UEFA Champions League Rewind: Juve ties Chelsea, Barcelona rallies, and more | Soccer By Ives

It may not have been a win but it likely felt like one for Juventus, anyway.

The Italian heavyweights avoided defeat in their Champions League opener on Wednesday, rallying from a 2-0 deficit against Chelsea to grab a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. Arturo Vidal and Fabio Quagliarella both scored to negate a first-half brace from Oscar, and that left the defending Champions League winners with a sour taste in their mouths and just one point from their first home game.

Barcelona was involved in a comeback of their own, but they managed to score a winner and start their Champions League campaign with three points. Down 2-1 to Spartak Moscow in part because of a Dani Alves own goal, Barcelona erased the deficit and took a permanent 3-2 lead courtesy of two goals from Leo Messi. The Argentine international equalized for Barcelona in the 71st minute and he followed that with another goal nine minutes later.

Here is a rundown of all of Wednesdays UEFA Champions League action:

MANCHESTER UNITED 1, GALATASARAY 0

In a game that marked Darren Fletchers return from his career-threatening bowel condition, Manchester United claimed three points at Old Trafford despite missing a penalty kick in a 1-0 win over Galatasary. Nani missed on a spot kick in the second half but that did not come back to haunt Manchester United, as Michael Carricks seventh-minute goal proved to be enough.

BAYERN MUNICH 2, VALENCIA 1

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos scored on each side of halftime to help give Bayern Munich a 2-1 win over Valencia at the start of their Champions League campaign. Schweinsteiger netted seven minutes before halftime and Kroos scored the eventual winner in the 76th minute before the Spanish club pulled one back in second-half stoppage time courtesy of a penalty kick.

CFR CLUJ 2, BRAGA 0

Braga were handed a stunning loss and that was came to be after two of their former players came back to haunt them. CFRCluj claimed a 2-0 win over Braga thanks to a brace from Rafael Bastos and a fine goalkeeping performance from Mario Felgueiras.

BATE BORISOV 3, LILLE 1

A three-goal first half paved the way for BATE Borisov to grab a 3-1 win over Lille. The Belarusian championsjumped out to a commanding 2-0 lead in the first 20 minutes, and that put Lille in a hole that they were not able to come out of.

SHAKHTAR DONETSK 2, FC NORDSJAELLAND 0

Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland got off to a poor start in their Champions League campaign, falling 2-0 to Shakhtar Donetsk. Henrik Mkhitaryan scored on each side of halftime for the hosts to continue his strong start to the season, and Parkhurst went the distance in the defeat.

CELTIC 0, BENFICA 0

The Scottish heavyweights and Portuguese powerhouse played to a scoreless draw in their Group G opener at Celtic Park despite taking a combined 19 shots.

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What did you think of Wednesdays action?

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USWNT rout Australia in Sundhage’s farewell game | Soccer By Ives

photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

Pia Sundhage could not have asked for a better performance from the U.S. womens national team in her farewell match.

Sundhage ended her five-year tenure as head coach of the United States by guiding her team to a 6-2 victory over Australia in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,589 fans at Dicks Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado on Wednesday night. Alex Morgan led the way for the U.S., scoring two goals and assisting on two others to help erase a 2-1 deficit.

Heather OReilly, Abby Wambach, Shannon Boxx and Sidney Leroux also found the back of the net while Hope Solo went the distance in goal.

The win saw Sundhage finish her time as U.S. coach with a 91-6-10 record that included two Olympic gold medal finishes and a runners-up medal at the 2011 FIFA Womens World Cup.

What do you think of the U.S womens national teams 6-2 win over Australia? How do you look back on Sundhages time as USWNT head coach? Think it will be difficult replacing her?

Share your thoughts below.

Boyd-Diskerud battle headlines Americans’ first day in Europa League group stage | Soccer By Ives

The group stage of the UEFA Europa League is set to begin on Thursday afternoon, and with it comes a tasty match-up involving two of the more talented American youngsters.

