Soccer TV Schedule for the week of 5/1

Big TV weeks for Manchester City in the EPL and Kansas City in the MLS. First, ManCity has it all to play for as they push for the 4th UEFA Champions League position and take on their top two contenders - Aston Villa on Saturday and Tottenham on Wednesday. In the MLS, Kansas City has gotten off to a great start and looking to prove they are a true contender this year. On Saturday they take on perennial Western leaders Houston and on Wednesday night they take on the struggling DC United on ESPN2. Six points from these two games for each team would be huge.


Note: All games times are in Eastern Standard Time (ET).


Saturday (1st):
 - EPL: Birmingham City vs. Burnley - 7:30am - ESPN2HD
 - EPL: Manchester City vs. Aston Villa - 10am - FSC
 - EPL: Wolverhampton vs. Portsmouth - 12pm - FSC
 - Serie A: AC Milan vs. Fiorentina - 2:30pm - FSC
 - WPS: Sky Blue vs. Gold Pride - 6pm - FSC
 - MLS: Houston vs. Kansas City - 8:30pm - FSC

Sunday (2nd):
 - Serie A: Juventus vs. Catania - 9am - FSC
 - EPL: Manchester United vs. Sunderland - 11am - FSC
 - La Liga: Real Madrid vs. Osasuna - 12:55pm - ESPN2HD
 - Serie A: Inter Milan vs. Lazio - 2:30pm - FSC

Wednesday (5th):
 - EPL: Manchester City vs. Tottenham - 2:55pm - ESPN2HD
 - MLS: Kansas City vs. DC United - 7pm - ESPN2HD

UEFA Champions League Update - 4/28

The top four clubs in Europe for the 09/10 Champions League campaign took to the field on Tuesday and Wednesday to face off in the second leg of the semi-finals. Here is a look at the results and thoughts about the final.

Inter Milan (ITA) vs. Barcelona (SPA)
 - Result: 1-0 Barcelona (Inter 3-2 aggregate)
 - Thoughts: Sadly this game will probably be mostly remembered for the red card issued in the first half. Most of the time fouls leading to ejections are argued, some are valid, some are flops - how did this one measure up? The tale was told in the moment after the player first hit the ground, and the camera caught it. He rolls once, twice, face in his hands. Looks up and around for the ref, no pain on his face, then goes back into his performance. This time of behavior has always been, and always will be, around the game, but fortunately the end result was not a victim of the foul. Inter out played Barca across the two-match tie and deserves to be in the final.

Bayern Munich (GER) vs. Lyon (FRA)
 - Result: 3-0 Bayern Munich (Bayern Munich 4-0 aggregate)
 - Thoughts: After the first leg Bayern overcame the loss of Ribery and used that momentum to seize control of the semi-final match-up. A hat trick by Olic sealed the tie and sent the German club into the final for the first time since the 2000/2001 season. Bayern proved to be the dominate club from the first goal in Munich last week and never looked back.

Final - In 08 we had the battle of top English clubs. In 09 we had the champions up against the hottest team in the world. Now in 2010 we have a battle of two teams who have quitely stayed atop their domestic leagues and moved through the group and knock out stages. The match should be a high action classic, even without Ribery. Prediction: Inter Milan win their first title in 45 years, 2-1. 

Predictions on the final?

FIFA 2010 World Cup by EA Sports Released Today - Reviews

EA Sports' 2010 FIFA World Cup video game hits stores today across the world and now you can take your team to the World Cup (if they did not qualify) and on to glory. Here are a few of reviews for game, as well as the overall rating:

• IGN.com - 8.3 rating
• "There’s no question that 2010 FIFA World Cup is a very impressive game of soccer at its core. It has many of the frills that you’d expect from a World Cup presentation, even if a few of them are more annoying than not. The advent of things like Two Button controls for all of our mothers and fathers to play with is cool for the casual players, but the lack of customization for hardcore soccer fans is a real disappointment. If you enjoyed FIFA 10, I’d say that this one is certainly worth a look. If you don’t think the soccer will blow your mind, just wait until you win the World Cup. It’s something truly special." (IGN)
• Gameplanet.com - 9.0 rating
• "EA once again prove they're the masters of the football genre with this World Cup release.
• Ups: Graphical changes, amazing atmosphere and still very solid game-play.
• Downs: Jumps between new versions becoming smaller."
• Game Informer - 8.5 rating
• "There’s no doubt that World Cup 2010 delivers a great performance on the pitch, but this game fails to give you the full qualifying experience elsewhere. Thus, it doesn’t really tell the full tale of the World Cup. The different online options and new penalty taking system are welcome, but aren’t enough to let this title stand on its own two feet."

So take those reviews for what you will, but most likely this is a game soccer fans across the planet will want to pick up in the build up heading to South Africa. Thoughts on the game if you already have it?

