Battery-Railhawks Draw, Davies is Back, and the USMNT is Serious

Yesterday the Battery traveled up to Cary, North Carolina for a preseason friendly, at Wakemed Soccer Park against the NASL's Carolina Railhawks.

The game would end in a 0-0 draw. Neither team threatened very much, and the Railhawks would "dominate" (well as you could in this game anyway) the possession in the offensive third. The lack of attacking is typical in these preseason games, and I would take this result with a grain of salt.

Last night Charlie Davies made his debut for DC United against the Columbus Crew, in a game at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

Davies would enter in the 56th minute, as a sub in the second half for Joseph Ngwenya. In the 63rd minute he would get his chance to make this debut one to remember.

Chris Pontius was pulled down in the box, and Davies would step up to take this PK for United. He buried it to the bottom right.  He wasn't done. Not by a long shot.

In the 77th minute Davies collected a long ball and ran past the Columbus keeper to put his total for the day up to two.

In an emotional post game interview, Davies said:

"This has been like a storybook tonight. I don’t think you could write this stuff. You can’t make this up, and once the whistle blew I was so relieved that we had won. I looked at the fans and that’s when the emotion hit me. I thought to myself, look at the support, look at how much people wanted me to succeed. To score two goals on my debut after a year and a half out, it’s honestly amazing. I knew I was ready, and I knew that I wanted the opportunity, but it feels great to seize the moment. To survive the [car] accident and still be able to play soccer, it seems like there is a reason why it happened and this goes to show that with faith and belief that you can achieve the impossible. Tonight it feels like I achieved the impossible."

This was Davies first game for a first team squad since the car accident that he was in, in 2009.

It is rumored that the United States Men's Team will be playing a scrimmage against world champions, Spain in Foxboro, Massachusetts on June 4th, 2011.

This match would be the last game before the CONCACAF Gold Cup that the United States is hosting in the summer of 2011.

If this match is played, it will be the last in a line up of tough teams that the US has faced since the World Cup. Some of the highlights are Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, and Paraguay.

The US is really getting serious in these friendlies. We haven't been seeing too many match ups against the top teams in the world for the United States, and this line up of teams coming to the US, could get more people interested in the team, and get them more media coverage. When you play teams that are this well recognized, there are no negatives.

The USMNT will be playing Argentina on March 26th at the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey, and Paraguay on the 29th at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee.

If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com.