Terrence Boyd and Mix Diskerud are set to square off in the lone battle of Americans in this first round of group stage matches when Rapid Vienna hosts Rosenborg BK, and both players will be aiming to help their respective club kick things off with three points in Group K. The former U.S. Under-23 mens national team teammates both had vital goal-scoring performances that helped their teams reach this point in the competition, and building on that in what will be their first taste of European action would surely provide them with more confidence going forward.

Clint Dempsey and Brad Friedel could also be in action, as Tottenham Hotspur host Lazio in Group J. Dempsey made his debut off the bench for the Spurs this past weekend, and a start could be in the cards for him as the Premiership club looks to start off their Europa League campaign with three points.

Here is a complete rundown of the Americans who could be in action on Thursday:

Josh Gatt and Molde FK play FC Copenhagen in Group E. (Gatt is out injured)

Clint Dempsey, Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Lazio in Group J.

David Yelldell and Bayer Leverkusen play FC Metalist Kharkiv in Group K.

Terrence Boyd and Rapid Vienna play Mix Diskerud and Rosenborg BK in Group K.

Alejandro Bedoya and Helsingsborg IF play Levante in Group L.

Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 play Twente Enschede in Group L.

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What do you think of these Europa League matches? Which Americans do you see having the best chances of making runs in this competition? Who will win between Boyds Vienna and Diskeruds Rosenborg?

Share your thoughts below.

RBNY’s Cahill takes shots at Sporting KC after Wednesday’s loss at Red Bull Arena | Soccer By Ives

BY DAVE MARTINEZ

HARRISON, N.J. It wasn’t just the team’s first home loss or their failure to take sole possession of first place that had Tim Cahill up in arms. It was the play and behavior of Sporting KC that rubbed him the wrong way.

Usually a reserved figure, the Australian striker stared off into the distance while recounting his disappointment to reporters after Wednesday night’s deflating 2-0 loss.

He held little back.

“I don’t think there’s anything special to their team,” he bluntly began. “I think we didn’t perform tonight compared to the game on Saturday. We’ve got to be really disappointed with what happened tonight. They won, credit to them, there is not much to say about that game except to put it behind us because that’s another team.

“They are a very physical team. You see every time there is a challenge or something going on in the middle park, the ref gets swarmed, asking for yellow cards, they are asking for free kicks. I didn’t see this in football, you know what I mean? Just play the game and get on with it

“That’s what frustrated me the most tonight. The poor ref was smothered every time there was an incident. The ref is on the pitch to do a job; he doesn’t need their coach and their player swarming the ref, asking for yellows, asking for fouls. We lost the game ourselves. Yeah, they are a good team, but we definitely should have competed a lot better and I really wanted to win this game so much tonight for us, for the fans, for what we have done the last two months.”

This isn’t the first time Cahill has expressed his displeasure with Sporting KC. Earlier in the week, the Red Bulls DP bristled at some comments made by Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes after their last encounter.

“They had a few comments from the manager after (the 1-1 draw in Kansas City) about us parking the bus but in this game you have to have different tactics to play as you saw at (D.C. United).”

Clearly, the disdain carried over into this game.

“They have some strong players but as I said, they turned it into that sort of a game,” he continued. “They wanted a physical battle, they wanted the scrap, they wanted to nick their goals and they wanted to sit back. They did their tactics quite well, and it worked for them. What they do, the style of play they play in this league. It’s just one of them ones. The ref probably had one of the hardest games he ever had.

“I’ve never seen a ref get swarmed so much by players. Every little incident, every little tackle and touch. It’s not right.”

The blame wasn’t all on Kansas City on this night. In fact, Cahill credited them for their win and was also quick to point out the Red Bulls own faults for the loss. Wednesday marked the 12th time this season that the Red Bull conceded a goal within the first 20 minutes of play, a stat that Rafa Marquez called the team’s cancer.