Soccer Table Update as of 4/26

MLS:

 - Past week's results - On Thursday night Dallas struggled to put fans in the stands, but did secure two PKs (albeit the second one was very questionable) to earn a 2-2 draw against Seattle. Six MLS match-ups on Saturday, including a 0-0 draw between LA and Kansas City - Chivas USA finally showed the form many expected at the start of the season winning 3-2 over San Jose - Schelotto's PK put Columbus ahead and that is where they stayed, although an onslaught of chances fell to the champs Real Salt Lake. On Sunday, despite the majority of possession and chances Seattle fell at Toronto 2-0.
 - Current MLS Table:

• East - New York stays atop the East with another victory and have now earned 12 points in five matches. It took the Red Bulls until week 24 last season to reach 12 points. Columbus (7) are quickly climbing up the table after a slow start due to CONCACAF matches. Toronto (6) jumped over Philadelphia (3) for sixth spot, with the winless DC United still in last place (idle this week). 
• West - The Galaxy's win streak ended at Kansas City, put the point gives LA 13 and three ahead of second place Colorado (10). Seattle sits in third place, but with only 8 points in six games the Sounders have to be slightly worried. The 2009 champions sit in 7th place at 4 points and are only trailed by FC Dallas (3). 

EPL:

 - Past week's results - Many clubs had it all to play for this weekend - titles, Europe, relegation. Manchester United took to the field first and stopped Tottenham's hot streak with a 3-1 win and pushed the Red Devils to the top of the table. West Ham scored three times to defeat Wigan 3-2 in a highly entertaining bout. Arsenal's title life line and ManCity's Champions League hopes both took hits as neither club could find the net in a 0-0 draw. On Sunday Aston Villa's 1-0 win against Birmingham City kept them in the running with fellow CL contenders. Chelsea closed out the weekend knowing the pressure was now on them as they hosted Stoke City. The response? - Seven goals and a truly championship performance.
 - Current EPL Table - Two weeks remain in the EPL season and its a two-horse race. Chelsea remain at the top with 80 points, but ManU are close behind at 79. Arsenal (72) continued their slip now 8 points back of Chelsea. However, they need only 1 point in their final two matches to secure a group stage position in next year's Champions League over current fourth place squad Tottenham (64). 4th to 7th and that final spot remains wide open - Tottenham (64), Aston Villa (64), ManCity (63), and Liverpool (62). However, both the Spurs and ManCity have a game in hand over the other two. The relegation zone is all but confirmed, taking away some of the end of the season drama, as both Portsmouth and Burnley are set to head down. Hull would require two wins, two losses by West Ham and a 23 goal differential swing over the final two weeks - so lets go ahead just pencil in Hull City for the Championship next year.

Serie A:

 - Past week's results - Milan's two star clubs were in action on Saturday, with very different results. Inter Milan enjoyed their 3-1 victory over Barcelona they decided to put on a re-performance against Atalanta. AC Milan however, continues in their late season slide - only one win in seven matches. The big match-up on Sunday saw Sampdoria upset the red hot Roma side 2-1, behind two goals by Pazzini. Juventus pushing for a European spot won 3-0 over Bari. But lets get to the table because that is where the focus is with only three weeks to go.
 - Current Serie A Table - Inter Milan (73) jumped AS Roma (71) for the top of the table spot and are now in the drivers seat with 3 matches left. Both clubs have easy schedules down the stretch and all six of the matches (combined) are win-able. AC Milan's (64) latest loss has officially knocked them out of the Serie A title. Their guaranted Champions League spot is now at risk after Sampdoria's (60) victory against Roma. Juventus (54) jumped Naploi (53) for the final Europa League spot, but still sit 6 points out of the Champions League. Siena and Livorno are both headed for relegation, however Atalanta (34) still has a chance to catch Bologna (39) and Lazio (40).

USSF D2 (NASL / USL):
 - Check out my full update of the USSF D2 action and current table at NASLNews.com.

Soccer TV Schedule for the week of 4/24

Two massive EPL games kick off the weekend action. First up, Tottenham finish their guanlet of three games in a row against the top three as they take on Manchester United. Then Arsenal look to hang on their slim title hopes going up against a ManCity club desperate for a win and a place back in the top four. In the MLS they've allowed all of the great match-ups to not be covered and instead we get a bottom of the table battle between Chivas and San Jose. In the mid-week the UEFA Champions League semi-final second legs will be held. Can Barcelona climb out of their 3-1 hole? How will Bayern play on the road and without Ribery? Finally, the CONCACAF Champions League cup will be given out Wednesday night.

Note: All games times are in Eastern Standard Time (ET)

Saturday (24th):
 - EPL: Manchester United vs. Tottenham - 7:30am - ESPN2HD
 - EPL: West Ham vs. Wigan - 10am - FSC
 - EPL: Arsenal vs. Manchester City - 12:30pm - FSC
 - Serie A: AC Milan vs. Palermo - 2:30pm - FSC
 - EPL: Wolverhampton vs. Blackburn - 5pm - FSC
 - MLS: Chivas USA vs. San Jose - 10:30pm - FSC

Sunday (25th):
 - Serie A: Juventus vs. Bari - 9am - FSC
 - EPL: Fulham vs. Everton - 9:55am - ESPN2HD
 - EPL: Chelsea vs. Stoke City - 11am - FSC
 - Serie A: Roma vs. Sampdoria - 2:30pm - FSC
 - WPS: St. Louis vs. Boston - 6pm - FSC

Tuesday (27th):
 - UEFA CL: Semi-Final Second Leg: Bayern Munich vs. Lyon - 2:30pm - Fox Sports Net

Wednesday (28th):
 - UEFA CL: Semi-Final Second Leg: Inter Milan vs. Barcelona - 2:30pm - FSC
 - CONCACAF CL: Final Second Leg: Cruz Azul vs. Pachuca.

