Snak

El Salvador´s Alvarez joins Videoton

SZEKESFEHERVAR, Hungary - Hungarian first-division side Videoton on Thursday presented Salvadoran international Arturo Alvarez as José Gomes´ first signing, since the Portuguese was named head coach on January 21. The 26-year-old joins the 1984-85 UEFA Cup runner-up on a loan deal until the end of June 2013 from Portuguese club Pacos de Ferreira.

Alvarez, born in Houston, Texas, represented the United States at various youth levels, before making his full national team debut for El Salvador on August 12, 2009, in a World Cup qualifier against Trinidad & Tobago. His one goal in 20 international appearances came in a 6-1 win over at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

"I felt that the time had come to try myself out in Europe last year, which is why I moved to Portuguese club Paços de Ferreira," Alvarez told the Videoton website. "I am pleased to have joined a strong club like Videoton FC.

"I hope that I can help my new team out with my play, goals and by also setting up goals. I also heard from the others that there is usually a great atmosphere at the Sostoi stadium for games. I can hardly wait to make my debut in the colours of Videoton FC!"

The midfielder made his professional debut at 18 for the San Jose Earthquakes of the USA´s Major League Soccer. He played FC Dallas from 2005-2008, before returning to San Jose from 2008-2010. Alvarez spent the 2011 season with Real Salt Lake, before moving to Paços de Ferreira last year.

Another Salvadoran international, Rafael Burgos, also plays in Hungary for Kecskeméti. Burgos recently helped El Salvador to a third-place finish at UNCAF Copa Centroamericana.

Ramos unveils U.S. U-20 roster

CHICAGO - U.S. under-20 head coach Tab Ramos on Thursday named 18 of his 20-player squad for the 2013 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship, the qualifying competition for this year´s FIFA U-20 World Cup.

In order to qualify for their 13th FIFA U-20 World Cup, the Americans must advance to the semifinals of the CONCACAF event, which will be played February 18-March 3 in Puebla, Mexico.

"We are excited and looking forward to the World Cup qualification process with this group of players," Ramos said. "This is a cohesive, talented and professional roster, and the majority of the players were on hand for our two international friendly matches against Panama in January. Having played those games in Puebla will be helpful for qualifying as the players are now familiar with the environment we will face in the CONCACAF Championship."

The U.S. is in three-team Group A and will face Haiti (Feb. 18) and Costa Rica (Feb. 22). Both games will be played at Estadio Universitario BUAP.

Ramos´ roster features plenty of experience at this age level with Daniel Cuevas, Benji Joya, Mikey Lopez and Boyd Okwuonu sharing the team lead with 19 career U-20 caps. Joya was the lone player to see action in all 10 games in 2012 as the U.S. posted a 4-6-0 international record.

LA Galaxy´s Jose Villarreal, who has one career CONCACAF Champions League goal, is the leading scorer among the group with six tallies in only nine U-20 matches.

Several members of the squad play their club football in Mexico. Cuevas and Joya ply their trade with Santos, while Juan Pablo Ocegueda is with Guadalajara.

Two additional players are expected to be added to the World Cup qualifying roster, which will be finalized in the coming days.

After qualifying for seven straight FIFA U-20 World Cups, the U.S. missed out on the 2011 tournament by falling to host Guatemala 2-1 in the CONCACAF quarterfinals.


U.S. UNDER-20 ROSTER
CONCACAF Under-20 Championship: February 18 - March 3, 2013, at Puebla, Mexico

GOALKEEPERS: Cody Cropper (Southampton/England), Kendall McIntosh (Santa Clara), Zackary Steffen (FC DELCO)

DEFENDERS: Eric Miller (Creighton), Juan Pablo Ocegueda (Guadalajara/Mexico), Boyd Okwuonu (North Carolina), Shane O´Neill (Colorado Rapids), Javan Torre (UCLA)

MIDFIELDERS: Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Benji Joya (Santos/Mexico), Mikey Lopez (Sporting Kansas City), Caleb Stanko (SC Freiburg/Germany), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew)

FORWARDS: Brandon Allen (Georgetown), Daniel Cuevas (Santos/Mexico), Daniel Garcia (North Carolina), Mario Rodriguez (Kaiserslautern/Germany) Jose Villarreal (LA Galaxy)

@ dibben...


Silverbacks sign El Salvadoran international Menjivar

El Salvador international midfielder Richie Menjivar on Friday has signed a contract with the Atlanta Silverbacks, pending U.S. Soccer approval.

