Brazil versus Italy 21 March 2013 Prediction

Today's match will end 1-0 for Brazil after a stunning long-range goal from Neymar.

Feel free to add your prediction in the comment section below.

And be sure to check out more Brazil versus Italy 21 March 2013 news at this link.

Re-post January 15, 2010 Erin Guthrie Q-and-A

Big East Goalkeeper of the Year, Erin Guthrie, a captain at Rutgers this past fall, answered several questions via email prior to the 2010 WPS Draft.

Q. How much did Karina LeBlanc mean to your development?

I owe so much to Karina for my overall development at Rutgers during these past 4 years. I am a completely different keeper now than I was as a freshman. All around Karina developed my technical abilities, confidence and tactics and honestly without her training and motivation pushing me everyday I would not have accomplished what I did at Rutgers as well as help Rutgers soccer accomplish all we did as well.

Q. Are you satisfied with how the team finished this season?

I am very proud of how the team performed under all the adversity we faced with injuries this year. Being that it was my last collegiate game I did not want it to end and obviously wanted us to go further even though we put up a great fight. I believe our team accomplished a lot and I do think we had the potential to go even further.

Q. And from an individual standpoint, are you happy with your performance?

For the most part I'm never totally satisfied with how I do. Whenever we lose or give up a goal I feel as though there were things I could have done to prevent it. In general I feel pretty happy with how I performed in my college career.



Q. Are you looking forward to the WPS Draft?

I am looking forward to the draft and hopefully I will have good news come January 15th.

Q. What have you done between the end of your collegiate career and the WPS Draft to prepare for a potential professional career?

Since the season ended I have worked to stay fit as well as continued to strength train. I have also trained with Paul Blodgett once a week to keep my technical game sharp in hopes of having a career in the WPS.

Q. Do you have a favorite save from the season?

I would have to say my favorite save from the season was in the West Virginia game. There was a cross that went to a player on West Virgina who was on the 6 yard line and she redirected it in the opposite direction so I dove back and grabbed it on the goal line. It was my favorite save because we had been working on situations with crosses just like that in practice for awhile.

Q. And a favorite clean sheet?

A favorite clean sheet from this year would be the South Florida game. We tied 0-0 in South Florida. We had just come from the freezing rain in Marquette a day earlier. We were dead tired in the heat as a team so to give up no goals in circumstances like that spoke measures of the Rutgers team.

Q. Can you give us a preview of how the Rutgers women's team will do in 2010?

2010 is going to be a great year for Rutgers Women's Soccer. The talent that the team will have is going to be some of the best and I am predicting a memorable season for them. Returning Gina DeMaio is huge for the team who had to red shirt this year for a knee injury is huge for Rutgers.

Photo Credit (Both Photos): Tom Ciszek, Rutgers Athletics

Please note: This interview originally published at Player Interviews, a distant cousin of the Football Friendlies blog.

Barcelona Summer Tour 2013 stops in China, Thailand and Malaysia

Earlier this year, Barcelona's preseason itinerary included a potential stop in Bangladesh and a far-off friendly -- far, far off -- with Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia, in 2016.

Now thankfully, comes official word via a report at The Star Online with notes that this summer Barcelona will visit Malaysia on 10 August after stops in Shanghai, China (4 August) and Bangkok, Thailand (7 August).

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell recently stated at a press conference per the report that these three destinations would be part of the summer tour; Bangladesh was not listed. This is Barça's fifth tour of Asia in the last 10 years.

For more information please visit FC Barcelona's official website with news on the Asian tour here and here. And for all the details regarding the club's 2013 preseason schedule check here at the official website.

International Friendly 16 March 2013: Bahrain vs. Lebanon

In February per a report at Gulf Daily News, the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) announced a football friendly with Lebanon to be held on 16 March at the National Stadium in Riffa. The match will be utilized to ready both squads for 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification.

Bahrain host Qatar and Lebanon squares off with Thailand on 22 March.

In Group D for 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification holds Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen and Malaysia.

Lebanon, Thailand, Kuwait and Iran sit in Group B.

Early in March, Qatar will face Egypt in friendly action in order to ready for Bahrain.

Video via Puma official YouTube channel.