UEFA Champions League Update - 4/22

The top four clubs in Europe for the 09/10 Champions League campaign took to the field on Tuesday and Wednesday to face off in the first leg of the semi-finals. Here is a look at the results and thoughts about the second leg matches next week.

Inter Milan (ITA) vs. Barcelona (SPA)
 - Result: 3-1 (Inter)
 - Thoughts: Barcelona hit the back of the net first, as expected, but the rest of the game was anything but predictable. Following the goal by Pedro, Inter switched into another gear and took over the game. They put together better possession and shots, as well as looking like the team that wanted the win more. Normally, a 3-1 defeat would mean most teams were already out before the second leg, but that rule does not apply to Barcelona. We've seen them put on many wonderful performances, but it'll take another one behind the skill of Messi and the roar of the home crowd to turn back this confident Italian squad. 

Bayern Munich (GER) vs. Lyon (FRA)
 - Result: 1-0 (Bayern Munich)
 - Thoughts: While Lyon had their moments, Bayern looked far better on the night - before and after Ribery's red card. Bayern put together several great chances that could have seen them win 3 or 4 to zero. However, it was Bayern's Champion League hot man of the moment, Robben, who pulled out another stunning solo goal (take out the minor deflection from his teammate's head). Without Ribery and on the road for the second leg will be difficult, but in the German club come out with the same swagger as last night then they should fine themselves in Madrid next month for the final. 

Thoughts on the first leg action? Predictions for who advances to the final? 

World Soccer Magazine - May 2010 Issue

The May issue of World Soccer was released this week. This month has the fourth and final part of the magazine's World Cup Preview Guide. Here is a look at this month's issue:

• Cover Story: "Another Fine Mess" - A look at Real Madrid's struggles to build the next super team and what the future holds. 
• World Cup Countdown: Profiles of Steven Pienaar (South Africa) & The 32 secret weapons to watch for in South Africa. 
• Opinion Pieces: Paul Gardner takes a look at who will protect (and support) Messi during many tough and physical match-ups in the World Cup, while Jim Holden discusses the FA chief Ian Watmore and his attempt to bring true power back to the English FA. 
• 2010 World Cup Guide: Part 4 includes detailed analysis of South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay, and USA.
• Inside Football: A look at UEFA President Michel Platini's recent pledges and decision to stick with the Poland/Ukraine bid to host the 2012 Euros. 
• League Previews: For the Brazil, Belarus, Finland, and Iceland. 
• Dispatch Updates from England, Holland, Brazil, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, Argentina, and more.
• Talent Scout: Profiles for several up and coming players from Paraguay, Israel, the Ivory Coast, and Denmark.
• 50 Year Celebration: In honor of World Soccer magazine's 50th year they take a look at the 50 most unforgettable matches over the past 50 years.
• Interviews with Barcelona's record signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and the new Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa. 
• Travel spotlight city - Johannesburg, South Africa.
• World Service: Full recap of the Australian and South African 2009/2010 seasons, as well as the full rosters from each club for the 2010 MLS season. 

Soccer Table Update as of 4/19

MLS:

 - Past week's results - Philadelpia and Toronto squared of on Thursday night on ESPN2's MLS game of the week. An early red card by the Union's Danny Califf and two goals by Dwayne De Rosario earned Toronto their fist victory of the season. Seattle and Kansas City had an even battle until the Sounders broke the tie in the 90th minute for a 1-0 result. In a rematch of the 2009 MLS Cup game, the LA Galaxy got revenge behind two Edson Buddle goals (that is now 7 in 4 games) to top Real Salt Lake 2-0. Other results of note were Houston 2-0 against Chivas USA, Chicago 2-0 over DC United, and San Jose 2-0 vs New England.
 - Current MLS Table:

• East - In a complete switch from the 2009 season New York (12) and Kansas City (9) sit atop of the Eastern division. Columbus and Chicago are still struggling to get going, with only one win a piece in 6 games total. At the bottom - DC United - 0 points off of four (4) games and a negative 9 goal differential.
• West - The Edson Buddle Galaxy are a perfect 4-0 to start the season and have gotten off to a quick jump with 12 points. Last year it took the Galaxy until week 11 eleven to reach 12 points. Behind LA sits a three way tie at 7 points in 4 games - Colorado, Houston & Seattle. Bottom of the table belongs to winless Dallas, however unlike DC they only have a negative one goal difference at this point. 