“We’ve got a lot more fight than that,” Cahill asserted. “We still created the chances, we conceded two really soft goals and when you get down like that so early, it affects the team, it affects the way the team plays. Tonight wasn’t a night we could come back but it’s got to be put right as soon as possible.

“We’ve said it, it’s so important to concede two goals that early … you just can’t do it because it’s an uphill battle,” he continued. “You have to deal with it. We’ve (given up early goals) for the majority of the season and now we have to put it right. There is no way of changing it except by us working hard and getting a good understanding.

“Collectively we take the blame together. It’s not just about the back four it’s about all of us. It is one thing we have to do is take responsibility as a team and put it right. Kansas City come away, got the three points, very scrappy, the ball was in the air a lot … it was just a weird game and one I just want to forget about.

Cahill may have wanted to quickly forget the result, but he admitted there were plenty of lessons to be learned from the humbling defeat that now has the Red Bulls five points behind Sporting KC for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

“We just need to look at ourselves and that’s it, said Cahill. Don’t look at anyone else, don’t look at them, and we go back to the drawing board and make sure that we play a lot better. Still, at the end, we should have got something from it, and that’s the most disappointing thing because our home record has been tarnished. Hopefully this is a bit of a wakeup call and most of us go away upset … I mean really upset.

“This could have been a special night to bounce and keep on.”

MLS Spotlight: Rolfe feeling back at home in the Windy City | Soccer By Ives

By THOMAS FLOYD

Fire forward Chris Rolfe may have spent two and a half years plying his trade in Denmark, but its readily apparent the 29-year-olds heart never left Chicago.

For as grateful as Rolfe was for his opportunity to test himself with Superliga side Aalborg BK, the Ohio native never quite settled in with the culture or the club the way he did with the Windy City and the Fire organization.

In April, Rolfe concluded his injury-plagued European escapade and returned to Chicago, newly appreciative of the franchise that drafted him in 2005.

I missed the camaraderie the most, Rolfe said. In general, I have a much better perspective on the entire organization and the system that we play and the possibilities and potentials in all of this. Its allowed me to take a step back and look at the situation here in Chicago a little bit differently.

After overcoming an early ankle knock, Rolfe has emerged as a driving force in a surge for Chicago (15-8-5) to second in the Eastern Conference, bagging six goals and two assists in 16 matches.

Since Rolfe entered the starting lineup June 29, the Fire are 8-3-2.

In one breath, hes the same overall player I knew when he left, said Fire captain Logan Pause, who has been with the club since 2003. In another breath, hes evolved, I think, much more from a maturity standpoint and from a personal standpoint, a human standpoint, than in soccer.

Its growth Rolfe experienced while dealing with his fair share of hurdles adjusting to life in Denmark, on and off the field.

There were some connections that made his move abroad easier. Early on, he bonded with teammate Marcus Tracy, a compatriot who last week joined the San Jose Earthquakes, as both players rehabbed from injuries. He also stayed in regular contact with U.S. national team defender Michael Parkhurst, who plays for FC Nordsjaelland in Demark.

But Rolfe acknowledged acclimating to a new language and lifestyle developed into a lingering challenge.

Its just hard breaking into new groups of friends and making your own friends, he said. Things at the club were fine and good and I got along well with the players, but just forming good relationships outside of soccer was difficult.

When it came to leaving his mark with Aalborg, injuries took their toll, with a long-term hamstring ailment largely contributing to Rolfe only recording six goals in 32 appearances during his tenure.

As Rolfe explained, the hardship helped him learn to just enjoy the game, to obviously take it seriously and be professional but also find time to enjoy it.

The University of Dayton product, though, did leave the team with at least one moment to cherish. Playing in Aalborgs first home game last summer after the death of teammate Dennis Marshall, a Costa Rican international, Rolfe netted the winning goal in an emotional 2-1 triumph over AGF Aarhus.

That was big, Rolfe said, for our team, the community and obviously his hometown where his family was back in Costa Rica.

