SOUNDERS FC ANNOUNCE PRESEASON MATCH TO BENEFIT LOCAL CHARITIES

RENTON, WA – February 8, 2010 - The Seattle Sounders FC announced today details for the club’s inaugural “Community Shield” match, which will take place on Thursday, March 11 at 6 p.m. on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. The Sounders FC will face the Portland Timbers of the USL in the pre-season training match.

General Admission tickets for the event will go on sale Wednesday, February 10, at 10 a.m.  Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (6-17). Children under the age of six are free. Tickets will be available at www.SoundersFC.com, by calling 800-745-3000, all Ticketmaster outlets and the Qwest Field Box Office.

Proceeds from the match will benefit the team’s four community partners: Boys and Girls Club of Washington State, Save the Children, Seattle SCORES and Washington Youth Soccer.  Following the match the teams will sign autographs from the field.

“The ‘Community Shield’ match will be a great opportunity for our fans to watch the team and give back to the community before the regular season begins on March 25,” said Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer.

Following in the steps of other MLS teams, the model for the event is based upon the “Charity or Community Shield” matches in England, where they are a long standing tradition featuring the champions of the FA Premier League against the winners of the FA Cup with all proceeds going to charity.

As previously announced, Seattle opens preseason play on Wednesday in Casa Grande, Ariz. against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Sounders FC will play three matches during the La Manga Cup II in Spain, from February 18 through February 26. The final preseason game is on March 19 at the Colorado Rapids.

Seattle hosts Philadelphia Union to open the MLS season March 25 before a national television audience on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. For more information visit www.soundersfc.com.

HOUSTON DYNAMO OFFERS NEW CAMPS IN 2010

HOUSTON, TX - February 8, 2010 - The Houston Dynamo Youth Development System, presented by Statoil, will offer two new types of camps during the spring of 2010 and will offer its popular Kids Camps and Centers of Excellence this spring.

For young players aged 5-12, the Dynamo will offer Kids Camp during spring break, March 15-18, at New Territory Sports Complex in Sugar Land. Registration is currently available by calling (713) 276-7524. Kids Camps offer age-appropriate skill-specific curriculum in a fun and kid-friendly environment.

Later this year, for older players born from 1992-96, the Dynamo will offer a special Residential Elite Camp, presented by Statoil, held at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, including overnight accommodations. Running June 13-17, the Residential Elite Camp curriculum and training will be based on technique and tactical development. Participants will play a number of small-sided and 11 v. 11 games throughout the week. Each player will be evaluated by the Dynamo coaching staff, and successful players will be invited to train with the Dynamo Academy.  The Residential Elite Camp costs $675 and includes room and board in San Antonio. Registration is available by calling (713) 276-7524.

For players aged 8-14, the Dynamo will be offering the first Dynamo Fantasy Camp, presented by Statoil, giving boys the chance to experience a professional training environment. The Fantasy Camp will take place on dates to be determined in June due to construction at Robertson Stadium. At the Fantasy Camp, players will have a personalized locker at Robertson Stadium and train five hours per day at the University of Houston. The camp costs $425, and registration is available by calling (713) 276-7524.

Centers of Excellence, presented by Statoil and designed for boys and girls aged 8-12 for once-weekly training sessions, are currently accepting registration at HoustonDynamo.com.

CHICAGO FIRE RE-SIGN STRIKER CALEN CARR

CHICAGO, IL - February 8, 2010 - Chicago Fire forward Calen Carr has re-signed with Major League Soccer for his fifth season with the Chicago Fire Soccer Club. Per team and league policies, terms of the deal were not released.

In four seasons with the Fire, Carr has appeared in 68 games, starting 15, tallying six goals and three assists. The speedy forward missed much of the 2008 and 2009 seasons with a reoccurring knee injury that limited him to 19 games and 364 minutes over two seasons. The 6-0 forward, from Oakland, Calif., notched three goals on the way to the Fire’s 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Championship and has appeared in five MLS Cup playoff games, tallying two assists.

Carr, 27, was drafted 10th overall in the first round of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of California. In his four seasons with the Fire, Carr has played 2,000 minutes, more than doubling his starts from his rookie campaign to his sophomore effort. Carr is currently with the team in Phoenix for the first leg of their 2010 preseason tour. Following two weeks of training at Arizona State University the Fire will travel to Guadalajara, Mexico, Jackson, MS., and New Orleans.

