Top Stories

Soccer Sunday: Your Running Commentary

Jack McInerney 1 (ISIphotos.com)

Photo by ISIphotos.com

There are two key MLS playoff series kicking off today, and European soccer action looms, but the U.S. Under-17 national team's final World Cup group match should garner plenty of attention on this Soccer Sunday.

The U.S. Under-17 team is coming off a 1-0 win vs. Malawi and can progress to the knockout round of the Under-17 World Cup with a draw or win vs. the United Arab Emirates today (10am, ESPNU).

THe ultimate MLS rivalry heads into post-season mode as Chivas USA takes on the LA Galaxy at Home Depot Center (5pm, ESPN2), but not before the league's most familiar playoff foes face off when Chicago meets New England (2pm, FSC).

If you will be watching today's action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action (Sunday's soccer TV schedule is after the jump):

TODAY'S SOCCER ON TV

6:30am– ESPN360.com- Ajax vs. Feyenoord

7am– Setanta USA- Spartak Moscow vs. FK Rostov

9am– RAI- Sampdoria vs. Bari

9am– ESPN360.com- Roma vs. Bologna

9am– FSC/FSE/ESPN360.com- Livorno vs. Inter Milan

9:48am– ESPN360.com- USA vs. United Arab Emirates (Under-17 World Cup)

9:48am– ESPN360.com- Malawi vs. Spain (Under-17 World Cup)

11am– FSC/FSE- Birmingham City vs. Manchester City

1pm– Azteca America- Morelia vs. Chivas de Guadalajara

1pm– Telemundo- Toluca vs. Queretaro

1pm– FSE- Sunderland vs. West Ham United (Delayed)

2pm– FSC/FSE- Chicago Fire at New England Revolution

2pm– ESPN360.com- Korea Republic vs. Algeria (Under-17 World Cup)

2pm– ESPN360.com- Italy vs. Uruguay (Under-17 World Cup)

3:45pm– FSC/RAI- Palermo vs. Genoa

5pm– Univision- Club America vs. Jaguares

5pm– ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN360.com-Chivas USA vs. Los Angeles Galaxy

9pm– Telefutura- Santos Laguna vs. UNAM Pumas

Comments

  1. They put that rubber stuff on real grass nowadays too, right? I think the football field at my high school has it. But it looked like there was a million times more of it at that field in Nigeria.

    Reply
  2. I agree. The area that needs improvement most is the final third. Most of the attackers take too many touches or a too heavy touch. The goal scored today was from some good one touch football.

    Reply
  3. I watched the U17 US vs UAE game today. Taking a larger view, I think we can see the development of US players.

    Currently, the USMNT is strong in our defensive third, and weak in the middle third as well as our offensive third.

    The U20 US team was the same.

    The U17 US team, however has skill in the middle third. They keep possession and try to break down the other team. They play balls very close to the touchline AND can keep the ball in play. I’m pretty impressed with the footwork of these players. I know people are down on players like Jerome and Gil, but I’ve been impressed. It’s not the hopeful long ball tactics of the USMNT or the U20s. I don’t know if it’s due to the Coach or a change in philosophy, but I’m glad we can keep possession of the ball.

    Now, the next stage of development is to become dangerous in our offensive third. How long will it take? My guess, another 5-10 years before we see it in the U17s, so the players that will show this are in the 6-11 age range now. Keep you eyes peeled 🙂

    Also, before we get too excited about the success or lack of success of the U17s, let’s note that the Dutch & Brazil did *NOT* make it to the knockout rounds!! That said, how much do you want to bet that these Brazil & the Dutch will *still* be good in 5-10 years 😉

    BTW, in the knockout rounds, we play Italy next and then, if we win, we play the winner of Swiss v Germany. We ended up in the UEFA quarterfinal bracket!!

    http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/matches/kostage.html

    Reply
  4. A country with 300 million people shoud be able to blow away some of these teams. The problem is not quanity, but quality. We have more kids playing soccer then the entire population of the UAE and Malawi combined, but it is hard to get any good playing 2-3 times per week. We need street soccer in our culture because as a coach I rather pull from 20 kids who play on the street every day then 200 kids the play 3/week.

    Reply
  5. the road to the final for the US goes through Italy, Germany/Swiss(beat brazil and mexico finished with 9) and argentina… OUCH!

    Reply
  6. I watched this same team (u17’s) play the Wizards reserves in person, Wizards reserves dominated them, you get much more space when you arent playing grown fit men; example of this, go check out the top highschool girls teams in your area, space and time makes a huge difference, the way the move the ball makes it seems like you are watching Spain, then you realize they are getting 2 or 3 seconds more time on the ball every touch.

    Reply

Leave a Comment