EPL:

 - Past week's results - 14 match-ups since we last touched on the EPL. During the mid-week Chelsea topped Bolton 1-0 and Tottenham defeated Arsenal for the first time in 11 years with a 2-1 result. On Saturday the Manchester Derby was a hotly contested 0-0 draw until Paul Scholes knocked in a stoppage time to help the Reds title defense and hurt City's push for European action. Later in the day Tottenham completed one of their best weeks in recent history with a 2-1 victory against Chelsea, beating two of the top three in a four day span. On Sunday, Arsenal continued their recent slide with a 3-2 loss at Wigan and Aston Villa topped Postsmouth 2-1. Finally, this afternoon Liverpool remained dominate at home against West Ham with a 3-0 result.
 - Current EPL Table - ManU's last minute victory move the Red Devils up to 76 points, just one behind rivals Chelsea, at 77. With only three games remaining Arsenal appear to be a long shot after two straight losses, sitting at 71 points. Tottenham's strong week coupled with ManCity's tough defeat saw the Spurs jump City for 4th spot - 64 & 62 points respectively. Liverpool's (59) victory on Monday moved ahead of Aston Villa (58) and into the final Europa League spot. The middle of the table now becomes a waste land of clubs with not much to gain or lose in the final weeks. Mathematically the bottom 7 clubs are still at risk of relegation. Hull City are still in the 18th spot, but are only 1 point behind West Ham and have a game in hand.

Serie A:

 - Past week's results - Inter and Juventus clashed in an early match-up Friday afternoon to make way for Inter's pending Champions League semi-final this coming week. Juventus held strong, but Inter knocked in two goals in the final 15 mins to take the full points. On Saturday Chievo Verona topped Livorno 2-0, and most likely secured their safety for this season, while almost ensuring Livorno's drop status. On Sunday, AC Milan dropped a tough match 2-1 to Sampdoria as the injury plagued season for Milan looks to have ended their title hopes. AS Roma kept the race with Inter close with a 2-1 results versus Lazio. It marks Roma's sixth straight win and they are now undefeated in 24 matches! That dates back until the end of October 2009.
 - Current Serie A Table - Wins by Roma (71) and Inter (70), and another loss by AC Milan (64), now make this most likely a two-team race with four matches to go. Sampdoria's victory over Milan has pushed them into the 4th spot (Champions League), while Palermo (55), Napoli (52), Juventus (51) and Genoa (48) battle it out for the two Europa League spots. Atalanta (34) still sits in the 18th spot, but its victory this weekend has put pressure on the teams sitting just outside the relegation zone - Bologna (36), Lazio (37), Udinese (39). It should be a tight race as teams vie to stay alive in Serie A for another year.

Soccer TV Schedule for the week of 4/17

We've reached the end of another work week and are in store for some great soccer action this weekend. First off is the Manchester derby on ESPN2, as United try to recover any hopes of another title, while City look to secure the 4th and final UEFA Champions League spot in the EPL. In Italy, the usual title battle is without some of its luster with Juventus' struggles this year - but both teams need a victory. Inter is looking to retake the lead in Serie A over Roma, while Juventus is barely hanging onto a spot to play in European action - albeit the Europa League. Then to cap off a great Saturday of action we have the 2009 MLS title game rematch between the read hot LA Galaxy and defending champions Real Salt Lake. 

Its a full six straight days of televised soccer action including the UEFA Champions League semi-finals (first leg), Liverpool vs. West Ham on Monday, and the MLS game of the week on ESPN2 this coming Thursday night between Seattle and Dallas. Here is a look at all of the action coming your way:

**FRIDAY**

 - Serie A: Inter Milan vs. Juventus - 2:30pm - FSC 

Saturday (17th):
 - EPL: Manchester City vs. Manchester United - 7:30am - ESPN2HD
 - EPL: Everton vs. Blackburn - 10am - FSC
 - EPL: Chelsea vs. Tottenham - 12:30pm - FSC
 - EPL: Sunderland vs. Burnley - 2:30pm - FSC
 - Serie A: Inter Milan vs. Juventus - 4:30pm - FSC (replay)
 - MLS: LA Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake - 10pm - FSC

Sunday (18th):
 - Serie A: Sampdoria vs. AC Milan - 9am - FSC
 - EPL: Aston Villa vs. Portsmouth - 11am - FSC
 - Serie A: Lazio vs. Roma - 2:30pm - FSC
 - La Liga: Real Madrid vs. Valencia - 3pm - ESPN2HD
 - WPS: Boston vs. Philadelphia - 6pm - FSC

Monday (19th):
 - EPL: Liverpool vs. West Ham - 2:55pm - ESPN2HD

Tuesday (20th):
 - UEFA CL: Inter Milan (ITA) vs. Barcelona (SPA) - 2pm - Fox Sports Net

Wednesday (21st):
 - UEFA CL: Bayern Munich (GER) vs. Lyon (FRA) - 2:30pm - FSC
 - CONCACAF CL: Final - Cruz Azul vs. Pachuca - 10pm - FSC

Thursday (22nd):
 - MLS: Seattle vs. Dallas - 8pm - ESPN2HD

USSF 2nd Division Update

The 2010 season of the USSF 2nd Division, aka the NASL, aka the former (and still slightly) USL, kicked off this past weekend. After a very tumultuous off-season which saw Nike sell the USL to the NuRock group, several clubs break away to form a rival second division league - the NASL - and then a series of law-suits. It was not the ideal situation for the US Soccer Federation, what with trying to boost support for the upcoming World Cup team and win a future World Cup hosting spot in 2018 or 2022. Thus the powers to be in US soccer stepped in a formed a one-year 'fix' in the form of a new league which combines teams from the old USL and the new NASL.