Second link via Soccerway.com

Arsenal Preseason Summer Tour 2013 will stop in Vietnam for historic visit

Per a report at Reuters via The Star Online, Arsenal, already off to Indonesia as part of the club's preseason summer 2013 tour, will play a football friendly in Vietnam on 17 July against the country's national team.

This historic match will feature the first Premier League side to grace the Asian country. Like the rest of the continent, Vietnam is football mad.

Arsenal will arrive in Hanoi on 15 July and will end the three-day tour at My Dinh National Stadium per the Vietnam Football Federation.

Manchester City and Tottenham as well as Chelsea all intend to visit Southeast Asia this summer for preseason football friendlies and Manchester United and Liverpool are also gearing up, scheduling football friendlies throughout the region for summer 2013.

The Hoang Anh Gia Lai-Arsenal JMG Academy, already a fixture in Vietnam, should receive a visit from the North London club players and staff during the visit.

Read more 2013 Premier League Preseason Tours news and reports.

Video via NYC Arsenal Supporters official YouTube Channel.

International Friendly 7 March 2013: Qatar versus Egypt

Egypt, missing from the globe's top football tournament since 1990, readies for the next round of 2014 World Cup qualifiers with a football friendly hosted by Qatar on 7 March 2013. Coach Bob Bradley, per a report at Ahram Online, will not bring into camp any foreign-based footballers for the match.

As one would imagine, the roster is stacked with members from globally recognized Al Ahly.

After this friendly, Egypt next takes on Zimbabwe in qualification action on 26 March.

Goalkeeper: Sherif Ekrami (Ahly) and Al-Hani Soliman (Ittihad of Alexandria)

Defenders: Wael Goma (Ahly), Mohamed Naguib (Ahly), Rami Rabia (Ahly), Ahmed Shedid Qenawi (Ahly), Mohamed Abdel Fattah (Wadi Degla) and Mohamed Belal (Smouha)

Midfielders: Hossam Ashour (Ahly), Abdullah-El-Said (Ahly), Ahmed Usama (Wadi Degla), Tarek Hamed (Smouha), Ibrahim Abdel-Khalek (Smouha), Mohamed Hamoudy (Smouha) and Ahmed Magdy (Mahallah)

Forwards: El-Sayed Hamdy (Ahly), Hussein Hamdy (Maqassa) and Amr Marei (Wadi Degla)

Prediction: Pharaohs too much for the soon-to-be World Cup hosts, 3-1.

Luiz Felipe Scolari names Brazil roster for Italy football friendly

Per a report by Brian Homewood at Reuters via The Star Online, Brazil national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari listed his squad for the country's upcoming friendly with Italy on 21 March.

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Queens Park Rangers), Diego Cavalieri (Fluminense)

Defenders: Daniel Alves (Barcelona), David Luiz (Chelsea), Dante (Bayern Munich), Thiago Silva (Paris St Germain), Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Dede (Vasco da Gama)

Midfielders: Ramires (Chelsea), Paulinho (Corinthians), Luiz Gustavo (Bayern Munich), Fernando (Gremio), Jean (Fluminense), Oscar (Chelsea), Lucas (Paris St Germain), Kaka (Real Madrid), Hernanes (Lazio)

Forwards: Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid), Hulk (Zenit St Petersburg), Neymar (Santos), Fred (Fluminense)

Borussia Dortmund and Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction Round of 16 Champions League 5 March 2013

1-0 Dortmund wins with the goal from Mario Götze.

The German side advances 3-2 on aggregate.

Feel free to post your prediction in the comments below.

Manchester United and Real Madrid Prediction Round of 16 Champions League 5 March 2013

2-0 Real Madrid wins

(3-1 on aggregate) with goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Ángel di María.

Feel free to post your prediction in the comments below.

AC Milan transfer rumour engulfs Jordan Lukaku

Per a report at TMW via TribalFootball.com, Anderecht chief Herman van Holsbeeck recently noted that 18-year-old Jordan Lukaku, brother of Chelsea wunderkind Romelu, is attracting interest from AC Milan.

Read more AC Milan transfer rumours 2013-14.

Six-a-side with Charlotte 49ers midfielder Amanda Jones

The Charlotte 49ers women's program ended the 2012 season with a 2-0 loss to La Salle at the Atlantic 10 Championships. With the Niners' transition to Conference USA this fall, leadership from players such as left-sided midfielder Amanda Jones will be paramount to the process.

