The country's economic crisis has claimed a victim in the American soccer scene. The USL-1 Atlanta Silverbacks will not field a team in 2009, citing the economy as well as the potential arrival of an MLS expansion team in Atlanta in the coming years.

"This was an extremely difficult decision that was prompted by the dynamic events in our economy and the soccer community," Silverbacks general manager Michael Oki said.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

New England's quest for an elusive MLS Cup title took a major hit on Saturday after the Revs lost Steve Ralston for the season with a broken right leg.

The broken right fibula suffered by Ralston came after a clumsy challenge from Herculez Gomez during New England's 1-0 loss to Kansas City on Saturday.

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Somebody finally stopped the Montreal Impact and it figures that it would be another Canadian team to do it.

The Vancouver White Caps ended Montreal's dream USL season with a 2-0 victory that helped give Vancouver a 2-1 series aggregate victory in the USL playoff semifinals on Sunday.

First-half goals from Jeff Clark and Eduardo Sebrango provided the margin of victory for Vancouver, which received a shutout from goalkeeper Tyler Baldock, who made his first start of the season in place of suspended goalkeeper Jay Nolly.

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The United Soccer League named it's All-League Teams on Tuesday. I know I don't report nearly as much about the USL as I should, especially given the league's recent success in the U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League, but here is a chance to get a look at the best the USL has to offer.

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DeRoux's heroics were not enough for the Minnesota Thunder/photo by Paul Phillips

Darren Tilley was among the heroes of the 1999 US Open Cup final, the last major trophy won by a current USL side. Pat Onstad and Yuri Alnatt were also key figures that night at Crew Stadium for the Rochester Rhinos.

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What you see at right is the badge that the new Tampa Bay Rowdies will be sporting when they begin play in United Soccer Leagues Division I in 2010. (Personally, I liked this one a lot better, but what can you do?) The shield "unites Rowdies history and tradition in a contemporary design," team president and [. Click to continue reading...

It was another good night for USL teams and another disappointing showing for MLS teams in the CONCACAF Champions League.

The Montreal Impact faced Mexican power Atlante on Wednesday and posted a 0-0 tie to stay in a tie for first place in its group with Atlante.

D.C. United's night wasn't quite as fun.

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(Rick Morrison for Goal Seattle with the photo, if you couldn't tell)

It was a pretty inconsequential game in the standings, Seattle and Vancouver had already qualified for the playoffs, but the Cascadia Cup was lost.

The Northwest derby might not be around for awhile, so it's sad that the Sounders couldn't hold onto it until then. Click to continue reading...

D.C. United is taking on Costa Rican power Deportivo Saprissa tonight in CONCACAF Champions League action at RFK Stadium, while USL-1 force Puerto Rico Islanders are taking on Tauro FC (the same club that eliminated Chivas USA). If you are watching either of these matches, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

The New York Red Bulls have completed the acquisition of Crystal Palace Baltimore midfielder/forward Matthew Mbuta, sources with knowledge of the deal confirmed late on Friday.

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Goalkeeper Jake Wright, of Rancho Palos Verdes, will blog for 100 Percent Soccer this season, providing an inside look at the Cal State Northridge men's soccer program. Wright was a two-year starter at Peninsula High and is entering his sophomore year at Cal State Northridge. This summer Wright played for Orange County Blue Star of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League.

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Goalkeeper Jake Wright, of Rancho Palos Verdes, will blog for 100 Percent Soccer this season providing an inside look at the Cal State Northridge men's soccer program. Wright was a two-year starter at Peninsula High and is entering his sophomore year at Cal State Northridge. This summer Wright played for Orange County Blue Star of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League.

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NEWS: D.C. United won its second Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night, edging the Charleston Battery of the United Soccer Leagues 2-1 at RFK Stadium. The Battery came up short in their bid to become the first non-MLS... Click to continue reading...

Longtime FC Dallas GK Matt Jordan kept a clean sheet as USL-1 side Montreal Impact advanced in the Champions League

Even after DC United beats the Charleston Battery in tonight's US Open Cup Final, USL will have achieved something tangible that MLS failed at attempting, and failed badly at: to advance a team out of the qualifying round of the CONCACAF Champions League.

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A day after amazing achievements for USL-1 sides in CONCACAF Champions League action Major League Soccer continued its pattern of showing that they don't get it by rejecting New York's $200,000 bid for Macoumba Kandji according to Ives Galarcep of Soccer by Ives. The apparent stumbling block: MLS does not believe any player in USL could possibly be worth $200,000.

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Goalkeeper Jake Wright, of Rancho Palos Verdes, will blog for 100 Percent Soccer this season providing an inside look at the Cal State Northridge men's soccer program. Wright was a two-year starter at Peninsula High and is entering his sophomore year at Cal State Northridge. This summer Wright played for Orange County Blue Star of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League.

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Today's goalscorer for USL-1 side Puerto Rico Islanders Osei Telesford against England in May/Reuters Photo

Can you believe that headline? After seeing MLS sides lose in all eight attempts to even get so much as a draw in a CONCACAF Champions Cup match on Costa Rican soil, tonight in the new CONCACAF Champions League USL-1 side Puerto Rico Islanders got a shock 1-1 draw at Alajuelense.

