11

8 pm beIn Sports Min United vs Jacksonville Armada

Sunday, May 15 (final day in EPL)

10 a.m., NBC                  Swansea vs. Manchester City
10 a.m., NBCSN            Manchester United vs. Bournemouth
10 a.m., USA                  Newcastle United vs. Tottenham Hotspur
10 a.m., CNBC:             Chelsea vs. Leicester City
10 a.m., MSNBC           West Bromwich Albion vs. Liverpool
10:am Syfy:                     Arsenal vs. Aston Villa
10 a.m., Bravo:             Stoke City vs. West Ham United
10 a.m., E!:                     Southampton vs. Crystal Palace
10 a.m Esquire            Everton vs. Norwich City
10 a.m   Oxyge             Watford vs. Sunderland

Wed, May 18

2:30 pm Fox Sp 1 Liverpool vs Sevilla (Europa League Final)

Sat, May 21

12 noon Fox FA (England) Cup Final – Crystal Palace vs Man United

1:45 pm ESPN 2?? German Cup Final – Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund

2:45 pm ?? Italian Cup Final – Milan vs Juve

3 pm beIn Sport French Cup Final – Maseille vs PSG

2:30 pm Fox NYC FC vs NY Red Bulls

8 pm Ch 8 Indy 11 vs Min United

Sun, May 22

12:00 p.m. Fox Sports 1 Puerto Rico vs. United States men, international friendly
4:30 p.m. ESPN Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps,
7 p.m. Fox Sports 1 Los Angeles Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes,
Wed, May 25

8 pm ESPN2 United States men vs. Ecuador, international friendly

Sat, May 28

TBD FS1 United States men vs. Bolivia, international friendly

2:45 pm Champions League Final REAL MADRID vs ATLETICO MADRID

Sun, May 29

4 pm ESPN NYCFC vs Orlando City

Thurs, June 2

9 pm FS 1 US Ladies vs Japan

Fri, June 3 COPA AMERICA 100

9:30 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Columbia

Sun, June 5

12:30 pm ESPN2 US Ladies vs Japan

5 pm Fox COPA – Jamaica vs Venezuela

7 pm Fox Sports 1 COPA- Mexico vs Uruguay

Tues, June 7

8 pm Fox Sports 1 USA vs Costa Rica – Solider Field – Tix Available!

Fri, June 10 European Cup

3 pm ESPN France vs Romania

MLS TV Schedule

Power Rankings – ESPN FC – Shaka Hislop

COPA AMERICA 100 –GAMES IN CHICAGO – still seats left for USA Game , Argentina game and Semi-Finals.

International Champions Cup – ICC – @ Chicago – Bayern Munich vs AC Milan Soldier Field Wed 7/27 @ 8 pm Tix still available $35 to $135

EPL and World Leagues

EPL Round Up- Leicester Stars Reach Hero Status – Ian Macintosh – ESPN FC

Battle for Champions League and Europa League Spots Rages on in EPL

Martinez Out at Everton ESPN FC

John Terry’s red card a sad final act to his storied Chelsea career

EPL Table

Atletico Crashes out of Spain’s Title Race while Barca and Real win

La Liga comes down to final day

Messi vs Renaldo

Messi Interview

Messi s brilliant Free Kick

US American’s Abroad Season in Review

US ladies Take a Stand on Pay Equity LA Times

Grant Wahl SI – Mailbag – Video

Decisions Ahead for Copa

American Owners in the EPL

MLS

Around the MLS

Kei Kamara controversy in Columbus –US Soccer Players

Seattle Rookie and US Forward Morris ties rookie mark with 4 goals in 4 games

John Terry must lower demands to sign with MLS Club

LA’s Gerrard eyes Liverpool Return

Addition of Jones has Colorado Rapids in 1^st before Tim Howard even arrives

Indy 11

Indy 11 Preview for Ft. Lauderdale Game

Disappointing Draw for Indy 11 – Permanent Relagation – Aaron Gunyon

Champions League Finals (Sat -May 28 -Fox)

Real Wins

Atletico Holds on to Oust Bayern

Liverpool could find unlikely hero in Europa League Final

Americans Abroad season in review: U.S. options emerge overseas

BY BRIAN STRAUSADD FAVORITE Posted: Wed May. 11, 2016

The trend already seemed to be gaining momentum as the U.S. national team headed to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup.For nearly three years, coach Jurgen Klinsmann had been urging American players to step outside their comfort zones and test themselves in the planet’s top leagues. But the perception that opportunities were limited abroad, plus Major League Soccer’s increasing spending power, combined to create more of an influx than an exodus. Bigger paydays attracted some, and the opportunity to be the cornerstone of a franchise lured others.Klinsmann’s 23-man World Cup team included 10 MLS players, an increase of six from 2010. And within a few months, the likes of DaMarcus Beasley, Mix Diskerud, Jermaine Jones, Sacha Kljestan, Brek Shea and Jozy Altidore were heading back to the U.S. or Canada as well.MLS hasn’t given up on trying to lure U.S. internationals. Tim Howard is joining the Colorado Rapids this summer, and Alejandro Bedoya was tempted before deciding to stay in Nantes.But as next month’s Copa América Centenario draws near, Americans have re-established their presence in Europe and Mexico. Thanks to the departure of a handful of players and the emergence of several more who went abroad some time ago, Klinsmann now could field a pretty competitive team comprised entirely of men earning their living outside MLS. Among the 40 named to the Copa América preliminary roster, 21 play abroad. And several have made an impression.As European campaigns comes to a close, the Liga MX playoffs kick off and the May 20 23-man Copa roster deadline approaches, Planet Fútbol stakes stock of the season for Americans playing abroad and who’s now in frame for the Copa and this fall’s World Cup qualifiers. Reasonable people can debate the performance and progress of the teams Klinsmann has put on the field, but present and future player pool looks to be as deep as ever.

England

For so long the home of America’s great goalkeepers, the Premier League has been a frustrating place for Klinsmann’s top two this season. Tim Howard, 37, was phased out by under-fire Everton coach Roberto Martinez at the end of January while Brad Guzan, 31, has faced relentless pressure playing behind a miserable Aston Villa squad that’s headed for the Championship. While Howard has been given the opportunity to start the Toffees’ final two home games, Guzan has sat out the past two matches following a 4-2 home loss to Southampton on April 23.With neither in form, the Copa starter likely will be determined during the camp that commences Monday. The U.S. will play friendlies against Puerto Rico (May 22), Ecuador (May 25) and Bolivia (May 28) before the tournament. Guzan has started 28 of Villa’s 37 EPL games, yielding a league-high 58 goals, while Howard started 24 times for Everton and was beaten 35 times.U.S. U-23 goalie Cody Cropper joined Milton Keynes Dons last summer and appeared 12 times for the Championship club, which will play in England’s third tier next season.PODCAST: Revisiting our atrocious Premier League predictions

The picture is more promising a few yards forward, where Geoff Cameron andDeAndre Yedlin have solidified their spots at Stoke City and Sunderland, respectively.They’re the only American field players starting regularly in the Premier League. Cameron, who signed a new deal last year and now is tied to Stoke until the summer of 2018, has played center back, right back and defensive midfield for the Potters this season but usually anchors the back four. Only five clubs have yielded more league goals than Stoke’s 54. Cameron is expected to play in the middle for Klinsmann but could fill in on the flank in a pinch.However, Yedlin’s improvement should mean Cameron can stay central. The 22-year old’s speed and ability to get forward and create never were questioned, but his defensive stability and positioning were issues when he signed with Tottenham Hotspur two years ago. Yedlin struggled in London, but a loan move north has helped him find the focus and playing time he’s needed. The former Seattle Sounder has started 20 EPL games entering the season finale—he reclaimed the role in February after two months on the sidelines—and helped set up Sunderland’s massive game-winning goal last weekend against Chelsea.He should have the right back spot close to locked down for the U.S. Yedlin still isn’t a finished product but could be a sought-after transfer this summer.