The sophomore attacking player, an All-Atlantic 10 Second Team member, returned from an injury-marred freshman campaign and in 2012 scored seven goals with five assists.

The Mahwah, New Jersey, native kindly spoke via email about her brace against VCU, the move to Conference USA and what food she could eat every day.

1. In terms of your development as a player, what are you able to do now on the field that you weren’t able to do before playing at Charlotte?

Since playing at Charlotte I feel like I have a much greater presence on the field. I work so hard in practice and in everything we do off the field that once I am on the field in a game I know I am prepared to help my team as best as I can.

I love to intimidate my opponents. I want them to dread playing against me, especially the opposing team's right back. I want to make her life miserable.

2. What are your thoughts on the move to Conference USA?

I am very excited! Of course we are unsure as to what exactly we are up against since we will be playing brand new teams, but I think we are going into the conference with a good mind set. We want to make a statement and let the other teams know that we are Charlotte and we won't back down without a battle.

3. Care to take us back to the emotions and thoughts you had after your brace in the Atlantic 10 opener versus VCU, especially after an injury-marred end to your freshman season?

Wow I can't even put it into words! It was astonishing and we deserved that win. We played so hard that night, I was just thrilled that I was able to finish the game off for my team.

I just so happened to score in the last 3 seconds of overtime which made it even greater and dramatic to walk away with the first W of conference play.



And three for fun:

4. Best off campus food/restaurant?

Sushi for sure! I could eat sushi every day.

5. What's playing on the iPod?

A little bit of everything, just depends on my mood! Can't Stop Me by Afrojack is my favorite pump up song to listen to before every game.

6. Player or club you supported growing up?

Well when the old Women's Soccer League was around I was a big fan of Kristine Lilly and the Boston Breakers.



Read more Six-a-side Spring 2013 interviews.

Links:
1) Charlotte 49ers Athletics official website
2) Charlotte 49ers Athletics official website
3) Charlotte 49ers Athletics official YouTube channel
4) Adidas Impossible Is Nothing official YouTube channel

Photo Credit: Sam Roberts/Freeze Frame Photo

Real Madrid transfer target Colombian winger Juan Guillermo Cuadrado

Per a report at TMW, via TribalFootball.com, Real Madrid scouts have been dispatched to Italy to assess Fiorentina winger Juan Guillermo Cuadrado.

The 24-year-old Colombian international footballer is on loan at the Italian side from Udinese.

Read more Real Madrid transfer rumours 2013-14.

Three English clubs target Dutch midfielder Ibrahim Afellay

Per a report at TransferMarketWeb.com, Barcelona on-loan midfielder Ibrahim Afellay, who is playing with German side Schalke 04, has attracted English interest.

The English clubs believed to be tracking the Dutch international midfielder are: Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Juventus and AC Milan battle over Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier

Per TransferMarketWeb.com, Juventus and AC Milan will duel over Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier.

21 African referees tabbed for Brazil 2014

It's 2014 World Cup news regarding the referees per a report by Sainabou Kujabi-Njie at Gambia's media outlet The Point via allAfrica.com.

From the African continent, 21 were tabbed to take part in training in Casablanca on 27 March through 1 April.

Alioum Neant (Cameroon)
Menkouande Evarist (Cameroon)
Edibe Peter (Nigeria)
Bennett Daniel F. (South Africa)
Range Marwa (Kenya)
Siwela Zakhele Thusi (South Africa)
Badara Diatta (Senegal)
Djibril Camara (Senegal)
Felicien Kabanda (Rwanda)
Noumandiez Desire Doué (Côte d'Ivoire)
Songuifolo Yeo (Côte d'Ivoire)
Jean-Claude Birumushahu (Burundi)
Papa Bakary Gassama (Gambia)
Jason Joseph Damoo (Seychelles)
Angesom Ogbamariam (Eritrea)
Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria)
Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria)
Redouane Achik (Morocco)
Slim Jedidi (Tunisia)
Bechir Hassani (Tunisia)
Sherif Hassan (Egypt)

Zimbabwe invited to take part in three-week tour of Caribbean

The African footballers recently received an invite, per a report at Zimbabwe Independent, to take part in a number of football friendly matches in April.