Luckily for soccer lovers in America, and especially those in smaller markets which do not have a MLS team (like myself), we are glad to see the season get started and know that soccer will be in our towns for at least another year.

Last weekend saw eight clubs kick off their seasons including a victory by the Carolina Railhawks over the new expansion side - AC St. Louis, the Austin Aztex upset the 2009 USL champions Montreal, Vancouver topped the new club from Minnesota (after the Thunder closed during the off-season), and a 1-1 draw between Rochester and Miami. As the season gets into full swing I'll make sure to report back with recent results, current standings, and any news about the future of the second division in US soccer.

If you would like some more information on the new league check out the follow sites:

• The USSF has an official website for the new D2 league, but you don't want to go there - trust me. Instead just refer to wikipedia's page on the USSF Division 2 Professional League. 
• NASL launched its official website (NASL.com) which features up-to-date information on the teams in the D2 league that are under the NASL umbrella. 

Soccer News & Features - 4/13

Here are some of the major stories and rumors from the past couple of days outside of the on the pitch results:

 - Arsenal team doctors have revealed that striker Robin Van Persie is set to return against Tottenham tomorrow afternoon. This is a huge boost for the Gunners who are clinging to hope for the EPL title and recently lost captain Cesc Fabregas for the rest of the season to injury.
 - Sports Illustrated recently sat down to interview MLS commissioner Don Garber to discuss his top priorities for the next year, the new DP rule change, MLS players in the World Cup, and the MLS' new website.
 - Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor announced his retirement from the Togo national team. Adebayor stated that he is still haunted by the attack on his team on their way to the African Cup of Nations.
 - DC United recently announced that they will host AC Milan on May 26th in a friendly match-up at RFK Stadium. Since the match will take place weeks before the World Cup, a few key stars will not be traveling with the team.
 - Liverpool and Spain's national team fans received good news today as club doctors revealed that striker Fernando Torres could recover from his most recent knee injury in just a week or two. Liverpool is trying to make a push towards the EPL's 4th position and a Champions League spot, or at least maintain a Europa League invitation for next season.
 - MLS week three is complete and we've got two recaps/lessons learned from this past week's action from SI's Steve Davis and ESPN's Jeff Carlisle.
 - Finally, after a year of waiting Juventus striker Amauri received his Italian citizenship paving the way for a potential Italy national team call-up.

Soccer Table Update as of 4/12

MLS:
 - Past week's results - All 16 teams were in action on Saturday, as the LA Galaxy traveled to Houston for a rematch of last season's Western Final. LA posted another shut-out (3 out of 3 so far) and won the match behind two more goals from Edson Buddle. In another big clash in the West, Real Salt Lake drew 2-2 with the Seattle Sounders, however RSL come out of this match for the worse after Morales was injured. Kansas City pulled off a surprising win against Colorado and seem to have shaken their 09 form. Finally, expansion side Philadelphia got their first victory as a club in a 3-2 result behind three goals from Sebastien Le Toux.
 - Current MLS Table - Three weeks in the books and only two teams remain perfect: LA leads the West with 9 points, while Kansas City takes a surprising early lead with a 2-0-0 record in the East (still one game to play). Behind the Galaxy in the West is a four way tie at second with 4 points - Real Salt Lake, Seattle, Colorado, and Houston. At the bottom of their respective divisions - Dallas, Toronto and D.C. all still remain winless.

EPL:
 - Past week's results - A limited number of games this weekend as four matches were moved to make way for the FA Cup semi-finals (see below). On Saturday, Burnley bounced back from their embarrassing defeat to ManCity last week to earn a strong 4-1 victory against Hull City. West Ham won its first match in eight games with a 1-0 result over Sunderland. On Sunday, the teams of Manchester had very different moods leaving their respective stadiums. Manchester United after losing to Chelsea last week and getting knocked out of the Champions League in mid-week to Bayern Munich, could not manage a goal against Blackburn and drew 0-0. ManCity however are flying high these days with another offensive rout, this time against Birmingham City 5-1. Over their last two matches ManCity has won 12-2 collectively. Finally, Liverpool/Fulham and Wolverhampton/Stoke City both ended with 0-0 draws.
 - Current EPL Table - Both Chelsea and Arsenal were idle this weekend, with matches scheduled for this upcoming week on ESPN2. ManU's draw leaves them 1 point back of Chelsea and 2 ahead of Arsenal, but having played one extra game. With only four matches left in the season, the 3-time champs may be slipping away in this race. The battle for 4th looks like its down to a two-team race now, with ManCity ahead with 62 points and Tottenham at 58 with a game in hand. The relegation zone tightened a bit this weekend. Burnley's victory over Hull City ties the two clubs at 27 points in 18th and 19th. Wolverhampton sit in 14th place, but are only 6 points clear of the drop zone. It will be a tight race for survival heading into the final weeks. Portsmouth is now officially relegated based on the number of points they are behind 17th place and the remaining weeks in the season.