Tim Howard: Jurgen Klinsmann is the man to take USMNT forward

USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard explains why the calls for Jurgen Klinsmann’s job does not affect the team.There’s defensive depth in England as well. Eric Lichaj, Jonathan Spector andTim Ream continue to gut it out in the second-tier Championship and all can be said to be on Klinsmann’s radar now that Lichaj has pushed his way onto the 40-man Copa roster.Lichaj, 27, has been a Nottingham Forest regular for three years and started an impressive 43 games this season. Klinsmann has preferred Yedlin, Cameron, Fabian Johnson, Timmy Chandler or Brad Evans at right back but finally will get a close look at the Chicagoland product this month.Ream, 28, started 29 times in his first season at Fulham, during which the Cottagers were threatened with relegation. Ream is comfortable both in the middle and at left back—versatility which may help as Klinsmann pares down his roster. Spector, 30, last played for the U.S. in an October friendly against Costa Rica. The Birmingham City veteran, who plays in the middle or on the right, had 25 starts this season but has been a first choice only four times in 2016.First-year Chelsea defender Matt Miazga earned 136 minutes of Premier League playing time across two matches in early April and will be in camp with Klinsmann. U.S. U-23 center back Cameron Carter-Vickers is at Tottenham, where he dressed for several Europa League games this season. The 18-year-old Spurs academy product is the London-born son of an American father.Four years ago, it appeared that German-born defensive midfielder Danny Williams was on the cusp of becoming a U.S. regular. But he was capped only twice in 2013-14 as he transitioned from TSG Hoffenheim to Reading. He played for the U.S. six times in 2015 and had a 2015-16 good season for his Championship club, establishing himself as more of a box-to-box presence and scoring a career-high six goals. Although his spring was tarnished by a three-game April suspension that followed an on-field confrontation with Reading captain Paul McShane, his overall performance leaves him firmly back in the U.S. picture.U.S. U-20 and U-23 linchpin Emerson Hyndman, a Dallas product who joined Fulham’s academy in 2011, has had a frustrating campaign.Despite his skill, vision and obvious upside, the 20-year-old failed to find consistent playing time as Fulham fired its coach, used another two on an interim basis and then hired Slaviša Jokanović in December.Hyndman could be on his way out of Craven Cottage this summer after starting nine games and scoring one goal (a stoppage-time game-winner against Cardiff City) this season.

Germany

Fabian Johnson can make a strong case as the most outstanding American abroad thanks to his prolific season with Borussia Mönchengladbach. The winger has been a mainstay for the club, starting 32 games and scoring eight goals. Five of those starts and two of those goals came in the Champions League as Gladbach finished 1-3-2 in a brutal group that included Manchester City, Juventus and Sevilla.The two questions facing Johnson, 28, are whether Klinsmann will have to deploy him at left back despite the player’s preference and performance in midfield, and whether he’ll be properly recovered from the groin injury that’s kept him out of Gladbach’s past two games.Two other potential Copa starters are defender John Brooks and, surprisingly, playmaker Christian Pulisic. No one doubted the Borussia Dortmund teenager’s potential, but his quick comfort in the first team had Klinsmann believing the 17-year-old was ready for a World Cup qualifier in March.Pulisic has played 12 times for Dortmund’s senior squad, starting on four occasions and scoring twice.Brooks, 23, left his poor 2015 Gold Cup in the rear-view mirror with a strong season for Hertha Berlin. He battled through a couple injuries to start 22 times this season and in January, he signed a new contract lasting through 2018-19. Both Brooks and Hertha have struggled recently, however. The player missed time with a knee issue before returning last weekend and the club has lost four straight, leaving its European fate in doubt heading into Saturday’s finale at Mainz.Although he plays in the second division, Bobby Wood’s breakout 17-goal season at Union Berlin has validated Klinsmann’s patience with the Hawaiian striker and drawn the attention of Bundesliga clubs. Wood, 23, has an excellent chance to make the final Copa roster.The mercurial Timmy Chandler is on the 40-man team after recovering from an August 2015 knee injury and earning four starts at Eintracht Frankfurt in March and April. The 26-year-old right back suffered a muscle injury last month, however, and is only now returning to the field.Elsewhere in Germany, Alfredo Morales, who’s had trouble breaking through the U.S. midfield logjam, lost his starting spot at FC Ingolstadt in early February then suffered a groin injury. He’s earned a few minutes as a reserve over the past couple weeks. World Cup forward Aron Jóhannsson was lost for the remainder of Werder Bremen’s season following an October hip injury. And round-of-16 scorerJulian Green has fallen from that perch, netting 10 goals for Bayern Munich’s reserve team, which competes in Germany’s fourth tier.

Elsewhere in Europe

He was talking transfer with the Philadelphia Union last year but Alejandro Bedoya now is one of the most successful and consistent Yanks abroad, perhaps surpassed this season only by Johnson. The 29-year-old has spent his entire pro career in Europe, going from Sweden to Scotland back to Sweden and then to France’s FC Nantes, where he’s tallied five goals in 30 appearances this season. Bedoya scored again in Saturday’s loss to Caen. He’s tied to Nantes until the summer of 2019 and his play should make the club reluctant to see him leave, or at least increase his transfer value. Bedoya excels for Nantes playing just behind the forwards. It remains to be seen whether Klinsmann will get the most out Bedoya in the wider role he often plays for the U.S.WATCH: Bedoya scores, leads “I believe!” chant in Nantes finale

Since leaving D.C. United in March, Perry Kitchen has established himself quickly at Scotland’s Hearth of Midlothian. He’s got a lot of competition in the U.S. midfield, but Kitchen’s move and subsequent progress are exactly the sort of things Klinsmann wants to see. Kitchen, 24, already has started seven games for Hearts and is set for Europa League football next season. Also in Scotland, Arsenal loanee Gedion Zelalem, 19, has played 21 games and started 15 for second-tier champion Rangers.

REPORT: Arsenal to give Zelalem first-team shot in summer

Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath earned a call-up to the 40-man squad after a strong season at Norway’s Molde FK. The Colorado product, 20, was a regular in net for both domestic and European matches. Molde fell in Champions League qualifying last year before going on a Europa League run that ended with a round-of-32 loss to two-time defending champion and 2016 finalist Sevilla. Horvath, who’s one of several potential heirs to Howard and Guzan, may just squeak past Nick Rimando and David Bingham and seize the third goalkeeper spot on the Copa roster.

Other players to keep an eye on post-Copa America are forward Rubio Rubin, 20, who’s appeared three times for Klinsmann but missed most of FC Utrecht’s season with a leg injury; defender Erik Palmer-Brown, a 19-year-old on loan from Sporting Kansas City who’s been starting for the FC Porto reserve squad that won the Portuguese second division; and Josh Gatt, 24, the hard-luck winger who’s undergone three knee surgeries and his hoping to return to the field with Molde this summer.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Bob Bradley, the pioneering coach who took over at French club Le Havre in November. The second-division club has gone 11-6-6 under his watch, but remains three points out of the final promotion spot with just one game remaining. Le Havre’s goal-differential deficit of six makes it unlikely to secure a promotion miracle in its finale.

Mexico

The eight clubs qualified for the Liga MX playoffs kicking off Wednesday feature a combined three players called up to the 40-man roster and several more who will be contending for places after Copa América.Defender Omar Gonzalez needed a change of scenery after seven seasons in Los Angeles and found it at Pachuca, the storied Mexican club that finished second in the Clausura standings and tied for the league lead in goals allowed. The 27-year-old center back adjusted quickly, scored a goal in February and was an every-game starter before missing last weekend’s regular season finale. He’s been less consistent with the U.S in recent months.