The Fire opens the 2010 MLS season against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, March 27 at 7:00 PM ET (ESPN/ESPN Deportes), in what will be the inaugural MLS league match at the new Red Bull Arena. The Fire's Opening Night at TOYOTA PARK is Saturday, April 10 at 7:30 PM CT when they host the San Jose Earthquakes. Ticket information is available at www.chicago-fire.com or by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE.

UVA STANDOUT BARLOW JOINS KICKERS IN 2010

RICHMOND, VA - February 8, 2010 – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce the signing of recent University of Virginia graduate, Neil Barlow, pending USSF approval.  Barlow is slated to make his professional debut against his Alma Mater in the Kickers Pro-Am Challenge on Saturday, April 3rd. 

“Neil has impressed greatly over the last two years and was outstanding in UVa's 2009 National Championship run,” comments Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers Director of Soccer and Head Coach.  “He is well suited to our style of play and has the versatility to play wide on either wing.  His winning experiences and mentality fit well with our current group of players. The signing brings us closer to our goal of building a 2010 squad that will surpass the success of last year's team.” 

A native of Herndon, Virginia, Barlow concluded his collegiate career third on the team in scoring with five goals and six assists in 2009.  The 5’8” midfielder was one of four Cavaliers to garner All-ACC Second Team honors en route to the NCAA Championship.  Making 68 appearances over four seasons, Barlow accumulated eight goals and 16 assists for 32 points and was named to the VaSID All-State Second Team as a sophomore. 

First Annual Pro-Am Challenge April 3rd

The Kickers welcome the University of Virginia men’s soccer team to open their 18th season in a unique Pro-Am Challenge pitting the USL Second Division Champions versus the NCAA Champions on Saturday, April 3rd.   Kickoff is slated for 4:00 p.m. at the University of Richmond Stadium.  General admission tickets for the Pro-Am Challenge, featuring the University of Virginia are $12/adults and $7/youth and are on sale now via RichmondKickers.com.

The Cavaliers captured their sixth NCAA Championship, and first since 1994, with a 3-2 penalty kick shootout win over Akron in the NCAA Championship final last December.  The Cavaliers (19-3-3) ended the season on a 16-game unbeaten streak.  Former Kickers youth player and Thomas Dale High School graduate Jordan Evans played an integral role in clinching the championship title for UVA.  Evans entered the game in the second half and played through two golden goal overtime periods.  With the score tied at 0-0, the game entered sudden death penalty kicks with the Cavaliers winning in dramatic fashion, 3-2.

Other local standouts include former Deep Run High School MVP Brian Ownby and Will Bates, a Thomas Dale High School graduate, who was recently named Soccer America’s Freshman of the Year.  Bates led the Cavaliers with 12 goals and an assist in 2009 and was a member of the ACC’s All-Freshman team.

WIZARDS TRIM ROSTER

LEAWOOD, KS - February 8, 2010 - The Kansas City Wizards waived defender Rauwshan McKenzie and dropped defender Ofori Sarkodie, midfielder Eric Gehrig and forward Kyle Brown from their preseason roster this weekend.

A fourth round draft pick by the Wizards in 2008, McKenzie started five contests for Kansas City last season. McKenzie also made one appearance for the Wizards in 2008, starting against the then-USL Seattle Sounders in a quarterfinal of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Sarkodie, formerly of Indiana University, was drafted by the Wizards in the fourth round of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. Former Loyola University Chicago midfielder Eric Gehrig and former Austin Aztex forward Kyle Brown joined the Wizards as trialists before the 2010 preseason.

RAPIDS PARTNER WITH BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA IN CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION EVENT

COMMERCE CITY, CO - February 8, 2010 – The Colorado Rapids and the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) announced an enhanced partnership for 2010 today, highlighted by a special engagement on July 31 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.

This announcement comes in conjunction with the Boy Scouts of America presenting the BSA’s 2009 achievements and 2010 goals during their Report to the State at the Colorado State Capitol earlier today, at which Rapids Managing Director Jeff Plush was a guest speaker.