MLS Season Preview

Well its that time of year again.We are about to begin the 17th season of the top flight of soccer in the US, Major League Soccer. This year with the brand new playoff format, we can expect to see a more even split of Eastern and Western Conference teams. Two new teams are thrown into the mix in the West (Vancouver and Portland), while the Houston Dynamo are bumped from the Western to the Eastern Conference. Here is where I think they'll finish:
Eastern Conference:
9: Columbus Crew: Well, someone has to finish last, and for me it's Columbus. They're coming off a great year, finishing 2nd in the East and a CONCACAF Champions League appearance, but too many questions arise on the roster. Losing Frankie Hejduk will weaken the defense, and losing midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto will leave the midfield hurting. They also didn't make too much of an effort to fill those two holes.
8: Chicago Fire SC: Originally, I had Chicago finishing last, but after a pretty nice performance in the Carolina Challenge Cup, I have more confidence in this young team. Losing Brian McBride, John Thorrington, and Freddie Ljungberg will hurt them dearly, but the young talent looks to be peaking. Their best offseason pick up was Jon Conway from TFC, but a lack of depth is why I have them finishing this low.
 7: New England Revolution: The Revolution are far from their former glory. They have been on a steady decline since the loss of Clint Dempsey, and this year should be no different. The two keys to their success this season will be if Ousmane Dabo can come in from Italian club, Lazio, and have an immediate impact in the defense, and if veteran Shalrie Joseph can continue his success from past seasons.
6: Toronto FC: Toronto is going to suprise some people this year. New coach Aron Winter has a lot to prove with this team, but I actually think that this year they could actually make a playoff run. They don't have the pure talent or depth to make the playoffs, but I think that Toronto is going to make some serious noise. Their best pick-ups this offseason were Nathan Sturgis and Javier Martina.
5: Houston Dynamo: Houston is this year's sexy pick, with the return of Brian Ching and Geoff Cameron, but I don't think that this will be their year. Last year they had a very poor year, and this year will be a major improvement and they will be in the race for a playoff spot, but in the end they won't pull it off. They are very experienced, which is a plus, but I think next year will be the year they return to prominence.
4: Philidelphia Union: The Union are entering their second season of play with a lot to be excited about. Sébastien Le Toux had a great season last year, and when you add Guatemalan Carlos Ruiz, you're looking at one of the best finishing duos in the league. We could see some exciting soccer coming from Philly this year, as they had a very successful transfer season.
3: Sporting Kansas City: New name, new look, new success? Not to say that last year wasn't sucessful, (They finished 3rd in the East) but they will make the playoffs this year. If you remember, they finished with 39 points which wasn't enough to earn a wildcard spot. Teal Bunbury and Omar Bravo create, what I think, is the most exciting attack in the entire MLS, and you can expect some spectacular goals coming from Kansas City. A new stadium is always a help as well.
2: DC United: This is the story of worst, to almost first. DC had arguably the best transfer list of the MLS, almost solely for the pick up of Charlie Davies. Davies will dominate the league this year, and we will see DC easily cruise into the playoffs. Joseph Ngwenya and Santino Quaranta will join Davies up front. On a fundamental note, I thought their ball movement was great at the Carolina Challenge Cup. If they can keep injuries low, DC will compete for first with...
1: New York Red Bulls: Oh New York. So many people have them as first, and as much as I hate it, I have to put them their too. They have everything, experience; Thierry Henry, a young talent; Juan Agudelo, and a great coaching staff. No doubts about this one. They will most likely dominate the East, and their aren't many, if any, questions that are raised when talking about New York's roster.
Western Conference:
9: Chivas USA New coach Robin Fraser has a huge mess too clean up, and this year will not be a success for Chivas. The brightest spot on their team is the young forward Justin Braun, who is becoming one of the best young talents in the MLS and picking up defender Heath Pearce from Dallas. We will see what happens, but last is almost inevitable for Chivas.
8: Vancouver Whitecaps: The first expansion team on the list, will not finish last. Their back-line will be tested this year, a lot, but lead by captain Jay Demerit, and Joe Cannon in goal, they have a good chance of doing it. With the signing of Eric Hassli as a goalscorer, we'll see the Whitecaps finish second to last. Not great, but it's a start.
7: Portland Timbers: I see your first expansion team, and raise you a better one. The Timbers will bring in the MLS' top rookie, with forward Darlington Nagbe. They will also have Kenny Cooper who is coming in from a stint in Germany with 1860 Munich. Portland and Vancouver are put in a tough position, but Portland has quality, and the fan base will come in as one of the best in the league. They have had plenty of experience against MLS teams, as they have had decent success in recent US Open Cups, and their rivalry with the team just up the road, Seattle Sounders FC.
6: FC Dallas: Last year's runner-up in the MLS Cup will have major problems this season. The big losses are Dax McCarty to DC United, and defender Heath Pearce to Chivas USA. David Ferreira is the reigning MLS MVP, but I don't see it being enough to push Dallas through to the playoffs. It will be rebuilding year for Dallas, but hopefully having success last year will fill their soccer-specific stadium this season.
5: San Jose Earthquakes: The Earthquakes are coming off a very successful playoff campaign in 2010. The Earthquakes advanced from a wildcard spot, to the semifinals of the MLS Cup. The 2010 Golden Boot winner, Chris Wondolowski, is returning to San Jose to try and prove himself to the MLS and show that the 'Quakes playoff run wasn't a fluke.
4: Colorado Rapids: Last year's champions will have about the same success in the 2011 season as they did in the 2010 season. Connor Casey and Jamaican Omar Cummings will comeback to lead the Rapids attack, but they didn't deepen their roster enough to win the cup again. The depth of the roster will give them a successful regular season, but come playoff time, a lack of consistency and the greatest fear of all for any team; fatigue, will set in to prevent Colorado from a repeat.
3: Los Angeles Galaxy: The Galaxy have one thing that makes me doubt them. David Beckham. Beckham is returning from England, where he trained with Tottenham Hotspur. Some more drama between Landycakes and Beckham could arise, and unsettle the balance. Plus having big stars like Beckham and Donovan leaves the rest of their squad leaving something to be desired. Edson Buddle is their biggest loss of the offseason. The addition of Juan Pablo Angel will push LA through to the automatic playoff spot.
2: Seattle Sounders FC: Now I'll be the first to admit I'm a little bias towards the Sounders (They're my team), but the Sounders will be one of the best teams in the MLS. Forward Fredy Montero will have a break out year this year, and with Steve Zakuani and Blaise Nkufo to round out the attack, Seattle's attack is very dangerous. Kasey Keller will be returning to Seattle for one more season, and will be a brick wall in the goal for sure. For Charleston Battery fans, Lamar Neagle is on the roster for Seattle.
1: Real Salt Lake: Real is the team this year. And I mean a team. No big names, no huge stars, but a team of solid players, that have a South American flair that will lift them too success this year. Fabián Espíndola and Álvaro Saborío team up for one of the most underrated attacks in the league, and I see RSL pulling out to a comfortable lead over the Sounders at the end of the season.
Playoffs:
Wildcard's: 1.Colorado 2. San Jose 3. Philidelphia 4. Dallas
Eastern: 1. New York 2. DC 3. Kansas City
Western: 1. Salt Lake 2. Seattle 3. LA
Game Predictions (Winners in Bold):
Wildcard:
Colorado-Dallas
San Jose-Philidelphia
Quarterfinals:
New York-Colorado
DC-Kansas City
Salt Lake-San Jose
Seattle-LA
Semifinals:
New York-Kansas City
Salt Lake-Seattle
Final:
Salt Lake-Kansas City
Well there you have it. My predictions for the 2011 Major League Soccer season. It will be an interesting year, and I wish luck to all of the teams.

