Soccer: Extra Time

Soccer: Extra Time

Red Bull notes: Backe dismisses Nicolas Anelka link, concedes Shield, updates injuries

July 18, 2011 , ι By BRIAN LEWIS

The Red Bulls shipped Austin da Luz to archrival D.C. United today to complete last week’s trade that brought them an international slot. Coach Hans Backe said the move also gave the team some much-needed salary cap space, and both the slot and cap relief were used to acquire Designated Player Frank Rost last week.
	 

	 
Rost, a 38-year-old German veteran of over 400 Bundesliga games, kept a clean sheet in his Red Bull debut, a scoreless draw on Saturday.
	 

	 
“(We did it) to get a foreign spot and open up space in the cap to get Frank Rost in. That’s why,’’ said Backe, who went on to say that Da Luz _ a naturally left-footed midfielder who’d just started to display the promise that made him the 14th overall pick in 2010 out of Wake Forest _ was the player United specifically requested.
	 

	 
*** On player who won’t be coming to New York, according to Backe, is Chelsea striker/attacking midfielder Nicolas Anelka. Thierry Henry’s former French National teammate _ who has earned the name Le Sulk _ had been linked with a move away from London and to the Red Bulls, but Backe rubbished those reports.
	 

	 
“That’s rumors, just rumors,’’ Backe said. “I heard that one myself.’’
	 

	 
*** In injury news, Backe said that Mexican centerback Rafa Marquuez _ who has been out since pulling his hamstring in El Tri’s Gold Cup finals win over the U.S. June 25 in Los Angeles _ won’t be in the lineup Wednesday in Colorado, but is “95 percent for Saturday. But he needs at least two (practice) sessions.”
	 

	 
He added that Finnish midfielder Teemu Tainio, who came off last Saturday with a thigh injury, rested today and should be ready Wednesday at the Rapids. And while striker Luke Rodgers has no chance of playing either game this week, the injury news on his plantar fasciitis is encouraging.
	 

	 
“He's feeling better than we thought; but I would probably say, if we are lucky it could be probably for the Emirates Cup,’’ Backe said. “He will probably have to do treatment this week, perhaps at the beginning of next week see if he can go out on the pitch and I hope he can go for Emirates. But probably not before.’’
	 

	 
The 29-year-old English striker would surely love to get back in the lineup when his Red Bulls play games on back-to-back days in London at the end of the month. And the Red Bulls would surely love to have him back, not just for his six goals and two assists, but for the work rate and diagonal runs that open the field for Thierry Henry and the rest of the attack.
	 

	 
*** Backe admitted his mouth probably wrote a check his team couldn’t cash when he publicly set the Supporters' Shield as the target. He’s admitted defeat on that front, ten points behind the league-leading L.A. Galaxy and in sixth-place in the overall table. But he is still confident the Red Bulls can win MLS Cup if they get _ and stay _ healthy.
	 

	 
“I said myself when I arrived that it would probably be tough the first year and I said we’d probably win the second. I said too much then, because I didn’t know the Gold Cup. It’s still up to us to qualify for the playoffs…even if I wanted to win the Shield, but that is gone,’’ Backe admits. “But it is up to us to get in the playoffs and then I feel we are definitely good enough to win MLS Cup.’’

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Red Bull coach Backe out to protect Agudelo from his own hype

July 18, 2011 , ι BRIAN LEWIS

Red Bulls coach Hans Backe doesn’t care how talented a teenage phenomenon is, or how mature a prodigy may seem to be. He says the fame and acclaim they’re often showered with can be detrimental to their career, if not fatal; and he’s dead set on making sure the same fate doesn’t befall Juan Agudelo.

The 18-year-old striker was named to the MLS All-Star game by league commissioner Don Garber, despite not even being a starter for the Red Bulls. And while Backe said he isn’t surprised, he didn’t sound overjoyed at the prospect of one more distraction he’ll have to try and shield his rising young star from.

“No, (I’m not surprised) at all,’’ Backe said. “He’s a Homegrown, he’s a talented player, he gets a lot of (stories) about him becoming the future player for the U.S., he has scored some winning goals for the National Team. So I’m not surprised at all. And the game is at our stadium.’’

The All-Star game is July 27 at Red Bull Arena, a game that Backe will coach against Champions League finalist Manchester United. Agudelo was one of two commissioner’s selections despite largely being a backup to English journeyman Luke Rodgers, having started just seven of his team’s 21 games.