Serie A:
 - Past week's results - Two matches on Saturday including the champions Inter drawing 2-2 against Fiorentina and Parma's defeat of Napoli 3-2 behind three second half goals. On Sunday, the two title chasers (Roma and AC Milan) looked to capitalize on Inter's draw. AC Milan fell two goals behind early, before mounting a comeback to draw 2-2 against Catania. Roma seized the day (and the easy match-up) to drop Atalanta 2-1. Sampdoria, Juventus and Palermo all were able to secure the full three points as the Italian top league has only five games remaining.
 - Current Serie A Table - Inter has opened the door several times this season only to see AC Milan slip up at the same time. However, Inter's latest draw has allowed Roma to take a 1 point lead and has a four point advantage over AC Milan now. The European battle remains tight at the last Champions League spot (4th) all the way down to Europa League hopefuls (9th) is only 8 points apart - Palermo (54), Sampdoria (54), Juventus (51), Napoli (49), Fiorentina (46), and Parma (46). While the relegation zone is still technically open for clubs in 10th on down, its looking more like a four team battle - Bologna (35), Atalanta (31), Siena (29), and Livorno (26).

FA Cup:
 - The FA Cup semi-finals were held this weekend at Wembley Stadium in London and the championship match has been set. In the first semi-final Chelsea continued their strong domestic run this year by dropping Aston Villa from the competition 3-0. Then on Sunday the unexplainable run by Portsmouth continued to amaze as they scored two stoppage time goals to defeat Tottenham and advance to the FA Cup Final for the first time since 2008 - in which they won the cup. This sets up a classic David vs. Goliath match-up on May 15th. You have the money-rich, top of the table Chelsea Blues taking on the relegated, struggling to survive Portsmouth. While Chelsea has it eye on the double this year, Portsmouth has only one thing to play for, and that is the FA Cup. Should make for a very interesting match-up. Here is a look at this weekend's match stats.

Soccer TV Schedule for the week of 4/10

Anytime you follow a week which had a ManU/Chelsea match-up and UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, its a tough act to follow. However, there are some good matches this week to watch. First, tomorrow at 12pm is the first FA Cup Semi-Final between Aston Villa and Chelsea. MLS expansion side, Philadelphia Union, get two TV appearances this week - first on FSC against DC United on Saturday and then on ESPN2's MLS game of the week against Toronto. Finally, Arsenal hit the road in what appears to be their toughest game remaining on the season as they travel to take on Tottenham Wednesday afternoon.

Note: All game times are in Eastern Standard Time (ET).

Saturday (10th):
 - EPL: Hull City vs. Burnley - 10am - FSC
 - FA Cup: Aston Villa vs. Chelsea - 12pm - FSC
 - Serie A: Inter Milan vs. Fiorentina - 2:30pm - FSC
 - MLS: Philadelphia Union vs. DC United - 6pm - FSC

Sunday (11th):
 - Serie A: AC Milan vs. Catania - 9am - FSC
 - EPL: Fulham vs. Liverpool - 9:55am - ESPN2HD
 - EPL: Manchester City vs. Birmingham City - 11am - FSC
 - Serie A: Sampdoria vs. Genoa - 2:30pm - FSC
 - WPS: Sky Blue FC vs. Chicago Red Stars - 6pm - FSC

Tuesday (13th):
 - EPL: Chelsea vs. Bolton - 2:55pm - ESPN2HD

Wednesday (14th):
 - EPL: Tottenham vs. Arsenal - 2:55pm - ESPN2HD
 - EPL: Wigan vs. Portsmouth - 2:30pm - FSC

Thursday (15th):
 - MLS: Philadelphia Union vs. Toronto FC - 7pm - ESPN2HD

SoccerPro.com - The Official Soccer Store of The Free Kicks Report

I wanted to bring to your attention a great soccer store/website - SoccerPro.com. The guys at SoccerPro.com opened their first store in 2004 and launched their website later that summer. For more information about their history and operations check out Their Story. This site has all of the top of line merchandise and soccer gear any fan, player or coach needs. I recently ordered two items myself to gear up for the end of the Premiere League season and the run up to World Cup 2010. The overall service and speed of communication impressed me (as I am a quick e-mail responder myself I appreciated the quick action). I received my items within two days of ordering and everything was as requested. Here is a look at the two items I picked up:

The USA National Team World Cup 2010 Jersey:

 - USA away World Cup 2010 jersey by Nike

 - All team USA gear (jerseys, jackets, shirts, soccer balls, and more)

Arsenal FC Dark Grey Hoodie by Nike:

 - Nike Arsenal Core Hoodie - Dark Heather Grey

 - All Arsenal club gear (jerseys, t-shirts, shorts, and more)

I highly recommend this website for your next soccer purchase, whether that be for yourself or as a gift. (Note: They also sell gift cards to their website - Gift Certificates). So now that you are done with this blog for the day head on over to SoccerPro.com to check out their merchandise. Finally, make sure to check back in tomorrow for the TV schedule for the upcoming week. Enjoy!

