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Evening Ticker: England-Mexico friendly set, Egypt cruises past Algeria and more

Capellogetty

By AVI CREDITOR

Fabio Capello wanted his team to have a CONCACAF dress rehearsal before this summer's World Cup, and the England manager has his wish.

England will host Mexico on May 24 at Wembley Stadium in what should make for an intriguing international friendly for U.S. fans.

Capello reportedly believes that a match with Mexico will best prepare the Three Lions for their June 12 World Cup date with the U.S.

Mexico, meanwhile, adds another top-notch opponent to its friendly slate that already included Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Ecuador.

The match will be shown in the United States on Telemundo, which has broadcast rights for the Mexican national team. No word yet on which English-language network will broadcast the match.

Here are a couple of other stories to get you through the night:

EGYPT ERASES ALGERIA IN ACN SEMIS

Two-time defending African Cup of Nations champions Egypt are through to the final after dismantling Algeria 4-0 in Thursday's second semifinal. Ghana defeated Nigeria 1-0 to claim the other spot in Sunday's final.

Algeria finished the game with eight men after having three sent off in the run of play.

Rafik Halliche's 38th-minute red card for a harsh tackle in the box allowed Hosni Abd Rabou to open the scoring from the penalty spot.

Also sent off for Algeria were Nadir Belhadj, who saw red in the 70th minute for a vicious tackle, and keeper Faouzi Chaouchi, who picked up his second yellow of the match in the 88th.

Mohamed Zidan doubled Egypt's lead in the 65th minute, Mohamed Abdelshafy tacked on another goal in the 81st and Mohamed Gedo finished things off with a 90th-minute score.

The win allowed Egypt to exact some measure of revenge on Algeria for defeating the Pharaohs in a playoff for Africa's final World Cup spot.

SUN SETS ON SOL

Sporting the game's premiere player, winning the league's regular season crown and reaching the championship game weren't enough to keep the Los Angeles Sol afloat.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the Women's Professional Soccer franchise will fold after one season because of financial issues.

The crux of the issue, according to the Times, is that co-owner AEG tried, but failed, to sell its share of the team, and co-owner Blue Star, LLC didn't have the resources to run the team on its own. 

It's not as if Los Angeles was the only WPS franchise with money issues. None of the seven teams made a profit in the league's inaugural season. Expansion teams in Atlanta and Philadelphia are joining the league for the 2010 season.

The Sol players will be scattered around the now-eight-team league through a dispersal draft. It is unclear what will happen with Marta, the four-time reigning FIFA World Player of the Year. She is currently playing on loan for Brazilian club Santos.

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What will you root for in the England-Mexico friendly? Hope Algeria is as undisciplined come June? Shocked that the Sol are going under?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. It’s been said repeatedly, but people who want to hyperventilate are going to find a reason. Hell – look at the reaction from some to LD’s goal. Complaints about how he should have put it in the corner or how it was a deflection… Whatever.

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  2. Last I looked football is not the major sport in United States. However, growth in this country since 1990 has been amazing. Just look at the United States rise in world rankings since then and we have to compete with baseball, football, hockey and basketball for players. So what your saying is not correct.

    What major FIFA title has Spain won? NONE (unless you count Euro which means we get to count the Gold Cup). And England as football crazy as they are with 92 league teams hasn’t won a World Cup since 1966. So your point was what?

    So Spain would tell you back “we haven’t won a FIFA championship at any level either”

    So yeah go tell Spain….last I looked USA 2 Spain 0….just sayin’…:)

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  3. DC – I think you make a point, but I also wonder if it has some to do with the business side and the negotiations that take place to make these games happen. I have the impression Mexico is easier to negotiate with than US Soccer. For example, does US Soccer demand a higher share of the money or that it must be in the US vs traveling to Europe? I have not evidence or anecdotes to support this, it’s just a feeling….

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  4. Not my fault the US has no depth.

    It’s pretty funny actually, most of you guys discount any game that doesn’t include your starting XI.

    Mexico vs Holland, in Eindoven, 2006.

    Mexico vs France at Stade de France, 2006. Zidane’s last game in france.

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  5. Mexico sort of puts our future friendlies into the category of “Bradley what in the world are you doing when you aren’t coaching one game every three months?!?!?!?!?!”

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  6. Riiiight…here’s what our ’06 friendlies turned out to be, tell me this is incredibly challengin: Canada, Norway,Japan, Guatemala, Poland, Germany (lost 4-1), Jamaica, Morocco, Venezuela, Latvia (LATVIA!).

