Real Madrid secure Essien loan
MADRID, Spain ● Chelsea announced that Michael Essien has joined Real Madrid on a season-long loan. The 29-year-old midfielder, who joined the club in 2005 from Lyon, will move to the Bernabeu and link up with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, the man who brought him to Stamford Bridge. Essien has been a [...]
Pirlo, the player of the tournament
KIEV, Ukraine ● Being voted man of the match in a Euro 2012 semi-final when a team mate has scored two superb goals in a 2-1 victory is some indication of the all-powerful influence Andrea Pirlo has on Italy at the moment. Mario Balotelli grabbed the headlines in the semi-final win over Germany, but not [...]
Simply the best
BARCELONA, Spain – Lionel Messi’s stunning hat-trick set a Barcelona scoring record of 234 goals as the La Liga champions won an action-packed home game against Granada 5-3 to close within five points of La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Tuesday. With his sixth league treble of the season, the Argentine World Player of the [...]
Dempsey, Wambach win US awards
CHICAGO, Ill. – Fulham striker Clint Dempsey and Abby Wambach, who helped the Americans reach last year’s Women’s World Cup final, were named by the US Soccer Federation on Friday as 2011 Athletes of the Year. Voting was 50 percent from on-line US supporters and 50 percent from media and US Soccer representatives. It was [...]
Galaxy’s Gonzalez out 7-9 months after surgery
CARSON, Calif.- Los Angeles Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez will be out seven to nine months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee. Gonzalez had surgery Friday in Los Angeles. The injury leaves the Galaxy without the player voted MLS’ top defender last season after he helped Los Angeles claim the [...]
Messi world’s best
ZURICH, Switzerland – Argentina and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi won the World Player of the Year award on Monday for the third year running. Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola was voted 2011 coach of the year. Guardiola took the coach’s award ahead of Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson and Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho. Messi beat club mate Xavi [...]
Man City to appeal Kompany red card
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City lodged an appeal with the Football Association on Monday as they sought to overturn the red card handed out to Vincent Kompany in their FA Cup defeat by Manchester United. In a brief statement, Premier League leaders City said the appeal would be heard before Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final against [...]
Omar Gonzalez leaves January camp for Bundesliga loan
NEW YORK, NY – Isn’t it funny how things work out? A few months ago every US Men’s National Team fan and their mother were whining and complaining about the lack of US call-ups for MLSers Omar Gonzalez and George John. Finally, they have both received call-ups to the inaugural January camp only to turn [...]
Dortmund hit jackpot with Marco Reus
DORTMUND, Germany – Marco Reus, one of Germany’s brightest young players, will join Borussia Dortmund from Borussia Moenchengladbach at the end of the season, the Bundesliga champions said on Wednesday. Dortmund said the 22-year-old forward, who has scored 10 goals for Gladbach in the league this season and helped his previously unrated team to fourth [...]