If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com

Carolina Challenge Cup Review

Well it is all over. The largely anticipated Carolina Challenge Cup is over. DC United is the Champion, the attendance and coverage of the tournament was great, and many a memory were made. Here are some notes from the tournament:

• DC is Back: Now we shouldn't get to excited, as last year they won the CCC and then preceded to finish dead last in the MLS. Davies goal against Toronto was solid, and DC is looking like as deep and complete of a team as ever.
• What's up with all the Red Cards?: Chicago had 3, Charleston had 2, Toronto had 1. Are the refs getting card happy? Maybe not, but Stephen Armstrong getting sent off in the final game against the Fire, was one of the biggest surprises of the tournament for me.
• No Extraordinary Performances: Some players did well, but when you get right down to goalscoring, every goal in the tournament was scored by a different player. When you look at the tournament in years past we've usually seen usually one, sometimes two players have an out-of-this-world performance. Last year we saw DC's Jaime Moreno score 5 goals in the tournament. The thing about these tournaments, is that nobody really gets enough consistent playing time to score a huge amount of goals.

In the end this was a successful year for the Carolina Challenge Cup. I hope to see the tournament return next year, and I don't see any reason why it won't. The Battery's organization has shown that it can bring MLS to this tournament and get good attendance numbers, while they're at it.

Sorry that I didn't write a recap of the Charleston-Chicago match, I've been out of town since Thursday and didn't have enough time to write it.