Agudelo had an up-and-down performance for the U.S. in this summer’s Gold Cup, but has shown a penchant for shining on the big stage, like scoring the game-winner in his U.S. National Team debut last Nov. 17 at South Africa. Backe had worried aloud to me on the day of Agudelo’s call-up that the teen would get surrounded by a media frenzy and followed by scouts; it turns out it wasn’t hyperbole but spot-on.

“I think already at end of last season I felt that it was too much around him and it still has been. How to protect the players that’s suddenly getting involved in a lot of commercials and still has to fight for his spot (in the lineup),’’ said Backe. “Surrounding him, the expectation is too much. It’s too early, and he’s too young. But that’s the way it is worldwide with talented 17 and 18-year-olds.’’

The veteran Swede vowed at the time to shield the young Agudelo, and not let him fall victim to his own hype. Think a 2011 version of the mishandled Freddy Adu saga. But when I asked how, the answer wasn’t so simple.

“It’s not easy,’’ said Backe. “We don’t get the information when he’s called up for a commercial. Pepsi calls him up, we have no idea. All these things, I don’t know if it’s more stuff. As a young guy, you lose focus. You say “Oh, I can handle this.’ But they
	 can’thandle it. I
	 knowit. With advisors around him, there are guys that just want to make money.’’

epa02453685 Red Bull coach Hans Backe is trying to shield teenage striker Juan Agudelo _ shown here celebrating his game-winning goal in his U.S. debut last Nov. 17 at South Africa _ from his own considerable hype. EPA/CARL FOURIE

It should be noted at this point that Backe spoke largely in generalities and vagaries, never saying that the considerable hype had swollen Agudelo’s head, and not talking about the latter’s well-respected agent, Ron Waxman. But like a high school-age player coming into the NBA, or a teen musician going gold, there are plenty of hangers-on and yes-men and people tugging in every which direction.

“Clubs just need to get the information, when its appearances, they just have to know how minimize all these appearances,’’ said Backe. “He will end up, when he’s 32 and I’m almost dead, they can say “Oh, he’s still a talent.’ And I hate,
	 hatethat with the young, promising player. We just have to be tight with him.’’

Agudelo has four goals and an assist in just 774 minutes, but still clearly doesn’t make the nuanced diagonal runs Rodgers does, or the same kind of mature chemistry with Thierry Henry that his older English teammate enjoys.

Dane Richards would be the next option at striker, but Backe insists he’s not ready to bench Agudelo during Rodgers’ prolonged absence from plantar fasciitis _ the latter optimistically targeting a return for the Emirates Cup in London. Backe said they’ll just force-feed Agudelo at practice, and try to get him up to speed with how Henry wants his partner to play.

“Normally you have to live with it. But if you play them together every training session, it’s definitely a learning process for Agudelo to learn how Thierry wants to play,’’ said Backe. “That’s the way we have to do it, and have done in the past. I’d say it’s a learning process.’’

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Red Bulls send Da Luz to United

July 18, 2011 , ι Associated Press

WASHINGTON — D.C. United has acquired midfielder Austin da Luz from the Red Bulls to complete a trade between the MLS clubs. Da Luz has one goal and one assist in seven games this season, including... Read on

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Women’s World Cup final scores new Twitter record

July 18, 2011 , ι By NewsCore

SAN FRANCISCO -- The nail-biting end to Sunday's FIFA Women's World Cup final between the United States and Japan inspired an influx of tweets and a new Twitter world record, the social networking... Read on

Japan defeated the US 3-1 in a penalty shootout in the final played in Frankfurt, Germany -- denying the US a third title.

A record 7,196 tweets per second were sent in the dying moments of the game, which finished at 2-2 in extra time, ahead of the penalties.

Twitter added that another soccer game -- Paraguay's defeat of defending champion Brazil Sunday in the Copa America quarter-finals Sunday -- is now second on the tweets per second leaderboard, with 7,166 messages per second sent at the end of the game.

Other recent Twitter peaks included the May death of al Qaeda leader Usama bin Laden, which reached a high of 5,106 tweets per second, according to tech website TechCrunch, and Super Bowl 2011, which saw 4,064 tweets per second.

Sunday's US-Japan clash also saw another Twitter incident -- a war of words between CNN talk show host Piers Morgan and former England soccer star Michael Owen.

