3.18.14
ASN Morning Read: You Better Czech Yo Self
The United States national team will head to Prague in September for a friendly; Los Angeles looks to book its place in the Champions League semifinals; Jason Kreis offers some insight from abroad.
BY
Jesse Yomtov
Posted
March 18, 2014
7:34 AM
We’ve got the first confirmed match of the next World Cup cycle, a Sept. 3 friendly against the Czech Republic in Prague. Euro 2016 qualifying kicks off on Sept. 9, with the Czechs hosting the Netherlands. Coach Pavel Vrba says the U.S. was an appealing opponent because (apparently) the team likes to attack. ''We will be tested by an offensive opponent who wants to attack,” Vrba said. “We expect from them a similar style as the Netherlands.”
The Czechs won both of the previous two meetings, 3-0 at the 2006 World Cup and 4-2 in a friendly ahead of the 2010 World Cup.
Leading 1-0 on aggregate, the Galaxy heads south of the border looking to finish off Tijuana in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals. Los Angeles is rested having had the weekend off, while Xolos lost 2-1 to Cruz Azul on Saturday. Galaxy midfielder Marcelo Sarvas called this match a "war." Estadio Caliente has been a fortress for Tijuana, which has lost just one of its last 19 games on the artificial turf, outscoring opponents 34-11, including 13 shutouts. Catch it at 10 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 2. Here's how to find the aforementioned channel.
Jack Bell wrote a great story on NYCFC head coach Jason Kreis, who has now been in Manchester a few months. The former Real Salt Lake boss says the English don't perceive soccer in America as being particularly developed. "Some people think soccer in the U.S. is archaic. I got asked this question: ‘Do you guys train every day?’ And this was someone in the professional soccer world," Kreis said. "To have to answer that question shows exactly where we stand.”
MIT has put together a list of the most famous people in the history of the world using an extremely elaborate system that is (more than) a bit over our heads. Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey both made the list. Dempsey actually ranks one spot above Maya Angelou in terms of people born in the United States. Head over and lose a few hours exploring.
Brad Evans was forced out of Saturday's game early on with a bruised thigh, but Sounders coach coach Sigi Schmid says Evans could be available this Saturday at Montreal.
Terrence Boyd works on his finishing in a U.S. Soccer polo:
