soccer Page 215 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Saturday's United States-Scotland Friendly Featured A Clash Of Terribly-Performed National Anthems
The U.S. Men's National Team thrashed Scotland 5-1 in Jacksonville Saturday on the strength of a Landon Donovan hat trick, but the festival atmosphere at EverBank Field (where the attendance of 44,438 set a record for national friendlies in the state) was nearly snuffed out before the match ever be...

Soccer Player Has Cheek Touched, Fakes Own Death, Provokes Red Card
Last night Toronto FC won the Canadian Championship with an aggregate victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps, and it was not without some ridiculous floppery. In the midst of some heated talk, Toronto's Julian de Guzman lightly brushed the cheek of Jun Marques Davidson, as you would a lover or a bab...

A K-Leaguer May Have Set The World Record For Fastest-Ever Free Kick Goal
Australian defender Eddy Bosnar's free kick goal for Korean squad Suwon Bluewings may be a new record holder for velocity after scoring Sunday against Ulsan....

Premier League Teams Are Hemorrhaging Money, And TV Revenue Sharing Could Be To Blame
Here's some not-so-great news on the heels of a thrilling end to the Premier League—no one's making any money. Actually, that's not true—five teams turned a profit in 2010-2011, the last season for which financials are available. But despite a record $3.6 billion income, the 20 Premier League clubs ...

Doc Emrick Reads Promo For MLS, Is Unable To Avoid Ripping Soccer Players For Diving
As NBC Sports Network's Stanley Cup Playoff coverage winds down, the network is transitioning to its key summer coverage to fill the gap until the London Olympics arrive: Major League Soccer. We've long admired NBC's top hockey announcer Doc Emrick for his no-bullshit approach to the game, and it ...

Women's Professional Soccer Is Officially Dead
The WPS announced today that the league has officially folded, and there will be no effort to rebuild after an already-cancelled 2012 season. I can give you two reasons for this rough news, and one is Dan Borislow, possibly the worst man in sports....

Eric Hassli's Stoppage Time Volley Proved The Existence Of A Canadian Rocket Program
While the Voyageurs Cup may be one of soccer's less-prestigious trophies, claiming it in the Canadian Championship does have its rewards: specifically, an invite to the CONCACAF Champions League. Last night's first leg between Whitecaps and Toronto FC in Vancouver looked like an upset 1-0 win by t...

Reconstructing The Most Exciting Day In The History Of Soccer (And Maybe Sports, Period)
The final day of the 2011 MLB regular season enchanted us with its insanity; its events became a video game montage and inspired its own tag here on Deadspin. That day, however, only determined which teams would gain entry to the playoffs. By comparison, Sunday's final day of the English Premier ...

The Los Angeles Galaxy Was Extremely Happy To Visit The White House
There's a lot going in this photo, taken today during the LA Galaxy's obligatory champion's visit to the White House. (Well, not everyone finds it necessary.) As usual, Obama looks happier than anyone else, although a beaming Bruce Arena seems up to the challenge....

Carlos Tevez Happily Wields "R.I.P. Fergie" Sign At Man City's Parade
After a miracle at Etihad, two goals in stoppage time, gave City its first title since 1968, the team today celebrated with a parade. The trophy was carried through the streets of Manchester on an open-top bus, attended by delirious fans and at least one jubilant forward who does not forgive or forg...

Iranian Cartoonist Gets 25 Lashes For Drawing Politician As Soccer Player
Cartoonist Mahmoud Shokraiyeh drew a member of the Iranian parliament wearing a soccer jersey, and so now he's now going to be lashed 25 times because this is Iran we're talking about and some of their provincial judges and politicians don't look too kindly on things like artistic expression and, I ...

A Brazilian Player Protested His Yellow Card By Doing The Moonwalk
Here's something totally normal from Brazil's Série A. Sport Recife defender Tobi gets booked during the first leg of the Campeonato Pernambucano final (a regional championship) and, when asked by the referee to turn around so the ref can see his number, performs the moonwalk. While American audie...

Today's Blackburn-Wigan Match Was Interrupted By A Chicken
Blackburn Rovers are facing relegation from the Premiership, and need a win against WIgan Athletic today to even have a chance at staying in England's top soccer division. Perhaps as a statement against absentee owners, a chicken bearing the Blackburn flag was unleashed onto the pitch early in to...

This Week In Guys Losing Their Lunch On The Soccer Pitch
It has been an unfortunate week for gentlemen suffering gastrointestinal distress on the soccer pitch, as at least two professional stars displayed their athletic acumen—and their lunch—before what we assume was a grossed-out television audience....

Fredy Montero's Long-Range Strike Is A Worthy Response To Yesterday's Cissé Golazo
We brought you a highlight yesterday of what's probably the best goal scored in European soccer this season, and it was almost as if a reply that Major League Soccer brought its own "you can only do that in a video game" highlight stateside last evening. Fitting, then, that it was Fredy Montero of...

Jozy Altidore Knocked Unconscious, Suffers Back Injury In Scary Sideline Crash
While Clint Dempsey has rightfully earned most of the acclaim among Americans playing pro soccer in Europe this season, striker Jozy Altidore's quietly been having a tremendous year for Dutch Eredivisie team AZ Alkmaar with 18 goals on the campaign, helping to lead his squad to possible Europa Lea...

Papiss Cissé Enters His Bid For Premiership Goal Of The Season
Newcastle won its first match at Stamford Bridge since 1986 with a shocker of a 2-0 victory over Chelsea, keyed by Papiss Cissé's two goals—the second of which is a strong challenger to Peter Crouch for EPL goal of the season....

An Italian Soccer Manager Punched His Own Player In The Face During The Match
Fiorentina manager Delio Rossi attacked player Adem Ljajic during today's match against Novara, taking offense to Ljajic's sarcastic applause after Rossi substituted for him early in the match. Ljajic—who just last week was considered a lock for a transfer to Arsenal—was apparently in poor form as...

Fabrice Muamba Returned To Reebok Stadium For Today's Bolton-Tottenham Match
Six weeks after suffering the cardiac arrest that stopped his heart for 78 minutes, Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba returned to greet fans and players for today's Bolton-Tottenham Hotspur match at Reebok Stadium. It's fitting for him to come back today, as it was at the Spurs' White Hart Lane Mua...

Today's Lesson In Sportsmanship Comes From The Islamic Republic of Iran
On a day when we learn of the lengthy suspensions handed down to New Orleans Saints players amidst the bounty scandal, here's a palate cleanser of sportsmanship (or, as they like to call it in the soccer world, Fair Play) that took place yesterday in Dubai....