FCMV Liverpool

New England clinched a playoff berth with a 1-0 victory yesterday over the Columbus Crew, the defending MLS Cup champions, at Crew Stadium. Midfielder Jeff Larentowicz’s first goal of the season, off a free kick in the 79th minute, punched the ticket.

The Revolution will face the Chicago Fire in a two-game, home-and-home series that begins Saturday at 4 p.m. at Gillette Stadium. The second game is Nov. 7 in Chicago at 8:30 p.m. It marks the fifth straight season that New England has met Chicago in the MLS postseason.

“To come here on the last day of the season needing points, it was never going to be easy,’’ Revolution coach Steve Nichol said. “If we had played well, that would have been better. But who cares? We needed to win, and we won.’’

Saturday night, four games affected the Revolution’s playoff chances. The results were good – for the Revolution, anyway. They awoke yesterday knowing that a win or tie would get them to the playoffs for the eighth season in a row.

Continue Reading

Houston Dynamo coach Dom Kinnear has earned his reputation as a players’ coach – the sort who understands the dynamics of a team as a whole, but also the struggles of individuals beset by injuries and the pressure to perform.

It takes talent to effectively recall, without getting lost in nostalgia, one’s own playing days and translate that into a coaching style that brings out the best in a roster, but Kinnear has managed that year after year, first in San Jose and then in Houston.

Continue Reading

Philadelphia Union announces a groundbreaking new partnership with IOMEDIA that will allow fans and sponsors to select seats, suites and signage like never before. The Virtual Venue is the most interactive fan tool in the entire world of sports, taking users from the virtual stadium to integrated ticketing checkout faster and more efficiently than ever.

Not only will this state-of-the-art online destination provide excitement and convenience for fans and consumers, but it will add an in-venue game-day feel, that is second only to actually standing in the building. IOMEDIA recently worked with Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees on their online 3D seating application and has continued to develop the virtual venue technology to create a truly next generation offering which will initially debut with Philadelphia Union.

The virtual seat selector shows a full 360-degree view from seats and various stadium locations, while giving consumers the most up-to-date information available. Users receive the latest feedback on section demographics via an interactive poll given to those who already purchased seats in that section. Integrated 3D photorealistic illustrations and HD animation will also show how sun and shade affect each seat and suite’s view. Additionally, sponsors and advertisers will have the ability to select the most prominent locations for advertisements and signage.

“From the beginning, we’ve tried to create a fan experience like no other,” said Philadelphia Union Team President Tom Veit. “Through a targeted questionnaire, fans can determine which section to select, to ensure they will find fellow fans committed to a similar game-day experience. With demand for season tickets so high, we were focused on creating a way for fans to get the most information possible, to enable them to make the right choice, first time out.”

Continue Reading

The entire soccer community is eagerly anticipating Philadelphia Union’s First Kick March 25th. The 2010 Major League Soccer season can’t come soon enough.

Neither can the first of two open tryouts for players who believe they have what it takes to make Philadelphia Union’s opening day roster.

Exactly one week after making the initial announcement, the number of aspiring athletes is pushing rapidly toward 400! About two-thirds of the sign-ups are for the Philadelphia venue, while the other third will be heading to the New Jersey location. So, it appears if you want to be noticed, you might want to focus on the Garden State where the field could be less crowded.

Players must sign up online and will have the opportunity to attract the attention of team manager Peter Nowak and his staff in a pair of two-day sessions. The first session is set for Mercer County Park, Field No. 1, in Trenton, N.J., on Saturday, November 14 beginning at 8 a.m. Nowak and his Philadelphia Union technical staff will identify athletes they want to invite back for another look at the same location the following day.
The second session will take place at the University of Pennsylvania’s Rhodes Field on Saturday, December 5, and will once again kick off at 8 a.m. Similar to the first session, it will be invitees only, as selected by Philadelphia Union staff, on Sunday, December 6 at the same location.

“We want to give a chance to everybody that feels that they could be part of this team,” said Philadelphia Union Team Coordinator Josh Gros. “We hope there could be a jewel-of-a player who just might contribute to our team hidden amongst the millions of people in our own backyard. That’s what makes this whole process so intriguing.”

That said, there are some space limitations and the number of players could be capped at some point, so please do not hesitate. Sign up now!

Spectators will be admitted at both sessions, but must stay off the field in designated locations at all times.

There is a $30 registration fee and each player will receive a Philadelphia Union T-shirt. Athletes must sign-up online through Philadelphia Union’s website and must select one site only. There are no exceptions. Space is limited, so please register early. To register or for more information, please visit www.philadelphiaunion.com.

Philadelphia Union’s inaugural First Kick will be March 25, 2010 vs. Seattle at the Sounders’ Qwest Field. The club’s home opener vs. D.C. United will be April 10, 2010 at Lincoln Financial Field.

Will one of these players from an open tryout be part of Philadelphia Union’s first-ever team?

Could happen!

That’s what makes this process so much fun. And so intriguing.

Continue Reading