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Marco Etcheverry is the type of creative player MLS lacks today/MLSNET.com

The CONCACAF Champions league was built up as Major League Soccer's opportunity to show how well it sides perform while in season. The complaint about the now retired Champions Cup was that it was played during the MLS preseason.

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Stuart Holden will not be able to watch team mates Brian Ching and Dwayne DeRosario in qualifying tonight because he's playing at the same time/photo from MLSNET

Major League Soccer is one of the strangest football leagues in the world. While some European oriented fans ridicule MLS for the time of year it is played those of us who understand world football and weather patterns do not really understand how MLS can be played when these people's beloved English Premier League is played.

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It's that time of the year again, time for the US Open Cup Semi-finals. DC United (37) take on defending Open Cup champion New England Revolution (21), while the Seattle Sounders of USL-1 visits another USL-1 side, the Charleston Battery. It is guaranteed that the final will pit an MLS team against a USL team.

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Good afternoon to the folks on the West side of the country (and the MLS standings). Here are some news items and notes for you to peruse as your day winds to a close:

FC Dallas signs Sikora

FC Dallas said goodbye to Colombian midfielder Juan Toja over the weekend, but have already replaced him.

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Nice homer/angry press release from Crystal Palace USA of the United Soccer Leagues Second Division (the third tier of American soccer): Controversial Stoppage Time Call Saves Palace's Blushes, Baltimore Takes Inaugural DeOrsey Maryland ("Saves Palace's Blushes?" Crystal Palace USA of Baltimore is, ostensibly, an outpost of English side Crystal Palace of London. Click to continue reading...

*The alleged MLS All-Star game is 4 p.m. Thursday on ESPN2. I'll have more on that in Tuesday's column.

*The Galaxy play at 4 p.m. Sunday in Dallas (live on Prime).

*Chivas USA plays next Aug. 2 in Chicago.

*From the Women's Premier Soccer League:

Saturday at Esperanza High (Anaheim):
5:30 p.

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Exciting news release from FC Indiana today:

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, July 12, 2008 — FC Indiana announced the re-signing of Mexico international Monica Ocampo for the 2009 season.
Ocampo, 21, was one of twenty finalists in contention for the title of 2006 FIFA Women's World Player of the Year.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. Open Cup final will feature an MLS team against a USL team. This became guaranteed after the results of last night's quarterfinals, when two MLS and two USL teams won to set up semifinal meetings.

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TORONTO, July 8, 2008 – GolTV, the 24-hour all soccer network, and Insight Sports announced today that the channel has acquired the live broadcasting rights to the second leg of the 2008 Nutrilite Canadian Championship match between Major League Soccer's Toronto FC and the United Soccer Leagues First Division's (USL-1) Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Swangard [. Click to continue reading...

Major League Soccer has provided us with little relief to the usual summer doldrums. As happens most MLS seasons the combination of high temperatures, half full stadiums and international call ups hurt the quality of football and make MLS in many ways a laughingstock of world football.

MLS' midweek performances against USL sides have sent off alarm bells in the halls of football support in this nation.

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Good evening folks. After a day of sun, and the requisite nap that comes with sunning, I wanted to offer up some observations as well as news tidbits to keep the day going for those of you who have turned to SBI for your soccer fix.

Peru reduces suspensions, stars set to return

Reversing what was clearly a dumb decision a few months too late, the Peruvian Football Federation has reduced the suspensions of Jefferson Farfan, Claudio Pizarro and Santiago Acasiete.

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After 120 minutes of play Tuesday night, players for the Carolina RailHawks looked exhausted and whipped to the bone. Some sat on the grass. Others stood with their hands behind their heads.
Sweat poured from their pores. Disappointment filled their faces. No one smiled.
There wasn't any reason to be happy. Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

With MLS All-Star Game balloting set to close on Wednesday, one player has made a stronger late push than any other to be included in the Starting XI that will face West Ham United next month.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

With MLS All-Star Game balloting set to close on Wednesday, one player has made a stronger late push than any other to be included in the Starting XI that will face West Ham United next month.

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From Mark Masters at the National Post (click here for the source):

Steve Nash may be the wild card in the race to bring a Major League Soccer franchise to Vancouver.

The Phoenix Suns star confirmed he has been involved in talks with MLS commissioner Don Garber, Vancouver Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot and former Yahoo! Click to continue reading...

The Tampa Tribune is reporting that the Tampa Bay Rowdies may be returning, 15 years after playing their last game. Well, it won't be the Tampa Bay Rowdies, but a team in United Soccer Leagues Division 1 that is expected to be called the Rowdies. It will all be announced at a Thursday press conference at [. Click to continue reading...

TampaBayOnline.com is reporting that the Tampa Bay Rowdies will be joining the Austin Aztex as 2009 expansion franchises in the USL First Division:

Eight years after the Tampa Bay Mutiny folded and 16 years on from the final demise of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, professional soccer is expected to return to Tampa next spring with the arrival of a United Soccer Leagues First Division club.

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Former Metro star and current Islander Peter Villegas scored a goal for Puerto Rico in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Honduras

Every region with the exception of the Euro engaged UEFA confederation has begun qualifying for World Cup 2010.

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