All-Purpose, Never-Ending Soccer Thread

Engaging in a bit of thread necromancy so the World Cup thread can go to its final resting place.

Lamar Hunt US Open Cup -- Third Round
http://www.usopencup.com/score/index_E.html

Real Salt Lake 2-1 (a.e.t.) Virginia Beach Mariners
Charleston Battery 3-1 Portland Timbers
Wilmington Hammerheads 2-1 Atlanta Silverbacks
Michigan Bucks 1-3 Columbus Crew
Carolina Dynamo 3-2 (a.e.t.) Seattle Sounders
Rochester Raging Rhinos 5-1 New Hampshire Phantoms
Kansas City Wizards 2-1 Des Moines Menace
Chivas USA 0-0 Dallas Roma FC (DRFC wins 4-2 on PKs)

Huge upset by Dallas Roma! An amateur team from the North Texas Premier Soccer Association beat an MLS club, on the road, no less, for its second win over a professional opponent.

KC needed a stoppage time goal to beat a bunch of college kids they thumped 6-1 last year. Interesting to see Seattle, a USL finalist last year, go out to a PDL team.

Fourth round matchups (Aug. 1-2):
DC United vs. Columbus
NY Red Bulls vs. Wilmington
Chicago Fire vs. Kansas City
New England Revolution vs. Wilmington
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Dallas Roma
Colorado Rapids vs. Real Salt Lake
Houston Dynamo vs. Carolina (a Dynamo derby!)
FC Dallas vs. Charleston

 

Trooper, far too many MLS coaches think they can put out their reserve squad to beat a USL or PDL team.

I will never understand it.

 

Just on the wire...

 

Wow ... what a win by Dallas Roma.

I too don't understand why MLS teams don't take this seriously until the semifinals. For years, the Wizards lost in their first game. one year, they lost to the San Francisco Bay Seals something like 3-1. Got it handed to them. Now this against Des Moines ... I just don't get it.

 

I think Juve will have to play nearly perfect to climb back to Serie A. It will be a struggle for them to do so.

 

Here's the full run-down of the punishments:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-5951637,00.html

For a second, I wondered how Milan could've got off so light, but them I remembered who they have in their corner.

Roma, Palermo and Chievo Verona go into the Champions League, while Lazio gets bumped from the UEFA Cup. Good to see the best of the 'other clubs' in Serie A get a shot at the big time.

 

Will Messina, Leece and Treviso remain in Serie A or will they stay relegated to Serie B? Or do teams 4-6 from Serie B last year (Mantova, Modena and Cesena) get bumped up?

 

I don't necessarily agree. The American Goats have never played up to the level of their Mexican counterparts. As Crass suggested, simply bad planning on the coaches' part. MLS is not that far ahead of the lower-division American leagues, and the better teams in those leagues can hold their own with the MLS squads for far longer than MLS officials would like to admit. But there's not one chance of American pro soccer adopting a relegation format to allow the cream to rise to the top.

 

wake me when the open cup is over

 

Juve's punishment is actually worse than being demoted to Serie C. A 30-point deduction eliminates any chance of promotion or a mid-table finish. Four teams are relegated out of Serie B...last season the final relegation side finished with 46 points.

Juve, in effect, would need a 76-point season to avoid relegation. This with a new team and new coach. Aint' gonna happen. Serie B is a tough, brutal league. They should beg to be given a clean sheet to start the season and sent directly to Serie C. It would save a lot of pain in the long run.

 

Milan's 15-point deduction and lack of Champion League status will hurt deeply. Qualifying for Europe next season under these conditions is going extremely tough. Two seasons without Europe and the top players will bail. Milan's punishment is not that light.

Lazio already has financial issues I believe, so a trip to Serie B may be a blessing or like adding fuel to a fire. Fiorentina has been to Serie B recently, so they'll be prepared for the worst.

Chievo Verona to Champs League? I think I'm going to hurl. Fuckin' Flying Donkeys.

 

Lecce, Messina and Treviso will stay in Serie A.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=373901&cc=3888