Ventura Alvarado, 23, was anointed by Klinsmann as a starting center back for last year’s Gold Cup but struggled alongside Brooks. Meanwhile, his position at star-studded Club América has been even harder to maintain. He did contribute to Los Aguilas’ CONCACAF Champions League title with a good performance at right back in the first leg of the finals but he’s started only five games in the Clausura. STRAUS: Alvarado balances prestige vs. playing time at Club America

Edgar Castillo started both World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala in March. They were his first U.S. appearances in two years. Although the has looked a bit overwhelmed against top international opposition, he plays a position of need—left back—and Klinsmann couldn’t ignore his Liga MX campaign. Castillo, 29, was a regular starter for first-place Monterrey before suffering an injury last month but should be back for the liguilla.Monterrey will face arch-rival and reigning champ Tigres UANL in the quarterfinals. Once favored by Klinsmann, Tigres midfielder Jose Torres now is out of the U.S. picture. The 28-year-old, who left Texas for Mexico as a teenager, has started only one Clausura contest.Club Tijuana’s 14th-place finish knocked several Americans out of championship contention. Michael Orozco, who’s on Klinsmann’s 40-man roster, has started three straight games after missing the first chunk of Xolos’ season. Klinsmann frequently counts on the 30-year-old. U.S. junior internationals Paul Arriola,Alejandro Guido, John Requejo and Amando Moreno also saw their seasons conclude. Defender Greg Garza has missed the entire 2015-16 year with a hip injury.Plenty of fans were hoping to see 2015 MLS Cup champion Jorge Villafana make Klinsmann’s list. The 26-year-old left back settled in well at Santos Laguna following his departure from Portland and started 13 of 17 Clausura matches. Santos finished seventh and will face Pachuca in the quarterfinals. Elsewhere, 2010 World Cup defender Jonathan Bornstein remains a frequent starter for Querétaro, who fell in this season’s CCL quarterfinals. Former Real Salt Lake playmaker Luis Gil played nine times this spring for Los Gallos Blancos.Miguel Ibarra, who starred for Minnesota United and earned three caps under Klinsmann, didn’t make the 40-man preliminary roster and has seen his minutes dwindle at Club León. He was limited this season to appearances in Copa MX. Midfielder Joe Corona spent the spring with Dorados Sinaloa, for which he’s started twice.

Americans Abroad Starting XI

Goalkeeper: Brad Guzan

Defenders: Tim Ream, John Brooks, Geoff Cameron, DeAndre Yedlin

Midfielders: Fabian Johnson, Danny Williams, Perry Kitchen, Alejandro Bedoya

Forward: Christian Pulisic, Bobby Wood

Leicester and Ranieri confirm heroes status, John Terry tops the villains list

Heroes

Just for a moment, let’s forget that Leicester received the trophy on Saturday. Let’s forget the talk of impossible dreams and miracles. Let’s just focus on the way that they tore Everton apart at the King Power stadium. From the first whistle, they were magnificent. Aside from everything else they have achieved this season, Leicester are fun to watch. They make things happen, they fight for everything and they look like they’re enjoying themselves. And they didn’t even need to win. They were only playing for pride! Perhaps Everton should have tried that…And let’s remember it all again! Let’s remember how everyone, this column included, tipped Leicester to go down. Let’s remember how we all reacted when Claudio Ranieri was appointed in the summer. And let’s never forget how that affable Italian galvanised a squad of never-had-beens, took them to the summit of English football and kept them there, grinning away and cracking jokes as the pressure mounted. But the pressure never took its toll. We all thought that the Premier League title was a private party for the super rich. Ranieri begged to differ.And if Everton’s travelling supporters resented having to sit through someone else’s party on Saturday, they might want to pass on the midweek trip to Sunderland. Sam Allardyce’s side have left it late, even by Black Cats’ standards, but a win over Everton this week will guarantee Premier League survival while simultaneously relegating bitter rivals Newcastle. That’s the stuff dreams are made of. Once again, Sunderland had Jermain Defoe to thank for a winning goal, his strike securing victory over the now former-champions Chelsea. They’re almost safe.It wasn’t a particularly impressive performance, but it’s all starting to look a little rosier for Arsenal after their 2-2 draw at the Etihad. Not only can they secure their favoured fourth position slot with a single point at home to Aston Villa, not only can they guarantee third and a place in the Champions League group stages with a win at home to Villa, but the tantalising prospect of finishing above Tottenham in second has suddenly emerged. If there is one thing that might redeem the beleaguered Arsene Wenger in the eyes of his critics, it’s a surprise St Totteringham’s Day.It’s odd that a goalless draw at home to the team in 18th place can be considered a success, but it’s been that sort of season for Aston Villa. Congratulations though to Eric Black, the club’s caretaker manager, who avoided a 12th successive defeat with what looked suspiciously like a team putting in a decent day’s work. It also spared the fans one last humiliation. Having mercilessly mocked the Newcastle supporters in 2009 when the Magpies were last relegated, karma threatened an appearance. Instead, it seems that Villa have taken Newcastle into a grisly embrace and they’ve both fallen into the shadows.The best you can say for John Terry is at least his challenge was evidence of some kind of desire. There hasn’t been much of that at Chelsea this season. But what a thing for an experienced defender to do in injury time. And what a price he has had to pay for his mistake. There will be no final farewell for him in a Chelsea shirt, no last opportunity to savour the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. Whatever you think of the man, this is no way to bring down the curtain on his career. Terry is here in the villains section, but the only person he’s robbed is himself.No one is trying to say that Manchester City have had a good season. No one is trying to say that Manuel Pellegrini wouldn’t have been sacked already had it not been for Pep Guardiola’s remaining Bavarian commitments. But surely he deserved a better send-off than to wander around an emptying stadium as only just enough people lifted a suspiciously corporate-looking banner in his honour. It feels like a long time ago now, but he did win the league with City, you know. And the hair. Surely you’d stick around for one last look at that magnificent hair?You cannot say that Newcastle haven’t had their chances to escape the drop. A trip to Villa Park is as close as you can get to a guaranteed three points these days, but where was the desire? Where was the intensity? It’s baffling that this team starts so slowly, as if they need to be reminded of their plight by Rafa Benitez in every half-time break. As if they all slap their foreheads and cry, “Oh yeah! We’re in the relegation zone!” There’s absolutely no sympathy here if they do go down this week. They deserve it.When Norwich beat Newcastle, they must have thought that they were going to survive. It was, after all, their second win on the spin. But since that day, they’ve played four games, they’ve lost them all and they haven’t even scored a goal. Alex Neil was visibly frustrated, and you can certainly understand why. The Canaries keep making the same silly errors. But money was spent in the winter transfer window, serious money, and they still don’t have a regular goalscorer. Without one of those, there’s very little chance of survival.In one of the shortest news conferences of the season, Roberto Martineztold reporters that there were no positives whatsoever for Everton after their 3-1 defeat in Leicester. That wasn’t strictly true. The fact that they got away without shipping the five or six they should have shipped was a positive of sorts. We like Martinez here, as a man and as a manager, but there’s no question that it’s all gone horribly and irreparably wrong for him. The kindest thing to do now would be to settle his contract and spare him what would be a toxic Goodison Park on Sunday.Iain Macintosh is a writer for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter

The Premier League’s battle for Champions League, Europa League

FC’s Gab Marcotti discusses the race for fourth in the Premier League and gives his pick for the winner of the last UCL spot.

The Premier League gets four places in the Champions League, with the top three going direct to the group stage and fourth entering in the final qualifying round.There are also three places available in the Europa League — going to fifth in the league plus the winners of the FA Cup and the Capital One Cup. As Manchester City won the latter and certain of finishing no lower than sixth, that place will transfer to the league.

So, fifth in the league (and the FA Cup winners) will go direct to the group stage, with sixth entering in the third qualifying round. If Man United win the FA Cup and finish in the top six, then seventh will qualify for the Europa League at the third qualifying round instead.

