April 29, 2010
NSC Minnesota.com - Match Recap
NSC Minnesota.com - Match Highlights
NSC Minnesota.com - Post Game Interviews (incl. Bob Lilley)
Rich Costanzo returned to Minnesota and scores the game winning goal.
Tino Nunez scores the next two to put the game out of reach.
Neal Kitson gets the clean sheet in his Rhinos debut.
The team ends the four game season opening road trip with a 2-1-1 record.
And now the Rhinos stand tied atop the USL Conference of the USSF D-2 Pro League with the Portland Timbers.
That has to be about as good a start as Bob Lilley could hope for and this team looks to be getting a little better each game as they prepare for Saturday's home opener against the Carolina RailHawks.
The really interesting conversations will be around playing time with Bob Lilley giving guys like Nano Short and Tino Nunez more minutes in Minnesota than they had earlier in the season. While having depth is certainly preferable to not having quality depth, it does make for harder decisions when selecting an 18 man roster and a starting eleven on match days.
News & Notes:
- Devo points out all the media outlets that the Rhinos will be on leading up to the opener.
- The USMNT unveiled their new home jersey by Nike ahead of the World Cup. They are even giving away a new jersey signed by Bob Bradley.
- The USMNT blog has some cool pictures from today's jersey unveiling at Niketown NYC and The Offside Rules has some video of the panel discussion that took place featuring Waldo, Bob Bradley, and Walter Bahr.
- I am soooo jealous after reading this post by Bruce at DuNord. I'd want that briefcase, let alone the two jerseys!
- Nike is also doing a cool colab with Mr. Cartoon with some sweet US gear ahead of the World Cup. I could do some serious damage between this and the sweet new gear at the US Soccer Store.
- Speaking of Bob Bradley, I think he's underpaid.
- Chris Economides gives Portland some love in their final season in the USL. Sort of.....
- I like this piece that says Portland is no place for English retirees.
- Could the NY Mets bring a second MLS team to the NYC area?
- Could MLS be overexpanding? If they go beyond 20, I think they might.
- Boca Juniors will be playing LA & Seattle. Seattle will also host Celtic while DC United will host Rangers.
- DC defeated FC Dallas in USOC qualifying.
- DC United has brought back former MLS MVP Luciano Emilio.
- Montreal lost to Toronto in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. I still get a chuckle over those pink Montreal jerseys.Here are some highlights of the 2-0 win for TFC.
- Jonah Freedman has some love for a few MLS players looking to make the USMNT for the World Cup.
- Health is still an issue for Jermaine Jones.
- The NY Times talks to Charlie Davies on his road back.
- Adam at This Is American Soccer.com has a piece on a new book entitled Chasing the Game, America and the Quest for the World Cup.
- The Eddie & Freddy show was in full effect yesterday for Aris as Adu set up Johnson on one goal and Eddie scored another by himself.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the Rochester Rhinos or SoccerSam.com. Feel free to send any comments or complaints to news@soccersam.com. James promises to read (but not to respond) to all of them.