All participating Boy Scouts in this truly unique event will arrive at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park the morning of July 31 prepared for a full day of activities, beginning with a special tour and programming in the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge and on Dick’s Sporting Goods Park’s fields complex.

Scouts will then have the opportunity to witness a Colorado Rapids home match, as they move inside the stadium to cheer on the Rapids during the club’s regular season match against FC Dallas. 

Following the game, scouts will be treated to a special nationwide broadcast as the stadium’s RapidsVision joins in live to A Shining Light Across America from the Centennial Celebration Show from the 100th Anniversary National Scout Jamboree in Fort AP Hill, Virginia.

Scouts and their families will conclude the event with an overnight campout on the stadium complex.

For more information about the July 31 Boy Scout event with the Colorado Rapids, fans can call Rapids Account Executive Emily Kilcoyne at (303) 727-3540.

ROUGH WEEKEND FOR THE VORTEX

The Ohio Vortex drop a pair of matches losing 14-8 to the Louisville Lightning and 10-4 to the 1790 Cincinnati Express.

The Vortex would travel to Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday to face the surging Lightning. Ohio would take the lead early with three goals from Matt Tutich. Louisville would take control just before halftime and wouldn't look back. Glenn Volk, fresh off a tryout with AC St. Louis, and Ryan McDonald would each finish with a hat-trick for the Lightning. Unfortunately for the Vortex, newcomer John Ball would be ejected from the match in the fourth quarter because of a rough challenge against Louisville's Lee Weyland.

Sunday would not be any better for the Vortex as they faced the Eastern Division leading 1790 Cincinnati Express. Ohio would struggle early on their way to a 10-4 defeat at the hands of Cincinnati. Allen Eller would lead the Vortex with two goals, while Milko Cecez and Israel Jones added singles of their own.

CREW DOMINATES U.S. U-17 NATIONAL TEAM IN PRESEASON ACTION

BRADENTON, FL - February 6, 2010 - The Columbus Crew started off the preseason with a bang, scoring eight goals against the U.S. Under-17 National Team squad. Three sessions were played with the Crew winning each in a dominating fashion.

Newcomer Sergio Herrera joined Chad Marshall, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, and Robbie Rogers as goal scorers in the 4-0 victory in the first match. The second scrimmage was much of the same as the Crew moved to a 3-0 victory behind goals from Steven Lenhart, Emilio Renhart, and rookie Dilly Duka.

The final session resulted in a 1-0 victory for the Crew with a goal by another rookie, Bright Dike. The scrimmages were an opportunity for every player to get some time on the field.

CREW LAND COLUMBIAN STRIKER

COLUMBUS, OH - February 5, 2010 - The Columbus Crew announced today that it has signed Colombian forward Sergio Herrera, who will be available upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and work visa. Per club and league policy, no further terms of the deal were disclosed.

The 6-foot, 183-pound frontrunner, who has scored four goals in 11 appearances for the Colombian national team, joins the Crew from Deportivo Cali of the Colombian First Division, where he scored 26 times in 92 games.

"We are excited to add a player of Sergio's experience and quality," said Crew head coach Robert Warzycha. "He is a proven goal scorer who has represented his country at the international level, and we are looking forward to integrating him into our team."

A native of Barrancabermeja, Colombia, the 28-year-old Herrera began his career with Colombian second-division club Alianza Petrolera in 1999, before joining Argentine second-division side Club Almagro for the 1999-2000 season. Herrera then returned to Colombia to play with América de Cali, where he helped the Red Devils to three consecutive Mustang Cup titles (league championships), from 2000 to 2002.

Following his time with América de Cali, Herrera returned to his original club, Alianza Petrolera, for the 2003 season, a prolific stint in which he tallied 25 goals in just 40 appearances. A return to América de Cali in 2004 saw him continue scoring at an impressive clip, notching 13 goals in 22 games.

His strike rate caught the attention of Saudi Premier League side Al Ittihad, the most-established club in Saudi Arabia, where in two seasons he helped the Tigers to the 2004 Crown Prince Cup and the 2005 AFC Champions League title. Herrera then returned to South America where he joined Brazilian club Atlético Paranaense in 2006.