“We’re ecstatic about Richie joining the club because he is a tremendous player with incredible potential and abilities,” Silverbacks technical director Eric Wynalda said in a statement. “I would encourage the fans to come out and see him while they can because a player of this caliber won’t go unnoticed.”

Menjivar, who was born in Panorama City, Calif., comes to the Silverbacks on loan from Salvadoran side Turín FC. He played under Wynalda at Cal FC before signing with Danish side Blokhus FC in 2012. The 5-8 defensive midfielder represented the United States at the Under-18 level in 2008 before being called into El Salvador’s Olympic qualifying team in 2012.

Menjivar started and went 90 minutes in El Salvador’s 3-3 draw against the U.S., a result that knocked the Americans out of the 2012 Olympics qualifying. He scored a goal in a 4-0 win over Cuba.

With strong performances at the youth level, El Salvador National Team Head Coach Agustín Castillo took notice, and called Menjivar into the senior camp ahead of the January Copa Centroamericana, the qualifying arm for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Starting all four games against Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, and Belize, Menjivar helped “La Selecta” earn a third-place finish and qualify for the Gold Cup. Atlanta will be one of the cities hosting a Gold Cup matches this summer.

“The fact that we can add someone of Richie’s quality speaks volumes about the Silverbacks and also the league,” Silverbacks coach Brian Haynes said in a statement. “He is going to be a key leader for us on the field, and I think he’ll bring out the best in his teammates as well. We were looking for a player like Richie and I’m glad to say we found him.”

Menjivar played college soccer in the U.S. He started at the University of Evansville in 2008 and played two seasons for the Purple Aces. He was named to the Missouri Valley Conference all-freshman team in 2008 and was second on the team in assists. Menjivar then transferred to Cal-State Bakersfield to play the final two seasons of his college career.

Roadrunners assistant coach Keith Costigan, also a FOX Soccer analyst, told his fellow pundit Wynalda about Menjivar. Wynalda then recruited him to be a part of his Cal FC squad for the 2012 Lamar Hunt/U.S. Open Cup. Menjivar starred for Cal FC during their cup run, helping the team to the fourth round – a run that featured vicotires over professional sides, the Wilmington Hammerheads of USL and the Portland Timbers of MLS.

Menjivar, who is expected to patrol the defensive midfield, will join his new teammates in Atlanta when the club breaks training camp in early March. The Silverbacks kick off the North American Soccer League season on April 13, hosting the Fort Lauderdale Strikers at Atlanta Silverbacks Park.

@Deportivo

Mange tak. Lidt øv, for så får jeg ikke chancen for at tage til Blokhus og se en kamp med ham.

Så må det blive Skive og Correa

Finkultur

http://www.facebook.com/…e=1&theater

Puntarenas og Saprissa er i gang. Yeltsin Tejeda har lige bragt Saprissa foran på en flot yderside fra kanten af feltet.

2-0 Cristian Lagos. Den giftige herre, der var i Santos de Gúapiles i sidste sæson. Snart pause i denne kamp.

Sådan Dibben du ligger hårdt ud med tidlig kamp.....

River Plate og Racing sæson debuterer senere i aften, Samba holder nok øje med Carioca--klassikeren -Classico dos Gigantes mellem Fluminense og Vasco da Gama. Fas rykker på udebane mod Universidad dee El Salvador - og om ikke Kayokay holder et vågent øje medden honduranske superclásicio direkte fraTegucigalpa ...mellem olimpia og Motagua....

Et par fine lørdagsscoringer i Brasilien. 40-årige Rogério Ceni blev matchvinder, da São Paulo besejrede Guaraní i den syvende runde af Campeonato Paulista. Målmandslegende er nu oppe på 109 mål i sin lange karriere. Den jævnaldrende Rivaldo debuterede for São Caetano i 2-2 kampen mod Corinthians. Og jo, Rivaldo scorede for "Azulão".
I Rio spillede Fluminense og Vasco 1-1. Fluminenses ene landsholdsspiller Jean scorede i den ene ende, mens den anden Fred scorede i den anden ende. Det var selvfølgelig Fred, der havde retningssansen i orden. Fred scorede sidste lørdag for Flu, igen onsdag for landsholdet, og nu igen for klubholdet.

Sådan Samba - uafgjort med FLU - er et skridt i den rigtige retning....det ender sgu nok med at blive helt godt for Vasco alligevel ;-)