The spat, which started when Owen criticized Morgan's attempts to offer advice on penalty tactics, degenerated into name-calling -- with the TV star calling the Manchester United player a "benchwarming midget," and being mocked for his saggy "moobs" in return.

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U.S. Women finished off by their own poor finishing

July 18, 2011 , ι By BRIAN LEWIS

Yesterday’s Women’s World Cup final between the top-ranked U.S. and upstart Japan has been analyzed and outsized, built up as everything from dynasty vs. destiny to a seminal moment for soccer in this country and women’s sports in general. But once it started, it became something else: an all-time classic.

The U.S. blew not one but two leads and losing 3-1 in PKs, there poor finishing and frayed nerves costing them in an exhilarating game for the ages that stood on its own merits, no referendum needed. And afterward the upset that broke hearts in their locker room but helped heal them throughout Japan, they U.S. groped for answers on how their coronation had somehow turned into Japan’s catharsis.

“I truly believe that something bigger was pulling for this team. And as much as I’ve always wanted this,’’ U.S. keeper Hope Solo said on TV, her voice cracking and hazel eyes watering, “if there’s a team I could give it to, it’d be Japan.’’

The U.S. women had departed the country in near anonymity, but became social media darlings after rallying for a 5-3 PK quarterfinal win over Brazil. The NFL looking up from the lockout long enough to learn the names of Solo and Abby Wambach, with a watch party in Times Square, the Empire State Building lit up in their honor and President Obama tweeting both before and after the loss.

Japan coach Norio Sasaki had said he hoped the “soccer gods” would help his team, playing to lift the spirits of a nation that saw the March tsunami and earthquake leave 15,000 dead, 7,000 missing and the infrastructure devastated. According to Solo, he got his wish.

After all, how could a U.S. team that’d been 22-0-3 vs. Japan play their best game of this tournament, yet leave with dejection and disappointment, instead of gold medals? In truth, it was their own poor finishing that finished them off.

Look no further than their own profligacy in front of goal in the first half-hour, that came back to haunt them in the final few minutes. They dominated possession with no production, putting just one of their first dozen shots on frame.

There was Lauren Cheney missing a pair of great chances before getting hurt and subbed at halftime. And Carli Lloyd missing the target from inside the box. And Megan Rapinoe hitting the post and Wambach the crossbar.

“We made mistakes, let them in the game,’’ said U.S. coach Pia Sundhage, who couldn’t explain their finishing. “You don’t. You can’t. Sometimes in, sometimes out…We couldn’t put away our chances. We created a lot of chances in the first half, but it’s a final: Small difference between winning and losing.’’

After the U.S. had been perfect in PKs against Brazil, Shannon Boxx, Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath all missed yesterday, unable to put away their chances.

“It's obviously heartbreaking….It’s unfortunate we couldn’t pull it out. We had chances though throughout the game, and didn’t put them away. Evidently it wasn’t meant to be,’’ said Wambach. “I’m not sure. The magnitude of all this can get the best of you. We weren’t focused in that one second.’’

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Man City boss confirms agreement reached with Corinthians for Tevez sale

July 18, 2011 , ι By Sky Sports

MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini confirmed an agreement has been reached with Brazilian side Corinthians for the sale of star striker Carlos Tevez, Sky Sports reported... Read on

City turned down a $64 million (£40 million) bid from Corinthians last week, with City believed to be holding out for $80 million (£50 million) for a player who finished as joint top scorer in the English Premier League last season with 20 goals.

However, speaking on the club's preseason tour of North America, Mancini told Sky Sports, "We have an agreement with Corinthians but Carlos now is still a City player."

The 27-year-old Argentine international had been looking to move back to South America in order to be closer to his family and was reportedly unhappy in Manchester.

He requested a transfer with "great regret" at the beginning of July, having withdrawn a previous demand last December.

Tevez, a 2009 summer signing and City's club captain, had previously been linked with moves to Spain or Italy, where Real Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus were all thought to be interested.

Man City defender Joleon Lescott admitted he would be disappointed to see his teammate depart but understood his wishes.

"We'll be disappointed if Carlos leaves but it was down to the club and Carlos what was best for each other and they have come to an agreement so I wish both parties all the best," Lescott said.

"Carlos is his own man. Last season he played to 110 percent every game so none of us will be holding any grudges towards him and we'll wish him all the best if he does leave."
	 