LOUISVILLE ON THE MOVE

By Ben Wilson

LOUISVILLE, KY - February 5, 2010 - The Louisville Lighting showed the Ohio Vortex that penalties and physical game play couldn’t stop them from climbing up the Professional Arena Soccer League’s Eastern Division by winning 14-8.

Louisville’s two first quarter goals came off an offense that looked disheveled and lost, as their passing game fell apart from the opening clicks of the clock. Taking advantage of Louisville’s sluggish execution, the Ohio Vortex’s Matt Tutich scored three goals. The Vortex went ahead 3-2 going into the second-quarter.

The opening stages of the second quarter were a repeat of the Lightning’s first-quarter debacle. At the 12:04 mark, Vortex midfielder Milko Cecez scored an unassisted goal, giving Ohio a two-goal cushion. Things took a 180-degree turn for Louisville as they scored two consecutive goals—at 11:49 Ryan McDonald shot a screaming liner of an assist from Glen Volk, and David Horne scored at 10:13 off an assist from Safet Kovacevic. Louisville ended the second quarter on a positive note by scoring a last-second goal to put them ahead 5-4.  

Louisville was down to four players three different times in the third quarter after multiple blue cards were issued for excessive fouls. Having limited players on the field didn’t stop Louisville from scoring five goals to Ohio’s three—blasting the lead to 9-6 as both entered the fourth-quarter of play.  The Lightning’s McDonald felt that his team’s third quarter run was the shift his team needed. “We were trying to push the momentum a little bit,” said McDonald. “Hopefully that would allow us to go up one or two goals.”

There was no lack of action in the final quarter. 43 seconds in, Ohio’s John Ball, whose rough style of play received less than stellar reviews from the Louisville fans, elbowed Louisville defender Lee Weyland in the right eye—causing an eye laceration. Ball was ejected from the match—prompting a loud cheer from the crowd.  Louisville focused all their aggression on finishing the game with the win. Louisville scored five goals to Ohio’s one and Volk and McDonald each finished the game with a hat-trick.

RAPIDS ANNOUNCE CREATION OF NEW SUPPORTERS TERRACE FOR 2010

COMMERCE CITY, CO - February 5, 2010 – In a move that will transform the way the world’s game is supported in the Rocky Mountain region, the Colorado Rapids announced today their plans for the creation of the new “Supporters Terrace” behind the north goal at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for 2010 and beyond.

Using the stadium’s unique design, this new Supporters Terrace will become an adult-oriented area designed to allow for the exuberance of the Rapids’ most passionate fans.

This move to create a new section of the stadium specifically to appeal to the Rapids’ adult demographic was conceptualized and created in conjunction with the Rapids’ existing supporters club leaders and will allow for their voices and energy to be felt in a whole new manner.

Historically in soccer, the term “terrace” has referred to the traditional standing area behind the goals of a stadium, particularly in the United Kingdom, that offered a cheaper alternative to sitting in the stands and a more popular spectator area for members of the working classes. The Rapids’ Supporters Terrace will be the first true terrace area of its kind in Major League Soccer, and will aim to expand upon the experience found in terraces overseas. 

“The Rapids’ Supporters Terrace will be a perfect opportunity for us to take our fan experience to a new level,” said Rapids Managing Director Jeff Plush. “We believe that through our supporters groups and those most dedicated Rapids fans, the Supporters Terrace will create that truly authentic soccer experience at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.”

The new Supporters Terrace will allow each of the Rapids’ various supporters groups and other rabid fans a place to call their own in the stadium. Flags, banners, instruments, singing and other passionate support of the team at home games will all be encouraged, making the Supporters Terrance the place to be for Colorado’s most enthusiastic soccer fans. Special vending options will also only be available for Terrace fans.

“The Rapids have proved with the creation of the Rapids Supporters Terrace that their main focus is building an atmosphere that all supporters can be proud of,” said Mark Bodmer, Founder of Rapids Supporters Club Class VI. “The Supporters Terrace will allow Rapids fans to now become an influencing twelfth man. This move speaks loudly and shows the Rapids’ commitment to soccer fans.”

“What makes this such a big announcement is that the Rapids are involving the fans in the decision-making process,” added Patrick Quinn, president of the Centennial Firm Rapids Supporters Club. “The organization is showing that they are supportive of us and want to help us create an environment where we as supporters can grow and be successful.”