UEFA Champions League Update - 4/7

The final four, not the basketball kind, but the semi-finalist of the 2009-2010 UEFA Champions League are decided. The best clubs in Europe took to the field Tuesday and Wednesday to play the second leg of the quarterfinal round. Here is a look at the results:

Inter Milan (ITA) vs. CSKA Moscow (RUS)
 - Result: 1-0 Inter (Inter 2-0 aggregate)
 - Thoughts: A 1-0 lead and a goal by Snejider in the 6th minute put Inter into cruise control as they held off the farthest advancing Russian club. The Italian champions are at the top of the table in Serie A and Mourinho will love the growing spotlight of the semi-finals. 

Arsenal (ENG) vs. Barcelona (SPA)
 - Result: 4-1 Barcelona (Barcelona 6-3 aggregate)
 - Thoughts: Arsenal came into the game with a tough hill to climb - giving up two away goals in the first leg and without many of their star players. Add a player with the caliber of Messi on top of that hill and its game over. Arsenal started the night off with a goal, but Barca proved too much as Messi responded with four goals to move the champions into the final four.

Bayern Munich (GER) vs. Manchester United (ENG)
 - Result: 3-3 ManU (Bayern 4-4 aggregate / advance on away goals)
 - Thoughts: Coming into the game down 2-1 and possibly without Rooney, ManU's future looked bleak. However, Rooney starts and two goals by the Red Devils in the first 7 minutes put them into the semi-finals. With a 3-0 lead on the night, Rooney on the pitch and at home it seemed all but assured. Then two goals and a red card against Rafael left ManU with 10 men on the field and could not re-capture the momentum. This means there will be no English club in the final four since the 02/03 season.

Bordeaux (FRA) vs. Lyon (FRA)
 - Result: 1-0 Bordeaux (Lyon 3-1 aggregate)
 - Thoughts: Lyon took a a 3-1 lead going into the second leg. Even after a goal in the 45th minute by Bordeaux, Lyon always looked poised to advance to the next round. Lyon the favorites become the first French club to make the semi-finals since the 03/04 year.

Now we move on to the semi-final round with the first legs on April 21/22 and the second legs on April 27/28. Here are the match-ups:

 - Bayern Munich vs. Lyon

 - Barcelona vs. Inter Milan

Thoughts on the semi-finalist? Predictions for the next round?

World Cup: ESPN's 101 Coverage

Here is a recap of some of ESPN's more interesting entries in their 101 days of World Cup features:
 - March 16th - How many points are needed to advance from the group stage?
 - March 19th - ESPN's Eliminator tool decides who wins the 2010 World Cup
 - March 20th - Who is the most important goalie at this World Cup?
 - March 22nd - A look at World Cup players currently in the MLS
 - March 24th - Top 10 World Cup Controversies
 - March 26th - Best World Cup striking duos
 - March 29th - Top 10 best soccer books
 - March 31st - Profiling the world's best young players and their current form
 - April 2nd - Players who stand to best increase their stock at the World Cup

Enjoy the reading. Check back in tomorrow for a recap of the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal action.

Soccer Table Update as of 4/5

MLS:
 - Past week's results - The second week of MLS action started off with a double header Thursday night on ESPN2. The defending champions took an early lead over Houston, but the Dynamo received two penalty kicks within 3 minutes of each other and won the game 2-1. Later in the night the first of two Super Clasicos this season as the LA Galaxy led by Edson Buddle won 2-0 at the Home Depot Center. Saturday's big match saw the New York Red Bulls leave their new stadium for the hostile road environment of Seattle. Kandji scored in the 21st minute for the road team and the Red Bulls pulled off the upset against the Sounders 1-0. In other action Chicago and Colorado tied 2-2, while New England beat DC United 2-0.
 - Current MLS Table - In the east New York jumps to the top of the table with 6 points in two games, while Kansas City and Columbus are at 3, but with a game in hand. DC United is still pointless after their first two matches. In the Western Conference, the LA Galaxy are off to their first ever 2-0-0 start and lead the table with 6 points. Colorado and Houston follow tied at 4 points. Chivas USA are the only pointless team in the West that has played both weekends.

