The Sounders had a great win 1-0 on the road against FC Dallas this weekend. It puts the team back in the hunt for the Supporter's Shield although the Los Angeles Galaxy would need to drop a match or two. The man of the match was defender Zach Scott who did an admirable job in containing Brek Shea. You can see highlights and photos from the game here and here.
The German Connection: The hiring of Jurgen Klinsmann as the new coach of the US National Team looks like its starting to encourage some dual-eligible players to que up for the team. Current left-back for Hoffenheim, and former German youth international, Fabian Johnson recently told the press he was open to playing for the US at the senior level. Johnson is the son of an American serviceman and is eligible to play for both countries. A 23-year old left back playing at the highest level in Germany? I say cap the man!
More links after the jump:
Brazil Wins U-20 World Cup: Brazil defeated Portugal 3-2 in extra time to claim the U-20 World Cup on Saturday. All three Brazil goals were scored by young standout Oscar. I'm sure the performance is helping to raise the country's confidence after a poor showing by the Brazilian senior team in the Copa America. Also, the Mexican team defeated France to claim the third place spot.
Arsenal Interested in Ream: The big leagues are taking an interested in New York center-back Tim Ream with Arsenal reportedly putting up two bids to MLS for his services. The move would be an excellent jump for Ream, but he may not have the necessary national team credentials to secure a work permit for England. It would also leave NYRB's struggling back line extremely thin.
Sounders Academy Beats Expectations: The Sounders Academy team represents the future of the Sounders and the sport in the Puget Sound. And the future looks bright. General Manager Adrian Hanauer believes the Academy has beaten all expectations for its first year and the credit goes to the players and coach Darren Sawatzky. You can also read an interview with Academy standout Aron Kovar.
The Best of Conrad's Twitter Roast: Our own Jeremiah Oshan has compiled some of the great one-liners floating around the twitter-verse to celebrate defender Jimmy Conrad's retirement. Fittingly, some of the best lines were from Conrad himself as he responded in kind to his colleagues barbs.