If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog.@gmail.com

Oh What a Night: Charleston 2-1 TFC

Earlier tonight, the Charleston Battery defeated Toronto FC 2-1 in the 2011 Carolina Challenge Cup. The Battery gained a victory in the Challenge Cup for the first time since 2006. The Battery came back from an early 1-0 deficit for a comeback victory.

The first goal of the game came in the14th minute, after the Battery's Nigel Marples got a hand ball in the box giving TFC a penalty. Toronto's Nathan Sturgis calmly stepped up and converted the penalty to give Toronto a 1-0 lead.

Charleston's Dane Kelly was arguably the man of the match. He caused consistent problems for TFC's back line, and in the 43rd minute, Kelly scored a cracker of a goal from the edge of the penalty area. As Kelly continued to cause problems, Toronto couldn't really find an answer at all. Mikael Yourassowsky was moved from left back to centre back for the second half, and fouled Kelly in the box giving Charleston a PK. Mike Zaher stepped up to take the penalty, and missed on his first attempt, but calmly put in the rebound over Toronto's Stefan Frei. Though they pushed forward for the remainder of the game, Toronto couldn't find an equalizer, and the Battery would go on to win by a final of 2-1.

This was a great game for the Battery. Obviously getting any points against an MLS team is a big accomplishment, but winning a match against one is just a great confidence boost. Kelly was the best player on the field, and could really be a great asset for the Battery this season. All in all, it was a great performance and our boys can go home with their heads held high, while Toronto is left trying to find themselves.

Toronto got their first goal in the Carolina Challenge Cup since the 2009 edition of the tournament, but they have to be asking themselves, "What's going on?" Their squad is not showing much promise, and honestly, I could see them finishing last in the MLS. They have some big questions to answer.

In the first game of the two-game session, DC defeated the Chicago Fire 1-0. DC's Blake Brettschneider scored the only goal of the match in the 10th minute, with a header off a Santino Quaranta free-kick. Chicago again had to play most of the match short-handed, when Diego Chaves got sent off in the 37th minute. Chicago apparently has a problem with getting players sent off.

DC Defeats Charleston 2-1, Fire Down TFC

In the opening set of games of the 8th edition of the annual Carolina Challenge Cup, was played Saturday night DC United defeated the Charleston Battery. Charleston went down early after Chris Pontius scored a goal in the 4th minute on after breaking on goal and with a clinical finish put it in the back of the net. In the 15th minute, the Battery got their equalizer when Brandon Massie was brought down in the penalty box. Stephen Armstrong was elected to take the penalty and putting in the bottom right to tie it up. United controlled most of the game and got a majority of the chances, and they finally got the eventual winner in the 71st minute after Josh Wolf assisted Joseph Ngwenya for a goal to put United up 2-1.

In the end, the boys put up a good fight. Honestly I didn't expect to win, but to score the opening goal of the season against an MLS side is a great accomplishment. We definitely got outplayed, and that was to be expected, but we should go away from this with their heads held up.

Before the DC and the Battery played, Chicago Fire SC played the Canadian side, Toronto FC. The only goal of the game was scored in the 6th minute by the Fire's Marco Papa, assisted by Davis Paul. The Fire's Logan Pause was sent off in the first half, forcing Chicago to play the rest of the game with 10 men. Pause is the Fire's captain.

This was a successful first night of the week long round-robin tournament. A great crowd was on hand to watch the two games, and hopefully the crowds will be just as good for the next couple of sets of games.

If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com.

Neagle Signs with Seattle, Charleston Battery Day, and More

Today Lamar Neagle signed with Seattle Sounders FC of the MLS. Neagle was on the Charleston Battery for last year's USL-2 Championship. He scored 12 goals in 19 appearances for the Battery last season, which is the most in a season for his career. He was the top scorer for Charleston last year. Neagle was impressive in the Sounder's preseason camps. Neagle scored 1 goal in a match against Real Salt Lake.