EPL:
 - Past week's results - The soccer world this weekend was focused on Old Trafford as the top two teams in the EPL clashed for first place and momentum heading into the final stretch of games. Chelsea took an early lead, and later went up by 2 behind a goal from Drogba (although offside). United tried to fight back with a later goal, but without Rooney on the pitch the Red Devils were out matched and lost 2-1. Arsenal, keen on keeping this a 3 team race, despite their huge injury list managed a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton. Manchester City trashed Burnley with a 6-1 effort, while Tottenham lost to Sunderland 3-1 while giving up three penalty attempts. On Sunday both Liverpool and Everton could only manage draws against their respective opponents. The more interesting moment though was when Liverpool took off striker Fernando Torres in the 65th minute with the game tied and no injury concern.
 - Current EPL Table - Chelsea's big win this weekend pushes them into 1st place with 74 points, with ManU trailing by 2 and Arsenal just 3 points back. The title race is still a three team competition but with only 5 weeks to go its clearly the Blues to lose. A total dominance of Burnley and a loss by Tottenham (58) saw ManCity (59) jump into the 4th spot in what looks to now be just a two horse race for the 4th Champions League spot. The final Europa League position is up between sixth through eighth - Liverpool (55), Aston Villa (54) and Everton (50). At the bottom of the table everyone from 14th down is still at risk for relegation. However, while Hull City currently sits in 18th they have a game in hand over most other clubs and are only 1 point behind West Ham.

Serie A:
 - Past week's results - The entire 32nd round of Serie A action took place on Saturday and saw this season's big 3 continue their dominance. AC Milan won a highly entertaining 3-2 match against Cagliari, Roma topped Bari 1-0, and Inter Milan came out victorious against Bologna 3-0 behind two goals from Motta. Juventus lost their third match in four games in a 3-0 results versus Udinese.
 - Current EPL Table - The top 3 stayed the same after all three won - Inter (66), Roma (65), AC Milan (63). Much like the EPL this is a three way competition, but the blue and white club (Inter) are in the drivers seat. Following their loss, Juventus (48) drops to 7th place and now sits completely out of all European competition. Atalanta's win jumps them up in 18th spot and makes the drop zone a risk for clubs positioned 13th and down.

MLSsoccer.com - Check out the new official MLS website

The MLS recently launched their new official league website - MLSsoccer.com. The website is visually more appealing than the previous site (mlsnet.com) and has increased content. Here is a quick look at the new website's features:

• Match Center - Each game is featured in three sections: 
• 1) Preview - At look at the upcoming match, keys to the game for each club, and the latest injury reports.
• 2) Match Center - Track the match action on a real-time pitch map, play-by-play analysis, and chat with fellow MLS fans during the game.
• 3) Recap - Match report, stats, and a video recap of the full match.
• Match Day Live - Watch up to 160 games during the 2010 season live and in HD. The site features a DVR capability, integrated highlights, and the ability to watch 3 games at once. The season pass costs $39.95. 
• MLS news, features and reports discussing the clubs, players and matches. 

On a side note, take a minute to read one of their current features. The MLS recently announced that clubs could add another designated player to their club which would not count against the salary cap. MLSsoccer.com looks their picks for a new DP for each club in the league, including Henry at New York and Seedorf in LA.

Soccer TV Schedule for the week of 4/3

Another blockbuster weekend of soccer action, headlined and started with the EPL titan clash between Manchester United and Chelsea tomorrow for first place. Saturday night the MLS game of the week on FSC features the Seattle Sounders hosting the New York Red Bulls in the MLS' best home environment. Sunday, Serie A action takes the focus with AC Milan and Inter both in action. Then in the mid-week UEFA and CONCACAF Champions League second leg matches take place to determine the final four in Europe and the title match-up in North America.

Note: All game times are in Eastern Standard Time (ET).

Saturday (3rd):
 - EPL; Chelsea vs. Manchester United - 7:30am - ESPN2HD
 - EPL: Tottenham vs. Sunderland - 10am - FSC
 - EPL: Manchester City vs. Birmingham City - 12:30pm - FSC
 - Serie A: Udiense vs. Juventus - 3pm - FSC
 - EPL: Stoke City vs. Hull City - 5pm - FSC
 - MLS: Seattle vs. New York - 10:30pm - FSC

Sunday (4th):
 - Serie A: AC Milan vs. Cagliari - 9am - FSC
 - EPL: Everton vs. West Ham - 11am - FSC
 - Serie A: Inter Milan vs. Bologna - 2:30pm - FSC

Monday (5th):
 - FA Cup Preview Show - 5pm - FSC

Tuesday (6th):
 - UEFA CL: CSKA Moscow (RUS) vs. Inter Milan (ITA) - 12:30pm - FSC
 - UEFA CL: Barcelona (SPA) vs. Arsenal (ENG) - 5pm - FSC
 - CONCACAF CL: Cruz Azul (MEX) vs. Pumas (MEX) - 10pm - FSC

Wednesday (7th):
 - UEFA CL: Manchester United (ENG) vs. Bayern Munich (GER) - 2:30pm - FSC
 - UEFA CL: Lyon (FRA) vs. Bordeaux (FRA) - 5pm - FSC
 - CONCACAF CL: Pachuca (MEX) vs. Toluca (MEX) - 8pm - FSC