“The Bobbies are thrilled to join the other Rapids Supporters Groups in the newly-commissioned Supporters Terrace at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park,” said Jon Forget, President of the newly formed Bulldog Rapids Supporters Group, also known as The Bobbies. “The Rapids organization has put their best foot forward to help improve the gameday atmosphere at the stadium, and our group is looking forward to joining the other Rapids Supporters Groups in making the Terrace the epicenter of an elevated atmosphere at the park.”

Season tickets in the brand new Rapids’ Supporters Terrace are now on sale for $216 per person, and include access to other fantastic season ticket holder-only benefits. Supporters Terrace tickets can be purchased by calling the Colorado Rapids Ticket Sales Hotline at (303) 825-GOAL or online at www.ColoradoRapids.com.

NSC MINNESOTA STARS UNVEILED

BLAINE, MN - February 5, 2010 – Minnesota’s new professional soccer team will be named NSC Minnesota Stars. The announcement was made during a live webcast from the National Sports Center campus in Blaine, Minnesota, February 5.

In addition to the name announcement, team officials unveiled the team’s new logo. A video version of the live announcement will be posted on the NSC’s website by 5:00 pm Central Time on Friday, February 5: http://www.nscsports.org/community/nsctv.htm.

The National Sports Center ran an online fan voting contest that garnered 3,110 votes over a two week period in late January. The contest wrapped up on January 26. Since then, team officials were busy discussing the most popular names, clearing trademark issues and discussing long-term marketing and branding potential.

Scott Clasen, host of the NSC’s weekly video show, “NSCtv,” moderated the webcast announcement. Clasen interviewed Kris Bjerkness, team general manager.

Bjerkness revealed that while “Northstar FC” garnered the most fan votes, trademark issues prevented the NSC from choosing that specific name.

“But that’s why we’re going with the Stars nickname; in recognition of the fan votes and that Minnesota is the North Star State,” said Bjerkness. Bjerkness did acknowledge that fans may develop a team identity and another nickname on their own.

“There’s a tradition of that in international soccer, and we’d be very supportive of that,” said Bjerkness. “This will be the fans’ team.” During the webcast, Bjerkness also updated fans on some of the major developments coming in the near future:

1. The league will be announcing the game schedule early next week. As soon as that is finalized, the Stars will begin ticket sales.
2. A new coach will be hired within a week to 10 days.
3. Players will begin to be signed soon after a coach is selected. It will take about eight weeks to fill the team’s roster.
4. Coerver Coaching Minnesota has been selected as a partner to operate youth soccer camps and clinics for the team.

The new team’s website will be www.nscminnesota.org. At the current time, that URL directs viewers to the NSC Minnesota Stars section on the National Sports Center’s website. The team’s complete website will be launched in early March.

NSC Minnesota Stars will begin play this April as a member of a professional soccer league made up of teams from the United Soccer Leagues (USL) and the North American Soccer League (NASL)

The league will consist of two six-team conferences – the USL Conference and the NASL Conference. The USL Conference will include teams from Austin, Minnesota, Portland (Ore.), Puerto Rico, Rochester (N.Y.) and Tampa Bay. The NASL Conference will consist of teams from Baltimore, Carolina, Miami, Montreal, St. Louis and Vancouver. This new team will replace the Minnesota Thunder at the division II level.

The National Sports Center is the largest athletic complex of its kind in the world, boasting 52 soccer fields and over 3.8 million annual visitors. It is the most-visited sports facility in Minnesota. The new team will play some its home games during the NSC’s major youth tournaments to take advantage of the huge attendance base of youth players already attending NSC tournaments, such as Schwan’s USA CUP in July, the largest youth soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere, with nearly 1,000 teams.

BRADLEY CALLS 23 PLAYERS TO TRAINING CAMP ON FEB. 10 AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER IN CARSON, CALIF.

CHICAGO, IL - February 4, 2010 - U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named 23 players to the training camp roster that will gather on Feb. 10 at U.S. Soccer's National Training Center at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

The group, comprised entirely of domestic-based players, will prepare for the USA's second match of 2010, a friendly against El Salvador on Feb. 24 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN Classic and TeleFutura beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Fans can also follow the game live via ussoccer.com's MatchTracker and at twitter.com/ussoccer.