If Zimbabwe accepts the invitation, the Warriors will play the Caribbean island nations of Jamaica, Barbados, Dominica, St Lucia and St Vincent as the African nation prepares for qualification for the 2015 AFCON tournament.

2015 AFCON Draw 10 March 2013

Pot One includes:

Nigeria
Burkina Faso
Ivory Coast
Togo
Mali
South Africa
Cape Verde
DR Congo
Zambia
Tunisia
Ghana

Pot Two includes:

Egypt
Libya
Algeria
Senegal
Cameroon
Guinea
Sierra Leone
Gabon
Uganda
Congo
Central African Republic

Pot Three includes:

Ethiopia
Benin
Angola
Niger
Zimbabwe
Equatorial
Mozambique
Malawi
Burundi
Liberia
Sudan

Pot Four includes:

Yet to be determined as preliminary round still in play.

Information via allAfrica.com

Six-a-side with Oregon State forward Jenna Richardson

Oregon State and Canadian Under-20 national team forward Jenna Richardson rejoined her collegiate teammates last September after competing in Japan at the 2012 U-20 Women's World Cup.

Individually, the year already was a success for country; now Richardson turned her attention to the Pac-12 Conference. The junior scored seven goals and added an assist helping OSU to a 11-6-3 record concluding with a loss to Oregon during the rival's annual meeting known as the Civil War.

Top Drawer Soccer ranked Richardson as one of the nation's top performers at season's end.

In addition to this and other postseason accolades, the forward earned an invite to the Canadian national team year-end camp.

The assessment-based camp, a nine-day training experience, marked Richardson's first call up into the senior team, no doubt a result of her strong performances at last March's CONCACAF U-20 Championship and the U-20 Women's World Cup in concert with her fall campaign at Oregon State.



The Surrey, B.C. native kindly spoke via email about competing at the U-20 World Cup, the best away venue in the Pacific-12 and her experiences training with Canadian superstar Christine Sinclair.

1. Can you give some insight into the U-20 Women's World Cup now that you've had some time to reflect on the experience?

The U-20 Women's World Cup was an amazing experience in some surreal venues. We all felt very accomplished qualifying and went into the tournament with big expectations and goals. Although the results were disappointing the experience made for amazing memories. Playing and starting for my country and playing against teams like North Korea and Japan (exhibition) were so beneficial to my play.

Coming back from Japan I realized how much knowledge I had absorbed through my time with Andrew and the rest of the staff and my teammates. Being at Oregon State now I constantly refer back to that World Cup and use what I have learned to better myself and my teammates.

2. The Pac-12 is a fantastic women's soccer conference, perhaps the best in the country. Which away venue is your favorite?

The Pac-12 is an amazing conference. Very physical and competitive!

My favorite away venue would have to be Stanford because it is always a huge game and that is when my team is truly tested. The atmosphere is always loud and exciting which makes for an intense game. Can't complain about the weather either!

3. How has the rapport between you and head coach Linus Rhode developed since you arrived on campus?

I think the relationship between me and Linus has made great progress over my past 3 years here. I was initially interested in his coaching style when I found him similar to my Whitecaps coach (Jesse Symons) back at home. Overtime, I have come to respect him and his program here at Oregon State.

And three for fun:

4. Best off campus food/restaurant?

Cheba Hut is a new sub shop that popped up on Monroe and I can't get enough of it! I have also grown to like Mexican food which is a fan favorite around here.

5. What's playing on the iPod?

ED SHEERAN is sheer perfection. I am going to see him this summer <3

6. Player or club you supported growing up?

Growing up I supported (surprise, surprise) the Canadian Women's team and The Women's Whitecaps.

Kara Lang was one of my favorite women's players along with Christine Sinclair and I would always chase them around trying to get their autographs wherever I could!

Being at camp with Christine this past winter break was surreal (she probably didn't know I secretly idolize her).



Read more Six-a-side Spring 2013 interviews.

Links:
1) TopDrawerSoccer.com
2) Official website of Oregon State Athletics
3) Official website of the Canadian Soccer Association
4) U.S. Soccer official YouTube channel
5) Official website of Oregon State Athletics
6) Official website of Vancouver Whitecaps FC
7) Cheba Hut
8) Vancouver Whitecaps official YouTube channel

Photo Credit: Oregon State Athletics