So far this season,

Leicester City, for the first time, and Tottenham Hotspur, for the second time, have secured their place at the top table. Leicester will be one of the seeds along with the champions of six other leagues, as well as the holders. Here are the other English clubs still in contention to qualify for next season’s competition.

Arsenal (3rd; 68 points)
Remaining game: Aston Villa (h)
SPI odds to finish in the top four: 98.3 percent

Goal difference means Arsenal essentially need a point at home to Aston Villa to secure a place in the Champions League, though they need a victory to be sure of third and an automatic place in the group stage.

The only way the Gunners can miss out is if they lose to Villa, Man United win both their games and Man City win at Swansea.

Arsenal also have half an eye on finishing second above Spurs, and for that to happen they must beat Villa and, due to goal difference, hope Spurs lose to Newcastle.

Manchester City (4th; 65 points)
Remaining games: Swansea (a)
SPI odds to finish in the top four: 77.6 percent

Man City’s European future is no longer in their own hands. If Man United win both their remaining games, and Arsenal beat Villa, then City can finish no higher than fifth and face life in the Europa League.

City will be supporting West Ham against United on Tuesday which is going to be huge.

Manchester United (5th; 63 points)
Remaining games: West Ham (a), Bournemouth (h), Crystal Palace (n; FA Cup final)
SPI odds to finish in the top four: 23.8 percent

It seems highly likely that United will have to win both their remaining games to reach the Champions League, having failed to get out of its group stage this season. And they know now that will guarantee another season back among Europe’s elite.

The big game comes next at West Ham, the final match at Upton Park. The Hammers will want to leave their home on a high, but United need the three points to pressure Man City. They then host Bournemouth on the final day.

Southampton (6th; 60 points)
Remaining game: Crystal Palace (h)

Southampton cannot qualify for the Champions League, but they are still very much in the hunt for a place in the Europa League. Victory at Tottenham lifted the Saints above West Ham into sixth, but as the Hammers have a game in hand their fate is not in their own hands.

If Man United win the FA Cup then seventh will go into the Europa third qualifying round, so Southampton do have something of a safety net.

Palace will surely go to St Mary’s resting players ahead of the FA Cup final against Man United, and that gives Southampton a chance of holding onto sixth.

West Ham United (7th; 59 points)
Remaining games: Man United (h), Stoke (a)
SPI odds to finish in the top four: 0.0 percent

The shock home defeat to Swansea means the Hammers’ Champions League hopes are all but over. They would need to win their remaining games, and hope Man City lose both of theirs while Man United do not beat Bournemouth. And they would need to overturn a huge goal difference deficit to City.

They must now concentrate on securing a place in the Europa League, and they need to win both of their remaining games to make sure they get ahead, and stay ahead, of Southampton.

Liverpool (8th; 55 points)
Remaining games: Chelsea (h), West Brom (a), Sevilla (n; Europa League final)

Liverpool no longer have a mathematical chance of the Champions League, able to finish no higher than fifth. So Liverpool will have to win the Europa League to earn a return to the Champions League.

Otherwise, they will have to fight their way back into the top seven or they will miss out on European football completely. That is very much alive after their win over Watford, sitting a point behind West Ham and two behind Southampton (who they have a game in hand on).

Crystal Palace (16th, 39 points)
Remaining game: Man United (n; FA Cup final)

Their route into the Europe is via the FA Cup, which they would have to win to go to the Europa League group stage. There is no longer a place for domestic cup runners-up if the winners qualify via another route.

Real Madrid leapfrog Atletico Madrid, Barcelona move above Bayern Munich

Former Real Madrid striker Raul believes the all-Spanish UEFA Champions League final will be a party for Spanish football.

We have a new leader! As the European season reaches its climax, Madrid’s big two swap places in Shaka Hislop’s Power Rankings.

Real Madrid(+1)

Zinedine Zidane’s side still have a chance of winning La Liga, though they need some help from Granada this weekend if they are to overtake Barcelona. The real focus is the Champions League final and, between now and then, the fitness of key men such as Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema will be heavily scrutinised.

Atletico

Madrid

(-1)

Of course, Real are not the only Madrid-based side with eyes directed toward Milan on May 28. Atletico will be able to rest players in La Liga this weekend, after their title chase ended with a shock 2-1 defeat at Levante. Diego Simeone now has almost three weeks to mastermind a game plan to claim Atletico’s first European Cup win.

Barcelona(+1)

Is a league and cup double “enough?” The disappointment at missing out on the Champions League will remain but two trophies, even by Barcelona’s high standards, represents a fine campaign. They can win the first of those — La Liga — this weekend with victory against Granada. The Copa del Rey final against Sevilla follows on May 22.

Bayern Munich(-1)

Juventus(no change)

And while we’re discussing doubles, Italian champions Juventus are focusing on the Coppa Italia final against Milan on May 21. The Old Lady received a boost this week when legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon signed a new contract that will keep him at the club until the age of 40. Andrea Barzagli also put pen to paper on a new deal.

Paris Saint-Germain(no change)

PSG have already won Ligue 1 and the Coupe de la Ligue and only a shock Marseille win would see them denied back-to-back French trebles. Between now and then is the final league game of the season against Nantes. PSG need to score twice to hit 100 goals for the season, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic is four goals away from 50 in all competitions.

Leicester(no change)

Sometimes a title party can impact the way champions play but that certainly was not the case with Leicester. Granted, Everton were their opponents pretty much in name alone, but the Foxes’ resounding 3-1 win showed just why they have won the Premier League. Claudio Ranieri and his players deserve all the plaudits that have come their way.

Benfica(new)

With one round of games remaining in Portugal, Benfica are on the brink of their third straight league title and 35th overall. Rui Vitoria’s side lead Sporting by two points ahead of the final weekend, having won 11 consecutive league games. Midtable Nacional are all that stand between Benfica and another trophy.

Liverpool(-1)

Most people expected him to revitalise the club but Jurgen Klopp’s effect on Liverpool has been truly remarkable. Anfield is, once again, a fortress where the home side expect to win every time and previously inconsistent players have reached new levels under the German. A Europa League win next week would be the icing on Liverpool’s cake.

Sevilla(new)

Standing in Liverpool’s way next Wednesday in Basel are a side who know what it takes to win the Europa League. Sevilla are chasing their third straight win in the competition and fifth overall. They might be just seventh in La Liga but they know how to win big games, having beaten Barcelona and Real Madrid this season. Dropping out Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund.

LA Galaxy unstoppable? Kamara rages, Morris and Jones continue to shine

ESPN FC’s Taylor Twellman berates Columbus Crew stars Federico Higuain and Kei Kamara after they argued over who would take a penalty kick.

An eventful weekend in MLS gave us more than a few things to talk about, including disharmony in Columbus, LA’s attacking output and Jordan Morris’ excellent form.

Kei Kamara vs. Federico Higuain

Teams, even the successful ones, are not always perfect in their internal camaraderie. The best teams can feature some pretty noxious relationships — internal competition is fierce among individuals conditioned to fight and scrap for every bit of success — but the truth is that teammates need not be friends to play well together.

Overcoming dressing-room discord is usually just a matter of winning. Winning covers all types of ills, including players whose personalities clash. Bad teams have bad chemistry because they’re bad; good teams appear to have good chemistry because they win. If the winning stops, any issues behind the scenes are bound to float to the surface.

Which brings us to Columbus Crew SC. Despite scoring four goals at home on Sunday, Columbus couldn’t hang on for a much-needed win against the visiting Montreal Impact. What should have been three points turned into one with a 4-4 draw, leading to some postmatch venting on the part of star striker Kei Kamara.

Kamara called teammate Federico Higuain “selfish” for taking a penalty in the 53rd minute that would have given Kamara a hat trick had he scored. He then doubled down on the criticism by pointing out that he doesn’t need Higuain to score goals, and that the pair don’t have much chemistry on the field.

