February 14, 2007
While the remainder of the draw will take place this evening, US Soccer has already announced that they will open the tournament on June 28th versus Argentina. Also in the release is that Mexico will open up a day before the US versus Brazil.
If that is the way CONMEBOL is going to treat guests in the tournament, then I guess their idea of southern hospitality is a little different than mine.
Scott Palguta is solid again as Real Salt Lake relocates camp to Orlando, Florida
RSL Notes - Deseret Morning News.com
RSL splits a pair of exhibition games - Deseret Morning News.com
Apparently the trip south didn't hurt Scott Palguta's chances at making the club. Head coach John Ellinger said that Scott and fellow defender Chris Lancos looked good in Real's scrimmages yesterday and could provide defensive depth for the team should they make the 18 man roster.
Scott almost scored late in the game versus Swedish club GAIS. Scott got his head on a corner kick for RSL, but it was tipped off the crossbar. Palguta played the final 45 minutes in the game versus GAIS yesterday.
Wambach called into USWNT pre-Algarve Cup camp
US head coach has brought back core veterans such as Abby Wambach, Kristine Lilly, and Aly Wagner that were left off the US roster for the recent Four Nations Tournament in China. The US will open the 2007 Algarve Cup on March 7th versus China.
The US will try and recapture the Algarve Cup. The US had won the tournament in 2004, 2004, and 2005, only to lose on PKs in the 2006 championship game to Germany.
Why didn't someone in MLS get this guy?
Argentine playmaking midfielder Juan Ramon Riquelme has left Spanish club Villareal and returned to his former club Boca Juniors. Reportedly, Boca Juniors gave up $2 million to acquire Riquelme on loan for the remainder of the season.
Riquelme has been injured and had yet to play for Villareal this season, but he seems like the type of game changing player with international cache that would seem to make sense for an MLS club to go after.
With FC Dallas coming up short in their bid for former Tottenham midfielder Edgar Davids, why wouldn't they go after Riquelme as a guy that can get the ball to Kenny Cooper and Carlos Ruiz?
Or how about the NY Red Bulls who could have Riquelme and Claudio Reyna as a powerful midfield duo?
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.