Read more:
	 http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12040_7045626,00.html

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Hillary Clinton backs US women for World Cup glory

July 17, 2011 , ι By NewsCore

ATHENS -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backed the US women's soccer team to bring home the World Cup trophy later Sunday, helped by a cheering section that includes her daughter, Chelsea, and... Read on

"I am going to be watching. I'm so excited. I am so proud of the US women," she said after arriving in the Greek capital. "Dr. Biden is there, and my daughter was asked to accompany her. So we have a really good cheering section, and I've just got the highest hopes that this great team, which has such resilience, will be coming back and winning for the US."

Clinton said that she watched the quarter-final win against Brazil on the internet with her husband, former US President Bill Clinton. She described the match, which saw the US come back and win on penalty kicks, as "one of the best games I've ever seen."

The US faces Japan in the final in Frankfurt.

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The Red Bulls (Henry, Rost, Backe, Ream) talk about 0-0 draw at Chivas

July 17, 2011 , ι By BRIAN LEWIS

The Red Bulls earned a 0-0 draw last night at Chivas USA. The good news is they improved to 6-4-11 for 29 points, climbing into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference over the... Read on

The Red Bulls earned a 0-0 draw last night at Chivas USA.
	 

	 
The good news is they improved to 6-4-11 for 29 points, climbing into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference over the Philadelphia Union. And after a litany of laughable goalkeeping woes, they earned a rare clean sheet on the road in the debut of Designated Player goalie Frank Rost.
	 

	 
The bad news is despite holding Chivas USA without a single shot on goal, and dominating the final half-hour, they were held to their 11th tie in 21 games. They also got shut out for the second straight game, both without Luke Rodgers, and are expected to be without the English striker for several more weeks.
	 

	 
Below is a highlight video and what the Red Bulls had to say.
	 
<iframe width="400" height="249" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xlko2UetAOY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
	 

	 
 
	 
HANS BACKE 
	 

	 
On their performance:“That’s a good start, a clean sheet for Frank and the back four. We’ve given away easy goals the last four, five, six seven weeks. We played really well the last 30 minutes of the second half. If we’d been just a little sharper we would’ve won this game 1 or 2-nil. But at least after the second half I think we should’ve won the game.”
	 

	 
Thierry Henry seemed frustrated with his teammates:“Sometimes because we made some poor decisions. We could’ve moved the ball
	 much quicker in the wide areas to set him up. We took some poor decision-making with some straight passes when we should’ve got possession. It
	 isa little frustrating. I think it was too many of them; I don’t know why. Sometimes you just have to live with that. We just have to sit down with some of the players and talk about the decision-making.’’
	 

	 
On Rost:“He’s a guy with tons of experience. (I’m impressed) with the way he can organize the back four. I wouldn’t say he’s a crazy goalie _ all goalies are crazy _ but he’s definitely a guy who will not allow the back four players to not do their job, if it’s marking or not clearing a ball. He’s very tactically good to organize his back four with his way of talking with all the players, so of course that’s massive for us.”
	 

	 

	 

	 
On the game:“Normally when you don’t take your chances in the second half (you pay). This is one of the few games Chivas don’t have the possession on their side, normally they are wining possession. That’s a good sign for us. And not giving away a shot on goal, that means we’re defending well.’’
	 

	 

	 
 
	 
THIERRY HENRY 
	 

	 
On the game:“We have to play as a play team tighter. It’s not easy to play against Chivas. They keep the ball very well and they have some good players. I thought before the hour the game was a bit even and then the last 30 minutes we looked like the team that was going to be the ream that could score a goal. We had our chances and didn’t take them.’’
	 

	 
The draw:“We’ve been drawing a lot of games, but at the end of the day this is a good one, after the DC United game; and the way we had it, away from home, no shots on target, we will take it.’
	 

	 
The ref changing his penalty call:“You should ask him what he saw, because even the Chivas players acted surprised. I don’t know what he saw (initially).’’
	 

	 
On looking frustrated:“I’m always frustrated. Not with my teammates, about the game. I’m a competitor, and I want to win.’’
	 

	 

	 

	 
 
	 
FRANK ROST 
	 
On his debut:“I haven’t been training with the team for two months. I’m a little bit happy they get no goals. It’s a difficult week for all the players, three matches, long trips to the matches.’’
	 

	 
On being here:“I’m happy that I’m training with the team and playing with the team. I think game-to-game, this will be better. And important matches will come in the playoffs.’’
	 

	 
Next week:“Next week is another game, another match. That’s important to save the power and get power for the next match. That’s important.’’
	 