Columbus’ troubles run deep, and we can now add public animosity between two designated players to the growing list of potentially season-destroying problems.

A galaxy of weapons

All-action striker Robbie Keane returned to the LA Galaxy lineup on Sunday after missing nearly two months with a knee injury and scored twice in a 4-2 win over the New England Revolution. But with questions swirling as to how the LA lineup could accommodate Keane and Giovani dos Santos, the Mexican star continued his blistering form with a contender for goal of the year. Steven Gerrard has also faced questions over whether he would ever show enough flashes of his old self to justify the hefty contract handed to him by the Galaxy, but he came on a substitute to score on a clever chip and seal the game.

All of that, and we haven’t even talked about Gyasi Zardes’ contributions (two assists).

It wasn’t as easy as it might sound for LA, however. The Revolution came storming back in the second half and came within the woodwork of bringing the game level on a number of occasions. Galaxy boss Bruce Arena still has plenty to work out when it comes to the balance of his team, because while throwing on a host of top-tier attacking players looks good on paper and makes sense when the goals are coming, good teams will find ways to exploit the gaps left at the back and punish LA through the midfield.

For now, though, with its full complement of talent available, LA looks nearly unstoppable.

Morris breaks the fourth wall

Remember when the Seattle Sounders’ Jordan Morris was a first-year pro struggling to live up to lofty expectations placed on him by fans, the media and Jurgen Klinsmann? Remember when coach Sigi Schmid suggested Morris needed a breather to give him a chance to adjust to the responsibilities placed on him by a team working through its own adjustment period?If it doesn’t seem like all that long ago, that’s because it wasn’t. The furor over Morris’ inability to score on MLS defenses popped up a month into the season, then carried through most of April.Here we are in May, and things are quite a bit different. After scoring an insurance goal in Seattle’s 2-0 win over the Earthquakes on Saturday, Morris has put the ball in the net in four consecutive games, a streak that ties him for the best scoring streak by a rookie in MLS history.More importantly for the Sounders, Morris is clearly playing with confidence. With his considerable talents, that confidence has been enough to help him adjust and find his scoring stride just when Seattle needed it most.

Cubo unleashed

Grasping for answers during a disastrous six-game winless streak, Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle finally broke the glass and gave Erick “Cubo” Torres his first start of the season. The Mexican international rewarded his boss’ newfound faith with an assist for what proved to be Giles Barnes’ winning goal.Does this mean we’ll see more of Torres at the top of the Dynamo lineup? Coyle has preferred Will Bruin in that spot and brought on Bruin to replace Torres 12 minutes into the second half, but perhaps we’ll finally get to see what Torres can do in Houston.

Keeping up with Jones

Colorado beat Real Salt Lake on Saturday to stay atop the Western Conference standings and did it on the back of yet another Jermaine Jones goal. Jones now has three goals for the Rapids since debuting after a six-game suspension to start the season, each of those goals sending his team to a big victory.What Jones is doing in Colorado is remarkable and only underscores his unique ability to individually affect a team. Jones’s scoring exploits even prompted a joke (we think) from USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.The Rapids looked much-improved before Jones arrived in the team, but with him patrolling the midfield, they look like a very real contender for honours in 2016.

Steven Gerrard eyes Liverpool return from LA ‘sooner rather than later’

Major League Soccer: Steven Gerrard (90′ + 3) LA Galaxy 4-2 New England Revolution

LA Galaxy midfielder Steven Gerrard says he is enjoying going “unnoticed” in Los Angeles but plans to return to Liverpool “sooner rather than later.”Gerrard, 35, joined LA Galaxy last year after a distinguished 17-year career with hometown club Liverpool, where he achieved Champions League glory in 2005.The former England captain said he and his family were happy living in California, but admitted he missed friends and family in the UK as well as attending games at Anfield.Speaking at a fans’ question and answer session at LA Galaxy’s StubHub Center, he said: “I will be going home at some point.”I don’t want to start any unnecessary rumours. I’m really happy where I am at the moment. But I’m sure somewhere down the line I will represent Liverpool Football Club.”I miss my friends and my family. I miss a bit of cold weather.”I miss going to the games. I spent 35 years in Liverpool. Liverpool’s my home, it always will be. This is my second home for a short period of time.”Sooner rather than later I will return to where I’m comfortable with my people — and that’s Liverpool.”Gerrard, who came on as a substitute and scored the Galaxy’s final goal in their 4-2 win over New England Revolution on Sunday, said his wife Alex and daughters, Lilly-Ella, Lexie and Lourdes, were “enjoying a different life experience” in LA.”Obviously the city’s a fantastic city for myself and my family, the climate, there’s plenty to do. I’m pretty much unnoticed as well, which is a bonus,” he added.”I’m getting on a little bit now so eventually we’ll move back and settle in Liverpool.”

Indy Eleven at Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Saturday, May 14, 2016 – 7:00 p.m. ET Lockhart Stadium – Ft. L

TEAM RECORDS:
Indy Eleven – 2W-3D-0L, 9 pts., 4th place in NASL Spring standings
Fort Lauderdale – 1W-2D-2L, 5 pts., 9th place in NASL Spring standings
Click here for the complete NASL Spring Season standings

WATCH LIVE:

FOLLOW LIVE:

MEDIA GAME NOTES:

Last Time Out – Indy 1 : 1 FC Edmonton

Last Saturday, “Indiana’s Team” could not produce a late winner similar to weeks past as a one-all stalemate left the Eleven with just one point taken at home. However, the draw also left Indy as the only unbeaten team in the NASL, a quality worthy of mentioning when speaking of title-winning resumes.Two first half goals is all “The Mike” would see as Eleven centerback Greg Janicki netted his first of the year, getting a slight touch on Nicki Paterson’s free kick delivery in the 22^nd minute. Just a few moments later, Justin Braun nearly made it two-nil to the good but was unable to make Edmonton ‘keeper Matt VanOekel pay for his poor distribution.The visitors managed to tie things up in the 37^th minute as Sainey Nyassi pushed in a cross from the right flank that found teammate Jake Keegan near the penalty spot. Keegan would beat Janicki to the looping ball and nudged a header that went just over the reach of Eleven netminder Jon Busch as the reset button was hit at Carroll Stadium.The second half was devoid of any major chances for the most part as both sides struggled to break through the other’s midfield. Sinisa Ubiparipovic had an attempt blocked in the 58^th minute, and FC Edmonton missed the best chance of the night with two minutes to go as they streaked with numbers down the right flank but could not beat an onrushing Busch, who corralled a low cross in.Though Coach Tim Hankinson rued the missed opportunity to climb further up the standings, he was impressed with his side’s grit to keep at least a point from the proceedings.

Unpredictability at Hand

After kicking their way through a 1-1 draw at home against FC Edmonton, Indy Eleven now hits the road to the “Sunshine State” for the second time in the 2016 Spring Season, this time to face the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.Last week’s results leave Indy Eleven square in fourth place with a game in hand, just three points off the co-leading New York Cosmos and Carolina RailHawks (NYC currently has the goal differential tiebreaker). Heading into this week, the Cosmos face a Sunday trip to the Eleven’s recent opposition, FC Edmonton, while Carolina hosts Miami FC. Also in front of Indy Eleven – and, like Indy, with a game in hand on the leaders – is Minnesota United FC, who will welcome Jacksonville Armada FC.This weekend’s final scores could help shake out who is really in the hunt at the top of the table, and Coach Hankinson is insistent on his “Boys in Blue” escaping Florida with all three points.