Now in his second stint with the Fire, Rolfe is producing memorable moments with more regularity while again looking like the figure who scored 36 goals in his first five MLS seasons. Although his versatility makes him an option as a playmaker or winger, the quick, savvy attacker lately has carved a niche up top exploiting the space created by physical Dutch striker Sherjill MacDonald.

Its been as seamless as anyone could have hoped or imagined, Pause said of Rolfes transition. His movement and his ability to get free to get the ball in dangerous spots is incredibly important. Obviously, hes scored goals. In and around the box, he is incredibly talented.

Rolfe also has settled back into the Chicago way of life. Living in Lincoln Park, the player said he now most appreciates the slew of top-notch food options that always are just footsteps away. More generally speaking, Rolfe notes that there is just so much to the city that I enjoy.

Its a comment telling of someone who, one can quickly gather, feels he is back where he belongs.

It was a timing thing basically, kind of the same thing that led me over to Denmark, Rolfe said of his decision to return. The timing was right for that, and it was a good experience. But at the end of the day, I enjoy playing in MLS, I enjoying playing for Chicago, and I enjoy living here. So Im happy that I gave it a shot in Denmark and Europe, but I felt like it was time to come back home.

Europa League: Your Running Commentary | Soccer By Ives

If Tuesday and Wednesdays UEFA Champions League action did not satisfy your mid-week soccer cravings, maybe Thursdays Europa League games will.

Fourty-eight teams will begin the group stage in the European competition and there will be plenty of intriguing matches to follow for any soccer fan in need of a fix. From Marseilles visit of Fenerbahce to Inter Milans home game against Rubin Kazan, the first round of group stage games are filled with quality match-ups and interesting storylines.

Several Americans could also be in action, including Tottenhams Clint Dempsey, Helsingborgs IFsAlejandro Bedoya and Hannover 96s Steve Cherundolo.

If you will be watching todays Europa League action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some commentary in the comments section below.

Enjoy the games.

Sporting KC full of confidence after taking firm grip on Eastern Conference | Soccer By Ives

By FRANCO PANIZO

HARRISON, N.J. Beating the New York Red Bulls inside of Red Bull Arena had proved virtually impossible. The Red Bulls had set out to make a fortress out of their beautiful soccer-specific stadium this season, and they boasted one of only two remaining untainted home records.

That is, until Wednesday night.

Sporting Kansas City walked into the New Yorks fortress and shook the foundation of Red Bull Arena by defeating the hosts, 2-0, in what was a battle for first place in the tight Eastern Conference.

That Sporting KC won was big enough; they went four points clear of the Chicago Fire and five ahead of New York. But the manner in which they gave the Red Bulls their first black eye of the year at home was made even more impressive due to the dominant performance put forth by Peter Vermes side, one that had the team brimming with confidence following the win.

We came out here, we felt right, we really wanted to interrupt their whole record, not give them time, said Kei Kamara, who scored the second goal in the 19th minute of the match. It worked out perfect.

That much was evident. Sporting KC enjoyed the lions share of possession in the opening 45 minutes and the high pressure from Graham Zusi, Roger Espinoza and the rest of the Sporting KC left the Red Bulls players feeling uncomfortable and forced them into errors.

Those errors eventually turned into two early goals. C.J. Sapong blasted home a pass from Matt Besler after a Zusi free kick smashed off the crossbar in the 12th minute and Kamara headed home a Zusi corner shortly after, putting New York in a hole it was never able to get out of no matter how hard they tried.

It was great that we broke their rhythm, said Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes. We didn’t let them build out of the back, so we put them under a lot of pressure which then there weren’t a lot of balls, it put them under pressure to have to defend and then go 80 yards and try to build their game up if they did get out, but with a lot of work.

I think that really disrupted them a lot. I also think it presented us with some very good chances and second chances.

Only five games separate Sporting KC from finishing atop the Eastern Conference and while they know there is work to be done to assure themselves of ending the regular season in first place, the team is hoping to use their latest three points as a confidence booster.

