Soccer birthdays:
Former French national team manager Laurent Blanc, a member of Les Bleus’ World Cup winning side in 1998, turns 47 on Monday.
Los Angeles Galaxy assistant Curt Onalfo turns 43 today. How about what happened Sunday in Seattle as a fine B-Day “How Do You Do?”
Big Important Stories of the Day:
The 17th MLS Cup is set. A season that began back in early March will conclude Dec. 1 outside Los Angeles at the Home Depot Center, where the Houston Dynamo will surely play the underdog role against the Galaxy. (FYI: It’s a Saturday night final for the first time in MLS history.)
RASNoD (Random American Soccer Name of the Day: Desmond Armstrong
*Ahead on the blog today:
More discussion about the two conference final, second-leg closers. And we can surely squeeze in the popular Monday “Meh” list of the slightly overrated.
About the photo (top right):
Thanks to D.C. United’ Sarah Lerner, who snapped this late Sunday on her way out of RFK Stadium.
Twitter daps:
What you should watch on TV today:
Roma meets Torino in Italian Serie A action at 1:45 p.m. on beIN Sports. (If you have it, can we come over and watch?)
Background noise while blogging today:
We’ll put Sunday’s Fulham-Sunderland match on before it disappears from the DVR. And maybe that neglected Ajax match from last week, too. In fact, I’m not sure how many unseen matches are taking up room on that menu.
We’ll leave you with this:
I know everyone isn’t 100 percent excited about a repeat of last year’s MLS Cup final. Same doggone stadium and everything. On the other hand, Houston will have its best player this time, Brad Davis. That’s something … right?
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Jozy Altidore was the hero for the United States, cooly slotting a left-footed shot to hand the Stars & Stripes a 1-0 victory over Honduras.
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Reuters
Graham Zusi? Fabian Johnson? Jozy Altidore? Who ya got?
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Is the Pablo Mastroeni trade another smooth move from that wily Bruce Arena?
Jun 18, 2013, 8:33 PM EDT
The LA Galaxy coach has taken aging players and made them useful parts of the roster before:
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Everyone loves “The Pope”
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Tim Cahill is the first Major League Soccer man to qualify for the World Cup.
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Our weekly re-ordering of Major League Soccer teams, following 16 rounds of play:
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Some of the best U.S. success in the past has come when the United States was backed into a corner. Tonight looks much different:
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There are a few choices to be made ahead of Tuesday’s match in Utah:
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About that brilliant atmosphere last week in Seattle: Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah will rock, too
Jun 18, 2013, 12:30 PM EDT
Unsaid in this narrative is this: most U.S. sites are bright and alive these days.
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Stuart Pearce has been relieved of his duties as manager of England’s U-21 squad.
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Australia join Brazil and Japan as nations that already have booked their place in next summer’s World Cup.
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Talking about what’s ahead, plus more on tonight’s match at Rio Tinto Stadium outside Salt Lake City:
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Scottish football takes another hit as Hearts prepare for administration
Jun 18, 2013, 7:56 AM EDT
Hearts have put the entire squad up for sale to raise the reported £500,000 needed to get the club to the start of the season.
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Big opportunity ahead as United States faces Honduras in World Cup qualifying action
Jun 18, 2013, 6:00 AM EDT
The teams meet tonight outside Salt Lake City as the drive for Brazil 2014 moves forward:
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Huge cost of World Cups: Did we need a protest like Brazil’s to point out the obvious?
Jun 18, 2013, 12:10 AM EDT
Reuters
Brazil has infrastructure concerns. They’ve also spent $3.3 billion on soccer stadia. No surprise, people aren’t happy.
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Christian Eriksen’s potential for Borussia Dortmund a particularly cloudy picture
Jun 17, 2013, 10:43 PM EDT
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The mythology of Ajax, Dutch soccer and one stars’ struggles outside the Dutch league make this potential transfer difficult to evaluate.
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Ancelotti may be impatient, but Real Madrid wait should prove inconsequential
Jun 17, 2013, 8:23 PM EDT
It’s only a matter of time before Ancelotti’s holding pattern’s resolved.
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Early returns from England’s offseason tell a tale of two Manchesters
Jun 17, 2013, 7:39 PM EDT
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It’s early days, but while City close the gap, Manchester United have yet to act.
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This André Villas-Boas to Paris Saint-Germain link makes more sense by the day
Jun 17, 2013, 6:51 PM EDT
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With a buy-out in his contract, Villas-Boas likely will be given a choice between Paris and London.
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Honduran international Maynor Figueroa completes move to Hull City
Jun 17, 2013, 5:59 PM EDT
Reuters
Steve Bruce reunites with a player he brought to Wigan Athletic.
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Video: Police clash with protesters in Brazil
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Video: Highlights: Sounders win in final minutes
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Video: Highlights: Revolution dismantle Galaxy
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Video: What does New York FC have to do to succeed?
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Video: The Hype: Bending the screen like Beckham
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Video: Galaxy's Rogers talks about coming out to the public