Midfield in Question

With Brad Ring questionable for this Saturday, “Coach Hank” has a few things to ponder in regards to his starting XI. If Ring is unable to, does Hankinson stick to his recently-favored 4-4-2 with a flat line in midfield? Ubiparipovic could stay in the middle with Nicki Paterson, but given the nature of the two’s playing styles, would it make more sense for Hankinson to move towards a diamond in midfield with Ubiparipović in the No.10 role and Paterson as a deep-lying playmaker?Out wide, Omar Gordon is set to keep his place in the team following his debut against Rayo OKC and home debut against FC Edmonton, but if Ubiparipovic is shifted back centrally then a spot opens up on either flank – enter Duke Lacroix and Dylan Mares. Hankinson has repeatedly mentioned his belief in rotating players into positions to keep guys fresh and keep the talent continuous, and with Lacroix earning starts in Indy’s first three matches (and playing much of the next when Ring went out injured at Rayo OKC), his return to the XI would not be considered a shake-up by any means.Meanwhile, Dylan Mares has a strong case having impressed both in the starting lineup and as an impact substitution when called upon. However, Mares could also enter the match as a straight swap in the center of the pitch if Ubiparipović works just as well out wide. While the backline is likely to remain as steady as it’s been across the first five contests, the Busch-Vuković-Janicki-Falvey-Palmer line having started every match thus far, it is the midfield and attackers that will have Coach Hankinson keeping people guessing come Saturday night.

Who to Watch, Indy Eleven Edition: FW Justin Braun

Away games require players to have a little higher-revving engine to make things happen, and that’s where Braun can be a game-changer. In his return to the starting lineup last weekend, Braun was buzzing all over the field – and found himself in the right place to almost put things away on the heels of Janicki’s opening salvo, only to see how best look at a first goal in checkers be thwarted.Can he use that as motivation to put one away on the road? Can he do the dirty work that the players around him can feed off of? Can that help grind out three important points on the road? We’ll see what Coach Hankinson has in store line-up wise, but it could be a game that’s tailor-made for the Salt Lake City native.

Who to Watch, Fort Lauderdale Edition: MF Ramon Nunez

American soccer watchers may recognize the talented Nunez from his early-career days with FC Dallas, but are more than likely to have seen him in the blue-and-white of the Honduran National Team. The 2010 World Cup vet was late to the party for Fort Lauderdale having just been added on April 19, but if his two-assist performance in last Saturday’s surprise 3-1 win at league-leading Carolina is any indication, the diminutive playmaker is starting to find his footing.

Match-up to Mark: D Nana Attakora vs. D Nemanja Vukovic

It’s a match-up of attack-friendly wide backs this week … the two-time goal scorer Vuković versus the reigning NASL Player of the Week Attakora. Their side of the field will be active all night long as neither defender is shy about getting forward to support in possession, so don’t be surprised if a pivotal moment comes from one of these two.

THREE THINGS: #INDVFCE

Our weekly ‘Three Things’ from Saturday’s match May 9, 2016

Following every game in 2016, IndyEleven.com will give each game a little time to breathe before going back for one last look at the proceedings, extracting three takeaways to walk away with before taking a look ahead.In our latest “Three Things,” we look at the effects of centrality, the scoring balance, and the impact of Saturday’s substitutions in the 1-1 draw with FC Edmonton …

MATCH CENTER | INDY ELEVEN vs. FC EDMONTON

1) Taking Center Stage
Saturday’s 4-4-2 formation saw Coach Tim Hankinson deploy Omar Gordon and Siniša Ubiparipović on the right and left flanks while fixing Nicki Paterson and Brad Ring in the middle as the center two … to no surprise, as this was the quartet that lined up similarly at Rayo OKC the weekend before. However, as the match progressed both Ubiparipovic and Gordon filed in towards the middle of the pitch to allow Nemanja Vuković and Lovel Palmer space moving ahead on the flanks.The pros of this? Both Gordon and Ubiparipović worked to take advantage of the central space, often working in behind the striking pair of Justin Braun and Eamon Zayed to create attacking opportunities. However, there are shortcomings to the move – including the possibility of getting caught in numbers when the Eddies broke on a counter and increasing difficulty in feeding the forwards with enough space for them to generate chances, especially with thre FCE players patrolling the central midfield area.

When Gorka Larrea and Dylan Mares were introduced in the 62^nd minute as part of a straight swap for Nicki Paterson and Brad Ring, the midfield looked a little clearer as Mares dropped slightly deeper than Larrea as the tandem worked below Gordon and Ubiparipović. Then in the 74^th minute, when “Ubi” made way for Jair Reinoso, the Eleven switched to what looked a 4-3-3 with Braun, Zayed, and Reinoso up top and a trio of Gordon, Mares, and Larrea scattered across the midfield.Though the 4-4-2 appears to be the preferred formation going forward for Coach Hank and Co., the tendencies of Omar Gordon and Siniša Ubiparipović to drift more towards the middle will continue to impact how the Eleven attack as the Spring progresses.

2) Scoring in Defense and Attack
Through the midpoint of the Spring Season, Indy Eleven have scored six goals. Three of those goals have been scored by forwards Eamon Zayed (2) and Jair Reinoso (1), while the other three have come from defenders Nemanja Vuković (2) and Greg Janicki (1). While the “Boys in Blue” remain the only undefeated team in the NASL, this is an area of concern for Coach Hankinson.

After Saturday’s draw when asked about whether his team could pull off a Spring Season title, Hankinson said, “when your defenders are outscoring the strikers, then I would worry about that statement a little bit.

“In order to win the league, you have to have an outstanding defense, but you also have to know that you can get two or three goals from time to time and making sure that the strike force is doing what they’re paid to do.”In full context, Hankinson feels as if the team has the ingredients and tools to win the league, but that they need to find the right way to feed the attackers going forward as all three of Zayed, Braun, and Reinoso are starving for touches in the opposition area. Goals from defenders are rarely a bad thing, but when they begin to outweigh the tally from your striking pair there may be a tweak or two ahead.

RECAP | Eleven draw even with FC Edmonton

3) The Impact of Saturday’s Subs
Coach Hankinson was impressed with his trio of substitutions and their ability to control the game in the final half hour. Mares and Larrea were charged with marshalling the midfield and continuing to link the defense with attack. The Indiana Universityproduct Mares stepped in and made an immediate contribution as he linked with Greg Janicki as the top passing combo from defense to midfield.

“I thought tonight we were more threatening than we had been in previous games. Some of that is the addition of Omar, some of that is Jair coming in with Dylan and Gorka and really starting to control the midfield … we have to get a lineup that settles in.”Reinoso also played a key role in the final 15 minutes as his replacing Siniša Ubiparipović allowed “Indiana’s Team” to stretch the attack wider with three up front. Though the Colombian went without a chance in the opposition third, he will continue to provide Hankinson flexibility as either an impact substitute or starter for the final five spring games – a quad injury suffered last weekend at Rayo OKC limited his training this past week, which limited his chances of being included in the first XI on Saturday.

HIGHLIGHTS | IND 1:1 FCE

3.5) Two Points Lost … Or a Point Gained … or Both?

We’ll throw a bonus “Half-Thing” at you this edition to commemorate hitting the halfway point of the Spring Season. Overall, the point earned against FC Edmonton might not have been what Indy Eleven wanted, but it was indeed important as the team’s pursuit of a Spring title remains a distinct possibility.On one hand, Hankinson and his team saw Saturday as a missed opportunity for three points at “The Mike,” as “win your home games” is a familiar mantra when it comes to competing for trophies. However, after seeing then second-place Minnesota United FC drop points late via its 2-2 draw with Ottawa Fury FC, followed by the then-league leader Carolina Railhawks falling in surprise fashion to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers at home, the night turned into a net-positive for the “Boys in Blue.” Indy Eleven remains in fourth place, but its nine points now has it within three points of first-place sharers Carolina and New York.

The good news is the Eleven are in position to control their destiny, as Indy has a game in hand on both teams currently on top and have a home meeting with MNU, which sits just a point ahead in third. A road contest at the Strikers awaits this coming Saturday before that home clash with Minnesota on May 21, a game that could ultimately determine whether or not a Spring title is still on the cards for “Indiana’s Team.”

