Some Soccer News for Nov 30, 2015

Hello Columbus! I am excited to be attending my 10th MLS Cup Final. Maybe I will see you there.

dN

MLS Cup Playoffs
Some VERY dramatic soccer in the 2nd Leg of the Semifinals on Sunday evening left us all wanting more. (The fans of the 2 teams that found themselves on the losing end probably wanted a lot more so they could pull off the comeback.) Glorious goals all over the place.

Semifinals
Sun Nov 29
Dallas 2-2 Portland Timbers - Por advances 5-3 on aggregate
New York Red Bulls 1-0 Columbus Crew - Col advances 2-1 on aggregate

FCD-PT Recap:
-The rain brought the goals and both #10s Diego Valeri and Mauro Diaz were remarkable.
-Video highlights.
-Match report by Peter Welpton of the Dallas Morning News.
-The Timbers advance to their 1st MLS Cup Final by Jeff Carlisle of ESPN FC.

RBNY-CC Recap:
-So so so so so so close were the Red Bulls from taking that game to extra time. Literally off the post 4 1/2 minutes into stoppage time.
-Video highlights.
-Match report by Filip Bondy of the New York Times.
-The Crew advance to their 2nd MLS Cup Final by Doug McIntyre of ESPN FC.

Final
Sun Dec 6
Columbus Crew v Portland Timbers - 3pm CT on ESPN
-Current weather forecast for Sunday at kickoff: High 51F. Intervals of clouds and sunshine. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.

dN

I think Fox Sports did a spectacular job with MLS games this season. I had my doubts. But week after week it just got better and better and better. Thank you to John Strong, Alexi Lalas, Julie Stewart-Binks, Rob Stone, Eric Wynalda, Brad Friedel, Stuart Holden, JP Dellacamera, Katie Witham, Brian Dunseth and the whole behind-the-scenes production crew. (Plus the people I forgot.) You knocked me out.
-PS. I LOVE now loud the get the crowds to sound, it really sucks me into the atmosphere of the game!

dN

Official MLS Best 11
G: Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
D: Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact)
D: Kendall Waston (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
D: Matt Hedges (FC Dallas)
M: Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City)
M: Fabian Castillo (FC Dallas)
M: Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls)
M: Ethan Finlay (Columbus Crew SC)
F: Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC)
F: Kei Kamara (Columbus Crew SC)
F: Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
-All great and deserving players this season.
-But I have two major issues with this team:
1) No team in the league plays with 3 centerbacks and no fullbacks.
2) No team in the league plays with 3 forwards. Hell, most teams don't even play with 2 forwards.

dN

Two Americans had eventful weekends in Europe:
-Fab Johnson had a fabulous game for Gladbach, even though the results were not fabulous. He scored the 1st and 3rd goals in a 3-3 tie at Hoffenheim.
-It was good and bad for Alejandro Bedoya. Good: he is fully back from an undisclosed illness and started for the first time in 2 months. Bad: he got 2 yellow cards and was ejected from the game. They drew 0-0 at home v Bastia.

Check out this cool video of EVERY touch by Fabian Johnson against Hoffenheim - including the two great goals. Clip from Fox Soccer.

dN

American and American investment companies are pouring money into the English Premier League. By Soccernomics author Stefan Szymanski.
-In a 5 year span EPL teams have tripled their income from broadcasting deals.

dN

A handful of us Dark Clouds, aka Minnesota United supporters, pledged money for every yellow or red card the team got this season and in the end we raised $1010 for Somali-American Youth Enrichment Club (SAYEC.) I am proud of my fellow fanaticos.

dN

I was listening to the Feelies at my desk all morning, so I thought I should share a song from this early 80s New York pop post-punk band. This is The Boy With The Perpetual Nervousness from 1980 originally released by Stiff Records.
-If you would like to know more you can read the Feelies "story" here.

dN

Do not count out Tracy Morgan, he intends to make you laugh again. From GQ.

dN

The coin toss, what is the value in sports? By Victor Mather of the New York Times.

dN

Jaime Vardy of Leicester City is the Vedad Ibisevic of the Premier League. Lets hope he doesn't blow out his knee sometime this month. By Stuart James of the Guardian.

dN

Liga MX Liguilla Apertura:
-Two lower seeded teams advanced, but neither can really be seen as a upset.
Quarterfinals aggregate scores:
America(6) 5-3 Leon(3)
Tigres(5) 3-1 Chiapas(4)
Pumas(1) 1-1 Veracruz(8) - Pumas advances as higher seed
Toluca(2) 3-2 Puebla(7)
-William Yarborough played the full 90 for Leon in Leg 2, which was a 2-1 win. Miguel Ibarra, Ventura Alvarado, Joe Corona, Gabe Farfan and Jose Torres did not play in the 2nd Leg games.

Semifinals
-Dec 2+3 and 5+6
Pumas(1) v America(6)
Toluca(2) v Tigres(5)
-Final: Dec 10 + 13
-All rounds are 2 Legs.
-In Semifinals away goals break ties, no extra time is played, and if still tied they higher seed advances.
-In Final away goals DO NOT break ties, and the game can go to Extra Added Time and a Penalty Kick Shootout if tied.

dN

The finalists for FIFA Mens Player Of The Year for 2015
-Lionel Messi - FC Barcelona + Argentina
-Neymar Jr - FC Barcelona + Brazil
-Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid + Portugal

The finalists for FIFA Womens Player Of The Year for 2015
-Carli Lloyd - Houston Dash + USA
-Aya Miyama - Okayama Yunogo Belle + Japan
-Celia Sasic - FFC Frankfurt + Germany

The finalists for FIFA Mens Coach Of The Year for 2015
-Luis Enrique - FC Barcelona
-Pep Guardiola - FC Bayern Munchen
-Jurgen Klinsmann - USA national team
-Jorge Sampaoli - Chile national team

The finalists for FIFA Womens Coach Of The Year for 2015
-Jill Ellis - USA national team
-Mark Sampson - England national team
-Norio Sasaki - Japan national team



The Bird Is The Word