"This is where I want to be," said Neagle. "From the start, I knew I needed more games to get better, and now I'm ready to make a difference. The biggest difference is my confidence and feeling comfortable on the field, and confidence comes from playing games and playing well."

This is a huge step for Lamar. Moving from football in Finland, and the USL-2 to the MLS is great forward progress, and a move up after a couple of years is not out of the question, if he does well (He's only 23). He has payed his dues, and he deserves this chance to show what he's got. It will be tough for him to get consistent playing time, with Fredy Montero and Blaise Nkufo playing forward for Seattle, but we'll see what happens. There was no doubt in my mind that he wouldn't make the roster, but I was also hoping to see him in black and yellow this summer.

Berkeley County, South Carolina, has officially named March 5th Charleston Battery Day. This day will be held because of the Battery's commitment to success on the field, as well as in the community. I think this is just a great idea, and good publicity for the Battery.

Also, alongside the Carolina Challenge Cup this coming weekend, there will be the Carolina Challenge Academy Cup. Academy teams of Chicago Fire and DC United will be participating in this tournament, along with the Battery's academy, South Carolina United, and North Meck SC USSF Academy. The tournament will be two round robin tournaments in the U16 and U18 age divisions. They will be played on Saturday at Blackbaud Stadium. The South Carolina United teams will don the Battery's uniforms, strengthening the link between South Carolina youth soccer and the Battery. SC United Executive Director Clark Brisson had this to say about the tournament:

“We are excited about the opportunity to host MLS Academy teams and North Meck in conjunction with the Carolina Challenge Cup. Special thanks to the Charleston Battery for their support and efforts in bringing USSF Academy teams to Charleston. We wish all coaches and teams the best of luck and hope they enjoy visiting Charleston.”

All of the games in this tournament, including the championship match, are free of admission. So come on down to Blackbaud Stadium to check out these young players.

 

What to Expect From DC United

Well we are less than one week away from the beginning of the Charleston Battery's season. It has been way too long. I'm really excited about the upcoming season, and the Carolina Challenge Cup is always the perfect way to kick off the season. And the Coffee Pot Cup is up for grabs also, as DC United is coming to town for the Battery's first match up of the year. Here's what to expect from United:

DC is going to definitely be making some noise in the MLS this season, mainly because of the addition of Charlie Davies which rounds out the attack with last year's MLS Rookie of the Year, Andy Najar. Najar was the leading goal scorer for DC last year, with 5 goals in the league. Australian Danny Allsopp scored 8 goals in all competitions last year for DC, and now plays for Melbourne Victory in the Australian A-League. Argentinian, Pablo Hernandez played with Allsopp up front, but was on loan from Uruguayan club, Defensor Sporting. Davies will be able to fill Hernandez's role as a playmaker, but will also bring the goal scoring aspect of his game to DC. Davies will be one of the best players in the MLS this year.

Last year, United ran a diamond 4-4-2, with Allsopp and Hernandez up front. The midfield consisted of Americans, Santino Quaranta and Stephen King, along with Costa Rican Kurt Mosink, and Andy Najar. Quaranta was at the top of the diamond, with King and Mosink in the middle two spots, and Andy Najar at the back. The backline consisted of Americans, Devon Mctavish and Jed Zayner at fullbacks, and Julius James and Dejan Jakovic as the centre backs.

This year, we can expect the same diamond 4-4-2 formation from United. Joseph Ngwenya is joining DC from Houston, and should be expected to start for DC in a considerable amount of matches. Davies will play with Ngwenya as a forward. The midfield is a little more confusing. Najar is the only definate starter (probably starting at the back of the diamond), and Branko Bošković is a solid attacking midfielder, and should fill the front of the diamond nicely. The rest of the midfield looks a little fuzzy, though Dax McCarty looks like a front runner for a starting spot. Other candidates for the last 2 spots at midfield include Clyde Simms, who as been with United since 2005, Brazilian, Junior Carreiro, Kurt Morsink, and Conor Shanosky. Zayner and Marc Burch look like a locks for the back line (probably at fullbacks), with Rodrigo Brasesco, Dejan Jakovic, and recently drafted Chris Korb all fighting for the two centre back positions. It is not known at the moment who will play in goal, though the four candidates seem to be Pat Onstad, Joe Willis, Steve Cronin, and from their own academy, Bill Hamid.