"These are important opportunities for these players as we continue to formulate our plans for the roster for the World Cup," said Bradley. "This camp and the game against El Salvador provide a chance for the coaching staff to get one more long look at this group. El Salvador demonstrated during World Cup qualifying that they are a difficult team to beat, so we expect a good match. We had great fan support in our last visit to Raymond James Stadium, and we are looking forward to getting back to Tampa."

The group features 23 players from Major League Soccer, many of whom were a part of the training camp which opened 2010 last month. Twenty-one players return from that roster, including 10 of the starting 11 from the Jan. 23 match against Honduras. The match against El Salvador will be one of the last games before the 2010 FIFA World Cup roster is named in May and gives the group a chance to make an impression on Bradley's coaching staff with an eye towards South Africa.

Brian Ching is the roster's leading capwinner with 43 appearances and also its leading goalscorer with 10 goals. The Houston Dynamo veteran made 10 World Cup qualifying appearances during the USA's run to South Africa, scoring four times and adding one assist. Heath Pearce is second in the squad with 29 caps, including nine starts during World Cup qualifying, while defender Jonathan Bornstein's 26 appearances, including four at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, provide more experience at the back. Conversely, there are four uncapped players in Bradley's squad. Kevin Alston, Geoff Cameron, Omar Gonzalez and Chris Pontius were all part of the January training camp but did not feature in the game against Honduras.

The roster boasts several year-end award winners, including MLS Goalkeeper of the Year (Zach Thornton), Visa Defender of the Year (Chad Marshall), Budweiser Golden Boot Winner (Jeff Cunningham) and Gatorade Rookie of the Year (Gonzalez). Marshall and Cunningham were both starters in the USA's last outing.

Five sides from MLS contribute three players to the squad. MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake, Columbus Crew, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo and Chivas USA each send a trio of players to the camp in Carson. There is also a first call-up for a member of the expansion Philadelphia Union in defender Michael Orozco, who joins up with the USA having made one previous appearance for Bradley's side.

Tampa, one of 18 cities that will be included in the USA’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022, will be playing host to the U.S. team for the fifth time. In the USA's last visit to Raymond James Stadium on March 25, 2007, Landon Donovan recorded the second hat trick of his career in front of a record-setting crowd for a friendly in the state of Florida as the U.S. cruised to a 3-1 victory against Ecuador.

Six members of the squad played in Raymond James Stadium during 2008 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying. Robbie Findley, Eddie Gaven, Sacha Kljestan, Dax McCarty, Orozco and Marvell Wynne were all part of Peter Nowak's U-23 team which played three games in Tampa in the successful qualifying run to the Beijing Olympics. McCarty hails from nearby Winter Park, Fla., part of the Orlando metropolitan area.

Five players featured in World Cup qualifying against El Salvador during 2009. Pearce and Kljestan took part in the March 28 match in San Salvador, which finished 2-2, while Marshall, Bornstein and Kyle Beckerman all featured in the Sept. 5 come-from-behind 2-1 win in Sandy, Utah.

Following the El Salvador match, the United States will play third-ranked Netherlands on March 3 in Amsterdam, allowing the U.S. to face one of the top teams in the world prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Kickoff at the Amsterdam ArenA is set for 8:30 p.m. local time (2:30 p.m. ET), and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Galavision. Fans can also follow along on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and at twitter.com/ussoccer.

The U.S. Men's National Team has been drawn into Group C with England, Slovenia and Algeria for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The U.S. will open its sixth consecutive World Cup finals tournament against England on June 12 in Rustenburg, and will follow that game with matches against Slovenia on June 18 in Johannesburg and Algeria on June 23 in Tshwane/Pretoria. U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION Detailed Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Troy Perkins (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Zach Thornton (Chivas USA)
DEFENDERS (7): Kevin Alston (New England Revolution), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Michael Orozco (Philadelphia Union), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)
FORWARDS (4): Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake)

• One third of the games will be broadcast live by a national TV network: 25 games will air live in high definition on ESPN2, and all of those, plus one game on ESPN, will be simulcast on ESPN360 and in Spanish ESPN Deportes. This is the fourth year of an eight-year partnership between MLS and ESPN. 31 games will be televised live in high definition on Fox Soccer Channel (FSC) and feature 30-minute pre- and post-game shows for a three-hour programming window. Most games on FSC will be simulcast in Spanish on Fox Sports en Español (FSE) in a two-hour broadcast window. Fox’s MLS schedule includes four Sunday matches from July 18 to Aug. 8. 23 games will be broadcast live on TeleFutura, most on Saturdays starting at 4 p.m. ET.