Leicester City wins EPL, La Liga race, Champions + Europa Finals, TV Games

May 6, 2016 gatorbest

Wow what a week so far – for the underdogs – first Chelsea comes back from 2-nil down to shock Tottenham launching 5000-1 odds against Leicester City to winning the EPL Championship. Listen this would be like the Indy Indians winning the World Series in baseball. Its honestly the biggest upset in perhaps in the history of sport – not just soccer or the English Premier League. Anyway congrats Foxes – bandwagon Shane has put my order in for Leicester Jersey baby !

Turning to Champions League – unbelievable drama at Alliance Stadium in Germany as Bayern Munich could not overcome the deficit and loss on away goals to Atletico. Simeone and Atleti were brilliant with their counterattacking style again bringing down giants of football back to back in Barcelona then Bayern. Real Madrid moves into its 2^nd final in 3 years and a second match-up against city rival Atletico Madrid in Milan, Italy on May 28 on Fox. In Europa action – Liverpool used the home field of Anfield again this time to put up a 3-0 mark on Villareal as they advance to the finals vs Sevilla who will be making their 3^rd straight appearance. Finally its Carmel FC Night at the Indy 11 game this Sat Night at up at the Mike 8 pm – make plans to be there!

GAMES ON TV

Saturday, May 7

7:45 am NBCSN Norwich vs Man United

10 am USA Sunderland vs Chelsea

10 am NBCSN Aston Villa vs Newcastle

10 am Extra time Crystal Palace vs Stoke City, West Ham vs Swansea

8 pm Ch 8 Indy 11 vs FC Edmonton

Sunday, May 8

8:30 am NBCSN Tottenham vs Southampton

11 am NBCSN Man City vs Arsenal

11 am Extra Time Liverpool vs Watford

3:30 pm ESPN LA Galaxy vs New England Revs

7:30 pm fox Sports 1 DC United vs NY City FC

Tues, May 10

2:45 pm NBCSN West Ham vs Man United

Wed, May 11

3 pm NBCSN Liverpool vs Chelsea

Sat, May 21

12 noon Fox FA Cup Final

2:30 pm Fox NYC FC vs NY Red Bulls

Wed, May 25

8 pm United States men vs. Ecuador, international friendly

Sat, May 28

FS1 United States men vs. Bolivia, international friendly

Fri, June 3 COPA AMERICA 100

9:30 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Columbia

Tues, June 7

8 pm Fox Sports 1 USA vs Costa Rica – Solider Field – Tix Available!

Fri, June 10 European Cup

3 pm ESPN France vs Romania

MLS TV Schedule ‘

Bale an Example of Madrid Success

COPA AMERICA 100 –GAMES IN CHICAGO – still seats left for USA Game , Argentina game and Semi-Finals.

International Champions Cup – ICC – @ Chicago – Bayern Munich vs AC Milan Soldier Field Wed 7/27 @ 8 pm Tix still available $35 to $135

Congrats to a Bunch of Carmel FC Teams that Excelled at Red Lion last weekend !

U16 Boys Coaches Jeff Oberndorfer (Lft) and Mike Pickard (Rt)

U13 Girls Blue – Coaches Carla Baker, Jim Hawkins, and Cathy Gregory (not pictured)

U11 boys Gold Coaches Doug Latham (Rt) and Jeremy Slivinski (Left)

U10 boys Gold Coaches Joshua Mason (left) and Curt Nielsen (Rt)

U10 Girls Gold and Blue -Ft. Wayne Shoot for the Cure Champions Coaches Andy Martin and

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Real Madrid shows gap between Man City and Europes Elite – Corrigan ESPNFC

Fine Margins cost Bayern in lost to Atletico

Simeones Atletico Madrid is not a Tactical Revolution

UCL Team of the Week

EPL and World Leagues

Most Unlikely Feat in Sports History – Leicester Wins the EPL –Marcotti ESPNFFC

Unforgetable Party Starts in Leciester

Why Leicester City Won’t Sink Next Yr – EPSN FC

Twitter Reaction to Leicester

Here’s the Video from Vardy’s house

Raneiri is Vindicated as Foxes win EPL – David Hirshey ESPNFC

Tom Hanks put $100 on Leciester City to win Title

Claudio Ranieri’s secret to Leicester winning

19 yo Kelechi’s breakthrough at Man City gives them hope

EPL Table

LaLiga Table

Around the World’s Leagues

USA

US Clint Dempsey Could COPA be his last major Tourney?

Bob Bradley – Champions League is every coaches Dream currently 4^th in League 2 France

Bradley on his time in France so far

Indy 11 & NASL

Former Chelsea and England Star Cole Joins Tampa Bay Rowdies

Soccer Camps – Boys and Girls -Ages 6 – 14

Ok so its almost Summer Camp time – below are some nice options for Soccer Camps this summer

Post2Post GOALKEEPER – Soccer Camp – May 31-June 3 – 9 am till 3 pm

CFC and Carmel High Coach Carla Baker – former National Team Goalie for Canada will run her annual GK camp June 1-4 9 am to 3 pm $195 each @ Badger Field

Indy 11 Soccer Camp June 20-23 — 9 am till 12 noon Ages 5-14 $135 @ Badger Fields

Kick in the Grass – 3 v 3 Soccer Tour at Badger Field July 9^th

Goal2Gol Soccer Camp
CHS Men’s Head Coach Shane Schmidt, a former U-20 US National Team player, runs his annual camp from 9 am to 2 pm July 11-16. $150 before 6/30 @ River Road Fields.

Tim Howard to receive two-match Goodison Park curtain call

By Rob Usry  @RobUsry on Apr 29, 2016, 12:03p 4

United States goalkeeper Tim Howard was ousted from theEverton starting spot in February after injuries and bad form handed the role to Joel Robles. Now that the club legend has announced his signing with the Colorado Rapids, effective in July, he’s getting two more matches in front of his beloved fans.Toffees manager Roberto Martinez announced on Friday that Howard will be given the start in the club’s final two home matches at Goodison Park of the season while Joel Robles will handle the final two away matches.“In our last two home games of the season we will be able to honor and acknowledge the outstanding contribution and unforgettable role that Tim Howard has made to our football club in the last 10 seasons,” said Everton manager Roberto Martinez.”Tim will be joining Colorado Rapids at the end of the season but his legacy will live on for many years in the work that he’s done not just on the pitch but in helping young players to understand just what it means and what it takes to be an Everton player. We wish him well and he’ll be a true blue ambassador wherever he is.”

It’s a classy move by Everton and Martinez and a logical move. Things haven’t gone well Howard this season, but he’s been a valuable and loyal member of the club for the past decade. Giving him one final send off on the field in front of the fans in something all parties involved deserve.

All-American Clint Dempsey nearing the end with the USMNT

Copa America Centenario could be the last major international tournament for the 33-year-old.