This will be, as always, an interesting match up for the Battery. I am indescribably excited to see DC and Charlie Davies come to Charleston. Once we learn more about the Battery's roster, we will see how well the Battery will be able to compete with DC United.

Top Ten South Carolina Soccer Stories of 2010: 6-4

Yesterday we reviewed  the 10-7 soccer stories in South Carolina this year. Here is 6-4:

• 6: Columbia Gets a Women's Team: This year Columbia, South Carolina got a USL W-League franchise in the Central SC Cobras. The Cobras are set to start play in 2011. The official announcement is expected to come in February. The team has already had some tryouts and hopefully this team will be a great addition to the  growth of the game in South Carolina.
• 5: Lamar Neagle Comes to the Battery and Leads the Team: In 2009 Lamar Neagle played for the MLS side, Seattle Sounders FC, came to Charleston for the 2010 USL Second Division season. He lead the Battery with 14 goals in 24 appearances. Neagle also won the Scoring Champion and Goal Scoring Champion for the USL Second Division. He was named to USL All-League First Team and was the USL-2 MVP. He became an integral part of the Battery's USL Second Divison Championship. But we'll get to that later.
• 4: Carolina Challenge Cup Returns to Charleston: In 2010 the seventh edition of the annual Carolina Challenge Cup returned to Blackbaud Stadium, bringing in three Major League Soccer Sides. This year the tournament was highlighted by 2009 MLS champions, Real Salt Lake, coming to Charleston. They came along with Charleston's MLS rival, DC United, and Canadian side, Toronto FC. The tournament was a success with the average attendance being 4,326 spectators per match. DC United took home the title.

Kansas City Wizards to Sporting Kansas City?

As many of those who follow the MLS may already know the Kansas City Wizards changed their club's name to Sporting Kansas City. The inspiration of this is said to have come from the organization adding a rugby and lacrosse team to their umbrella of sports. Now, while this may end up working out for the team, I don't support the name change.

Sporting Kansas City have gone through multiple name changes in their history. They were one of the original ten Major League Soccer franchises that started play in 1996. The started as the Kansas City Wiz. We all know that would never last long. So they changed it to the Wizards in the following season. The Wizards used the same logo until 2007 when they revamped the franchise and changed the logo and home field. So they apparently felt the need to change it again? The new Sporting Kansas City are to play in the brand new KC Soccer Stadium in the 2011 season.

With the many of the MLS clubs going with a "European Style" name, I think it is hurting the Americanizing (if that's a word) of soccer. DC United was originally the only one with a "European Style" name and it gave them their own style which I think was a good move. But then you get the rest; FC Dallas, Real Salt Lake, and Toronto FC. Now while you might be able to say, "Toronto is in Canada they can do whatever they please," I'll count them because Major League Soccer is a predominantly American league. We really don't need this. In American sports we are teams with the city/location, followed by a mascot of some sort. With the addition of Sporting Kansas City to the naming fiasco, we are getting further and further away from making this sport American.

The best move of any United States club, naming wise, was the Chicago Fire adding "Soccer Club" to the end of their name. What a great low blow to the Europeans who hate on Americans for calling it soccer. If the MLS ever gets big, I beg the Fire to keep the SC at the end of their name. (By the way, for those that don't know South Africa and Australia also call the game soccer).

Alright, so bottom line. Americanizing soccer is the key to gaining support. If we just follow what we think will make us seem more like the European leagues we will lose the American side of the game that makes the MLS, USL, and all American soccer leagues so great. It may not be La Liga, but it is our own slice of soccer, set in the great U.S.A.