    Sounds pretty similar to your Mexico list…

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  7. If you compare this squad to our ’94 WC squad, we are by no means a team of bohemaths.. we have quite a few guys on the slight of build size. We have more technically sound players, but our backline is not a bunch of goons like it used to be.

    England doesn’t need to try to play any team with a similar “style” as ours, they get the same treatment from almost anybody they play. We’ll pack it in and hope to spring a counter or score off a set piece.

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  8. He got the first yellow for protesting the penalty kick (the kicker stopped in his track, waiting for the goal keeper to move before shooting, but the penalty was not re-taken). Apparently he attempted to headbutt the referee…

    Second yellow (like if it was needed) was given when he tried to punch an Egyptian player who had almost scored…

    In other words – he had it coming.

    I have a related question – will the Algeria red cards carry over to the World Cup? If so, they would be without two starting defenders and the goalkeeper for three games…

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  9. True. I remember Boruc from Celtic getting a foul called on him for taking out Eduardo in the box, but it was clearly a dive and Eduardo hit the penalty and sent Arsenal through to CL. Can’t recall if he got a card for it though.

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  10. Not sure what the specific reason in this case could be, but yellows to keepers for time-wasting on goal kicks happens, especially late in games. Dissent is another possibility…

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  11. Mexico is respected more internationally than the US. They have a better record in the World Cup, and a longer history of success.

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  12. Tell them what, that we haven’t won a fifa championship at any level? That with 300m + population we have depth problems. That our greatest player just scored his very first goal in Europe at what age?

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  13. I’m not sure what the company is called that schedules Mexico’s friendlies, but I know its an American company and it’s headed by non other that Mr MLS commissioner. I kind of like how we control who they play, but the 10 year contract is about to expire…

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  14. Fischy, they would but because of the 3rd place game they won’t. If you remember back in October against Costa Rica after Jozy picked up his first yellow, Bob told him on the sidelines, “hey don’t be an idiot and take your shirt off in tribute to Charlie otherwise your ass gonna be sitting out the first game of the WC”

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  15. This is true. Happened during an Arsenal-Sheffield United game a few years back. Surprisingly, SU managed to hold on to their draw despite not having a real keeper.

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  16. Well we have something in common…my mother is English as I said and I lived their for 8 years as a kid…

    Where we disagree as I see the USA beating England…even as I sit next to my mother in her England shirt…:)

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  17. So, I may be showing my limited soccer IQ here, but what happens when the keeper gets ejected? I don’t think I’ve ever seen/heard of that happening (although I’m not dumb enough to think that it doesn’t).

    Do they put a field player? Do they sub another player out for a goal keeper (which would cost a field player)?

    What exactly is the scenario?

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  18. This comment just shows you are a noob. One things is you hating Mexico and another is being so ignorant. That statement is valid only if you say “Go back 4 years”. I guess Opponents at the last world cup dont count.

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  19. OK, good point. US fans throw out excuses when their C team loses. Mexico fans throw out excuses when their A team loses. I guess that’s the same thing.

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  20. THIS is the year ?

    ummm, Mexico hasn’t failed to make it out of group stage for longer than some of the players have been alive (except when FIFA wouldn’t let them play )

    The US may have missed a couple of times ?

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  21. THIS is the year?

    ummm Mexico have never failed to make it out of Group stage for longer than some of the players have been alive. (except when FIFA wouldnt let them play )

    US didn’t get out of group stage two out of the last three WCups.

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  22. that is funny, that is why I always want England to lose by 1 goal. Guarenteed to be some call or Hand of God they will complain about for 100 years.

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  23. would defiantly be good match-ups. still think if possible Russia or France would be ideal match-ups. but czech and turkey would be great games for us.

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  24. Really?lol Go back 10 years or so, and do your math.

    Not too long ago we played, Sweden 3 times,England,Spain 2,Argentina,Brazil 2,Poland,S.A,Switzer,Den,Slov.

    Mexico played Argentina,Jamiaca,Peru,china,bolivia,colombia,chile. They played Ghana in England which by the way is the closest they have ever gotten to playing someone in Europe.lol They played Sweden once in the states.

    Copa America?lol Yeah, our USMNT kids were at the event too. 🙂 Not including this tourn since both teams attended.

    The point I’m trying to make here is that the USMNT have played against better opponents than mexico in the last 10 years. The Mexican federation is always too worried about dropping points in the standings the FIFA ranking table, maybe that is why they take the easy way out.:)

    France & Holland? When & where? I don’t remember these teams playing mexico recently.

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