By Aaron WestFOX SoccerMay 5, 2016 at 1:00p ET

It seems as if Clint Dempsey’s been around forever. Maybe that’s because he has been around for 12 years. Or maybe it’s because he’s been a star for nearly as long. Or maybe it’s because he rapped. But probably more than anything, it’s because he was spectacularly ambitious and unquestionably tough in an era when that was rare for an American player.Now at 33 years old, Copa America Centenario might be the last major international tournament he will play for the U.S.Dempsey made his full debut for the USMNT in 2004 and has since not only scored 49 goals for the Yanks, but also established himself as one of the greatest players in American history. Landon Donovan may be the most talented player we’ve ever seen in a U.S. shirt, but Clint Dempsey is perhaps the most quintessentially American to turn out for the Stars and Stripes.Growing up in Texas, Dempsey was a star for the Dallas Texans, whose illustrious alumni includes current national teamers Brek Shea, Omar Gonzalez and Lee Nguyen. But playing for the Texans wasn’t so easy for Dempsey, who lived in little Nagodoches and had to drive hours to and from training each day. Money was also a problem and at one point Dempsey had to quit soccer because of financial constraints.Tragedy also struck the Dempsey family when Clint was 12 years old. His 16-year-old sister Lindsey, a standout tennis star, died from a brain aneurysm. But that didn’t stop Dempsey, who later attributed much of his success on the pitch to his faith and a renewed determination to succeed after his sister’s death.That determination is Dempsey’s trademark for the USMNT. While his fellow American star Donovan always appeared the more naturally skilled player, ghosting past defenders with subtle feints, stepovers and flicks, Dempsey was his polar opposite. The Texan shouldering past, nay, through defenders, never shy to toss an elbow or two to protect himself from more physical opponents. Donovan was the unique character, sensitive and sometimes uncomfortable in his stardom, there was never any doubt that Dempsey was a stereotypical American, tough and too single-minded to give a you-know-what about what people said.In the words of Bruce Arena, “he tries [expletive].”Dempsey made it into MLS in 2004 from Furman, a small liberal arts college in South Carolina. And he left MLS in 2007 for then-Premier League club Fulham to become the league’s most expensive export at the time. He starred there, then tested himself at Tottenham. Whether things went well or not, and there were hard times at every step, Dempsey was never afraid to step outside of his comfort zone. There were no “what ifs” with him. He always aimed higher, to the next club, the next stage, or even simply by trying to nutmeg a defender when most Americans defaulted to the “safe play.”In 2013, Dempsey returned to MLS and join the Seattle Sounders on a Designated Player contract. A position that made him the captain, leader and backbone of a team for the first time.Now he’s in the twilight of his career. Still good, but for how much longer? No one knows, but he won’t go out quietly. He will claw every last bit he can out of his career, just like he has every single day so far.

Earn Your Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools @ www.Achievetestprep.com

4/29/16 Champ + Europa Semis, Carmel FC nite at Indy 11 May 7, Games of Wk on TV

April 29, 2016April 29, 2016 gatorbest

So interesting 1^st legs in the Champions League Semi-Finals as Athletico takes a 1-0 lead back to Germany Tues 2:45 pm. Unbelievable move by Bayern coach Pep G not starting forward Thomas Mueller in the game – sounds like Pep was way too clever for his shoes on this night. Meanwhile the Caulderon (Athletico home stadium) was rocking at the egging from head coach Diego Simeon as he once again outmaneuvered his counterpart. Atleti’s sit back and counterattack approach which stymied defending champs Barcelona in the last round worked once again. Huge pressure on Pep heading back home for next week’s home stand down 1-0.

In England – Man City escaped with a 0-0 tie as their Goalie Joe Hart stood on his head to preserve the shutout with multiple point blank saves against a Real Madrid team missing Renaldo and Benzema. It should make for an exciting visit to Real Madrid on Wed 2:45 pm Fox Sports 1. Remember the games are being repeated on both Fox Sports 1, 2 and Fox Soccer as well as the 30 minute hi-lights show each night. Heartbreak city for Liverpool Thurs as they played Villarreal to a 0-0 tie for 93 min on the road in Europa Cup action before conceding a goal with 1 minute left, while Sevilla tied Shakhtar Donetsk on the road 2-2. Liverpool return home next Thurs 3pm FS1 looking for a couple of goals to advance to the finals. (A few of us headed to Stacked Pickle on 96th St for Real Madrid vs Man City game Wed 2:45 if want to join in. Thurs Liverpool game @ Brockway Pub 3 pm off Old Meridian)

So with Tottenham’s choke and tie last Monday Leicester City now has to win just 1 of its last 3 games to secure the EPL title for the 5000-1 long shot. The Foxes can secure the title this weekend in the Big Game at Old Trattford vs Manchester United on Sunday at 9 am. A quick glance at the EPL table has Man City and Arsenal tied for 3^rd with 64 pts while Man U is just 5 pts back of at 59 with West Ham and Liverpool battling for the final Europa League spot at 56/55 points respectively. In the relegation zone – (yes if you stink in Europe the bottom 3 -you move back a division) Norwich @ Arsenal NBC 12:30, Sunderland @Stoke City 10 am NBCSN, and New Castle hosting Palace USA 10 am. Totteham plays the darby @ Chelsea Mon 2:45 pm NBCSN. Spain’s La Liga has just 1 pt separating Barcelona, Atletico and Real Madrid and they all play back to back starting at 10 am on beIn Sports. Back in the US – defending Champs Portland host eastern division leaders Toronto FC and US stalwarts Michael Bradley and Jose Altidore at 3 pm on ESPN, while our 4^th place Indy 11 travel to Oklahoma Saturday night for an 8 pm battle on beIN Sports.

GAMES on TV this WEEK

Saturday, April 30

9:30 a.m., Fox Sports 2 Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach
9:30 a.m., Fox Soccer Plus: Borussia Dortmund vs. VfL Woflsburg
9:30 a.m., Fox Deportes: Darmstadt vs. Eintracht Frankfurt

10:00 a.m., NBCSN               Stoke City vs. Sunderland
10:00 a.m., USA                    Newcastle United vs. Crystal Palace
10:00 a.m., Extra Time:       Everton vs. Bournemouth, Watford vs. Aston Villa

10 am beIn Sports Real Sociadad vs Real Madrid

12:15 pm beIn Sports Athletico vs Raya Vallencano
12:30 p.m., NBC Arsenal vs. Norwich City

2 pm ESPN 3 Ottowa vs Miami

2:30 pm beIn Sports Real Betis vs Barcelona

8 pm beIn Sports Rayo OKC vs Indy 11

Sunday, May 1

6:30 am beIn Sports Juve vs Carpi

7:00 a.m., NBCSN                 Swansea City vs. Liverpool
9:05 a.m., NBCSN                Manchester United vs. Leicester City
11:30 a.m., NBCSN               Southampton vs. Manchester City

12:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1 Bayer Leverkusen vs. Hertha Berlin

3:30 PM espn Portland Timbers vs. Toronto FC
8 pm FS1 Sporting Kansas City vs. Los Angeles Galaxy

Monday May 2

2:15 p.m., Fox Sorts 1 Werder Bremen vs. VfB Stuttgart

3:00 p.m., NBCSN Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Tues, May 3 (CHAMPS LEAGUE)

2:45 pm Fox Sport 1 Bayern Munich vs Athletico Madrid

Weds, May 4 (CHAMPS LEAGUE)

2:45 pm Fox Sport 1 Real Madrid vs Man City

Thursday, May 5

UEFA Europa League (Semifinal first leg)

3:00 p.m., Fox Sports 1: Liverpool vs. Villarreal
3:00 p.m., Fox Sports 2: Sevilla vs. Shakhtar Donetsk

Saturday, May 7

7:45 am NBCSN Norwich vs Man United

10 am NBCSN Sunderland vs Chelsea

10 am ET Crystal Palace vs Stoke City, Villa vs Newcastle

Sunday, May 8

8:30 am Tottenham vs Southampton

11 am NBCSN Man City vs Arsenal

3:30 pm ESPN LA Galaxy vs New England Revs

7:30 pm fox Sports 1 DC United vs NY City FC

Tues, May 10

2:45 pm NBCSN West Ham vs Man United

Wed, May 11

3 pm NBCSN Liverpool vs Chelsea

Sat, May 21

12 noon Fox FA Cup Final

2:30 pm Fox NYC FC vs NY Red Bulls

Wed, May 25

8 pm United States men vs. Ecuador, international friendly

Sat, May 28

FS1 United States men vs. Bolivia, international friendly

Fri, June 3 COPA AMERICA 100

9:30 pm Fox Sports1 USA vs Columbia

Tues, June 7

8 pm Fox Sports 1 USA vs Costa Rica – Solider Field – Tix Available!

Fri, June 10 European Cup

3 pm ESPN France vs Romania

MLS TV Schedule ‘