• 75 percent of games will be played on Saturdays; 85 percent of games will be played on weekends.

• A two-week break in the MLS season aligns with the group phase of the FIFA World Cup. The last match before this break is D.C. United at Seattle Sounders FC at 10 p.m. ET (ESPN2).

• Red Bull Arena will host its first League match March 27 when the New York Red Bulls face the Chicago Fire at 7 p.m. ET (live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN360.com). 

• The first MLS game to be played on natural grass at BMO Field in Toronto will be Toronto FC’s April 15 match against Philadelphia Union at 7 p.m. ET (live on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN360.com).

• On Sunday, June 27, Philadelphia Union will open the ninth stadium built specifically for an MLS club. The grand opening of the venue in Chester, Pa., will be a match against Seattle Sounders FC at 5 p.m. ET (live on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN360.com). 

• The 2010 MLS All-Star Game will showcase top players from both conferences against a popular international club at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas in late July or early August. The date and opponent for the game will be announced at a later date, but it will be broadcast live by ESPN2 and TeleFutura.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - January 28, 2010 – After several weeks of negotiations with a potential new ownership group fell through at the last minute, Women’s Professional Soccer discontinued operations of the Los Angeles Sol on Thursday. The rights to the 19 players currently held by the Sol will be dispersed during a special draft for the league’s eight franchises on Thursday, February 4 and will be announced later in the day.

“While it’s regrettable to lose the Los Angeles market as part of our WPS footprint, we are pleased to have two new teams coming into the league in 2010,” said WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci. “The league and our ownership committee worked incredibly hard over the past month to complete the transaction. In the end, we ran out of time and came up short of where we needed to be funding-wise for the Sol in 2010.”

The Los Angeles Sol had been under custody of the league since late November when AEG gave back its ownership stake in the team to the league.

“Ownership changes are part of pro sports, particularly in a young league, and we have made solid progress in growing WPS from where we were last season,” said Antonucci. “We believe Los Angeles is a healthy, viable market for women’s pro soccer and a city where our league can again thrive with an LA franchise in the future.”

The league will now feature an even eight-team, single table format for the 2010 WPS Regular Season with more details of the 2010 WPS Season to be unveiled next week.

“All the team owners and members of the Board are confident that this setback will be quickly overcome by the exciting developments that the league has in store for the 2010 WPS Season,” said WPS Board Member and Atlanta Beat Chairman T. Fitz Johnson. “This includes two new franchises, the debut of a brand new stadium built specifically for WPS, a longer regular season and an even better product on the field with incoming talent from the college ranks and the many top internationals that have been signed in the off-season. Without question, this season is poised to build on our successful launch year.”

Several of the Los Angeles players, including WPS All-Stars Shannon Boxx and Marta, are signed to multi-year, guaranteed contracts, and are expected to play in WPS for the remainder of their contracts with other WPS teams following the dispersal draft.

MLS AND PLAYERS UNION TO NEGOTIATE THROUGH FEBRUARY 12

NEW YORK, NY - January 28, 2010 - Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Major League Soccer Players Union (Players Union) today announced that the two organizations have agreed to continue to negotiate through February 12, as they work towards reaching a new collective bargaining agreement. "While we still have areas of disagreement, the talks have been constructive and both parties believe it makes sense to continue to work hard to reach agreement," said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. "This extension provides both MLS and the players the opportunity to continue our discussions while clubs are in training camps preparing for the 2010 MLS season."

"Both the Players Union and MLS have concluded that a new agreement will not be reached by February 1, but we have agreed to continue to talk and we will be meeting over the next two weeks to determine if a new agreement can be reached," said Players Union Executive Director Bob Foose. "In the meantime, MLS Players are reporting to training camp, and preparations for the 2010 season will continue." The current CBA, the first in MLS history, is a five-year agreement that had been scheduled to expire on Jan. 31, 2010.