It was pretty big, said Zusi of the result. Its one where the race is so close and to get points, especially on the road, are big points. All year weve been able to seal some big points on the road, weve been a great road team this year, so we thought no different of ourselves going into this one.

Americans Abroad: Midweek Rewind | Soccer By Ives

photo by ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Clint Dempsey did not have to wait very long to make his Tottenham Hotspur debut and he repaid the faith head coach Andre Villas-Boas showed in him by putting in a solid shift in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.

Four days after making his Tottenham debut by coming off the bench against Reading, Dempsey started and played 74 minutes in the Spurs scoreless draw with Lazio. Dempsey played centrally and looked a good fit with his new teammates, even scoring a goal that was questionably called back for offside in a match that gave Tottenham?a point in their Europa League opener.

Dempsey was not the only American involved in midweek action. More than a dozen players saw time for their respective clubs, including Sacha Kljestan and Jonathan Bornstein. Kljestan went the distance in Anderlechts UEFA Champions League tie with AC Milan while Bornstein ended his long spell on the sidelines by starting and playing 55 minutes in Tigres UANLs 1-1 draw with Real Esteli in the CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday.

Heres how the Americans Abroad did during the midweek action:

UEFA Champions League

Sacha Kljestan started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in RSC Anderlechts 0-0 draw vs. AC Milan on Tuesday.Jermaine Jones started, played 90 minutes before being subbed off and received a yellow card in Schalke 04s 2-1 win vs. Olympiakos on Tuesday.Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in Malagas 3-0 win vs. Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday.Michael Parkhurst started and played 90 minutes in FC Nordsjaellands 2-0 loss vs. Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.

UEFA Europa League

Clint Dempsey started and played 76 minutes in Tottenham Hotspurs 0-0 draw vs. Lazio on Thursday.Brad Friedel did not dress for Tottenham Hotspur.David Yelldell did not dress in Bayer Leverkusens 0-0 draw vs. FC Metalist Kharkiv on Thursday.Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96s 2-2 draw vs. Twente Enschede on Thursday.Alejandro Bedoya started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Helsingborgs IFs 1-0 loss vs. Levante on Thursday.Terrence Boyd started and played 90 minutes in Rapid Viennas 2-1 loss vs. Rosenborg BK on Thursday.Mix Diskerud started and played 90 minutes before being subbed off in Rosenborg BKs 2-1 win vs. Rapid Vienna on Thursday.Josh Gatt?did not dress in Molde FKs 2-1 loss vs. FC Copenhagen on Thursday. He is recovering from an injury.

CONCACAF Champions League

Jonathan Bornstein started and played 55 minutes in Tigres UANLs 1-1 draw vs. Real Esteli on Tuesday.Herculez Gomez started and played 72 minutes in Santos Lagunas 4-0 win vs. Aguila on Tuesday.

Championship

Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in Birmingham Citys 2-1 win vs. Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday.Will Packwood did not dress for Birmingham City.Tim Ream did not dress in Bolton Wanderers 2-1 loss vs. Birmingham City on Tuesday.Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is recovering from a knee injury.Conor Doyle dressed but did not play in Derby Countys 3-2 win vs. Charlton Athletic on Tuesday.Robbie Findley did not dress in Nottingham Forests 1-1 draw vs. Crystal Palace on Tuesday.Zak Whitbread dressed but did not play in Leicester Citys 2-1 win vs. Burnley on Wednesday.

League One

Frank Simek started and played 90 minutes in Carlisle Uniteds 0-0 draw vs. Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday.Mike Grella came off the bench and played two minutes in Scunthorpe Uniteds 1-1 draw vs. Oldham Athletic on Tuesday.Robbie Rogers did not dress in Stevenages 3-1 win vs. Walsall on Tuesday. He is recovering from a hamstring injury.