	 
On how he feels:“At the moment I’m a little bit tired. I have a little jet lag. In two weeks I will give my best performance. I can’t say anymore.’’
	 

	 

	 
 
	 
TIM REAM 
	 
On the game:“We came into the game and wanted to keep a clean sheet first and foremost, and basically and we did our job.’’
	 

	 
On the draw:“Obviously it’s disappointing getting a tie; but you’ve got to start somewhere, and a clean sheet after last week, it’s a good start. After the letdown last week it’s a good job.’’
	 

	 
On Rost’s transition:“It’s pretty easy. He’s a veteran goalkeeper. He talks a lot, he communicates well. So it was pretty easy for us. We just did the same thing that we’ve been doing. Again, communication is the key, and he communicated well, and that helps us out a lot.”

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Red Bulls loan Greg Sutton to Montreal

July 16, 2011 , ι By BRIAN LEWIS

After signing German Frank Rost, the Red Bulls loaned Greg Sutton to the Montreal Impact. He had been Montreal’s all-time leading keeper and they welcomed him back. Montreal confirmed the move today,... Read on

After signing German Frank Rost, the Red Bulls loaned Greg Sutton to the Montreal Impact. He had been Montreal’s all-time leading keeper and they welcomed him back.

Montreal confirmed the move today, saying the 33-year-old Canadian international would be with the team for the rest of the 2011 season, with the move subject to Sutton clearing MLS waivers.

He started 10 games this year for the Red Bulls, registering three wins, two losses and five ties. He has played 900 minutes, recording 30 saves and two shutouts.

“With both Bill Gaudette and Canadian U17 National team goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau out for an extended period of time due to injuries, we were in a situation where we needed a short term solution for this season,” said Montreal sporting director Nick De Santis.

“We did not want to put ourselves in a delicate situation should something happen to Evan Bush. We still feel that this is an important year and we are not looking past this season right now. We felt the opportunity was right for Greg and we are happy to welcome him back with the club.”

Sutton had played six seasons in Montreal from 2001-06, and is the club's all-time recordholder for career shutouts (67), wins (72), games played (132) and minutes played (12,309).

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Red Bull teen Juan Agudelo named to MLS All-Star team

July 16, 2011 , ι By BRIAN LEWIS

Red Bull teen prodigy Juan Agudelo was added to the 2011 MLS All-Star team by league commissioner Don Garber. The all-stars will face Champions League finalist and EPL champ Manchester United on July... Read on

Agudelo joins Red Bulls teammates Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez and Tim Ream, who were all voted to the MLS First XI, and Red Bull manager Hans Backe, who will coach the team.

epa02453685 Red Bulls striker Juan Agudelo - shown here after scoring at South Africa last Nov. 17. - was named to the MLS All-Star team today by commissioner Don Garber. EPA/CARL FOURIE

“Juan Agudelo is one of the bright young stars in Major League Soccer and a prime example of the benefits of the MLS Homegrown player initiative and our focus on MLS club academies,” Garber said. “Juan also is one of the most promising young U.S. national team players and competing against one of the best clubs in the world is an important part of his development.”
	 
<iframe width="400" height="249" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PyCcVZBruDM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The 18-year-old Agudelo emerged at the end of last season, and has quickly become one of the most exciting young forwards in the league and the entire U.S. National Team pipeline. He moved from Colombia to New Jersey at eight and after joining the Red Bull Academy, became the first MLS Homegrown player named to an MLS All-Star team or the U.S. National Team.

He has scored four goals in 14 appearances for the league’s highest-scoring team, but has largely been on the bench behind French superstar Thierry Henry and English import Luke Rodgers when the latter is healthy. But while he doesn’t start for club, he often starts for country, with two goals and 10 caps with the U.S. National Team since last year’s Nov. 17 debut.
	 
Kansas City's Omar Bravo was also named to the team.

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About the Authors

BRIAN LEWIS With the Post since 1998, Brian Lewis has covered the World Series, NBA Finals, Final Four, NFL playoffs, NYC Marathon, U.S. Open, World Cup, bowl games, and more than a thousand baseball games, including two perfect games at Yankee Stadium. He’s a Rutgers grad, class of 1990.

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CLEMENTE LISI Clemente Lisi is a native New Yorker and Post news reporter who spends most of his spare time playing and watching soccer. He is a regular contributor to the blog, where he writes about Italy's Serie A and the Champions League.