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What did you think of Dempseys first start for the Spurs? Impressed with Kljestan and Anderlechts draw against AC Milan? Do you see Bornstein stringing together some appearances now?

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Union vs. D.C. United: Match Night Commentary | Soccer By Ives

The Philadelphia Union have fallen out of the playoff race, but they still have a chance to make an impact on that race tonight when they take on arch-rival D.C. United at PPL Park (8pm, ESPN2).

The Union are still technically alive for a playoff spot, but it will require a lengthy winning streak to make that long-shot a reality. They will look to start that run tonight against a D.C. side that is fighting for the fifth and final playoff spot in the East.

SBI will be providing live commentary on tonights match so please feel free to follow along with us here. As always, you are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action (Tonights commentary is after the jump):

Pajoy burns Union as D.C. United regains hold of East playoff spot | Soccer By Ives

Photo by ISIphotos.com

By JOEY SAMUEL

CHESTER, Pa. The fans at PPL Park were used to seeing Lionard Pajoy play on their field. After all, he had started his MLS career with the Philadelphia Union.But they werent so used to him scoring goals at PPL, and thats exactly what he did on Thursday. It just wasnt for the Union.

After a lackluster first half that saw neither team create any quality chances, Chris Pontius found Pajoy wide open in the penalty area in the 67th minute. The Colombian striker, who had plenty of time, calmly and powerfully beat Union goalie Zac MacMath to put United up 1-0. D.C. then shut the Union down on defense and held on to leave Chester with a quality road win.

There were no excuses, having lost our last six games on the road, said D.C. midfielder Lewis Neal. To come to our local rivals, which they are now, and get a 1-0 victory, is a massive result.

Pajoys goal stood up despite a late barrage of chances from the Union, and D.C. earned three huge points in the East playoff race. The win moved United up to fourth in the standings, passing Columbus and Houston.

In a game that featured three former DC players in Union uniforms and former Union striker Pajoy playing for D.C., the second half was where all the action took place. A Chris Pontius free kick was the only shot on goal in the entire first 45 minutes.

After Philadelphia came out firing in the second half, D.C. managed to weather the storm and keep them off the scoreboard. Goalkeeper Bill Hamid, who experienced a shaky first half, responded with a quality second half and ended up recording five saves.

The Union actually controlled more than 68% of the possession in the second half, but they werent able to find an equalizer after Pajoy put United up in the 67th minute. A flurry of late chances came from Philadelphia, but not a single one of them, including Chandler Hoffmans deflection in the 89th minute, got past Hamid.

In the end, it was former Union striker Pajoy that decided the match, earning three vital points for D.C. that they desperately needed to keep pace in the East.

Im happy because we won the game, Pajoy said. Regardless of the goal, what has us happy is that we won. Its really important, because this team is trying to get into the playoffs. Were close, but now we have a difficult game on Sunday and we want to win to keep pace in this race.

Philadelphia, on the other hand, were left wondering how to solve the seemingly endless problem of finishing. They took 12 attempts on goal in the second half, including five shots on goal, but none of them translated into something on the scoreboard.

This is a tough one, said Union coach John Hackworth. I didnt feel like that one was going to end with that result. Our team is struggling. Were doing everything possible to try and put ourselves in a position to score, and get attempts on goal, but for whatever reason, even though we had some really good looks, we just didnt get the chances we needed.

D.C. Uniteds win moves them up to fourth place in the Eastern Conference, and the club is only three points away from second-place Chicago. United will host Chivas USA this Sunday.

The Union, meanwhile, is all but eliminated from playoff contention. After failing to play spoiler to a contender in the East against D.C., they will get another chance on Sunday when they host the Houston Dynamo at PPL Park.

Here are the match highlights:

http://p.mlssoccer.com/SAu5a/video/1173690/1173690_2012-09-20-223330.640hq.mp4

What did you think of the match? Do you see D.C. United eventually sealing a place in this years postseason? Should the Union start thinking about who will score goals for the club in 2013?

Share your thoughts below.