Blog
FIFA today announced that Goal-Line Technology (GLT) will be used at both the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2014 FIFA World Cup. A successful trial period at the FIFA Club World Cup and Frank Lampard’s uncounted goal in the 2010 FIFA World Cup were reportedly two big factors in the decision that came down.
"The aim is to use GLT in order to support the match officials and to install a system in all stadia, pending the successful installation, and pre-match referee tests," a FIFA statement communicated.
Last July, Major League Soccer (MLS) entertained the thought of using GLT by the 2013 season, but those tentative plans were scrapped. Back on July 5, 2012, Nelson Rodriguez, executive vice president of competition and game operations, said, “MLS is eager to begin the process toward implementing one of these advancements, but we first need to research the installation, testing, staffing and training required.”
Captain Dwayne De Rosario is ready for some fun in the sun.
Couple days off! Time relax soak up the sun & kick the feet up. Long @mlssoccer season ahead...
— Dwayne De Rosario (@dwaynederosario) February 16, 2013
DeRo also took in the NBA All-Star Game.
Tip off we on! #nbaallstar game instagr.am/p/V2siEvgDtX/
— Dwayne De Rosario (@dwaynederosario) February 18, 2013
Homegrown goalkeeper Bill Hamid ran into UFC fighter Rashad Evans.
Saw @sugarashadevans shopping in Miami. Big fan. Nuff Respect twitter.com/BillHamid28/st…
— Bill Hamid (@BillHamid28) February 18, 2013
Midfielder Marcelo Saragosa is excited to see Miami...
#Miami Here we go #miamibeach #tags #sun #beach #tagsforlikes @ Miami Beach instagr.am/p/V0LWdkvsaq/
—M.Saragosa (@MarceloSaragosa) February 17, 2013
...and shows us a little bit of paradise.
.... @ Miami Beach instagr.am/p/V1sZKFPsUV/
—M.Saragosa (@MarceloSaragosa) February 17, 2013
Defender Daniel Woolard spent the day at Disney with his other half.
Much needed day off spent at Disney World with the wife! twitter.com/Woolard21/stat…
— Daniel Woolard (@Woolard21) February 18, 2013
D.C. United Managing Partner Jason M. Levien told The Washington Post’s Steven Goff that the club’s leadership is “very hopeful” about the prospect of reaching a deal with Washington, D.C. to build a soccer stadium in the city for the Black-and-Red:
Levien said: “The stars are aligning in a good way for us. We’re working closely with the right people and we feel better about it today than we did three months ago, no question.”
“Interaction with the city has been very positive and very productive,” Levien said. “We’re pushing the right buttons and making things happen in a good way. … There is more than hope. We are very hopeful.”
“We greatly appreciate [Baltimore’s] interest and outreach,” he said, “but our focus is here. Our fans deserve our focus to be here and that is guiding us right now.”
Ian Harkes, one of D.C. United icon John Harkes’ kin and U-18 Academy standout for United, was profiled by the Fairfax County Times yesterday. Below is an excerpt with the Black-and-Red Academy mention:
Now Ian is gearing up for a final stint with the D.C. United Academy U18 team, which begins its season in March.
“It’s really nice to see him develop from a 13-year-old that wasn’t all that athletic all the way to being one of the top recruits in the country and certainly one of the top players in the MLS academy,” said Tom Torres, the D.C. United Academy’s U16 coach who coached Ian’s U14 Herndon Real Juniors team. “He’s got a lot of ability and a lot of intelligence. That’s one of the things that everybody always talks about is that he’s got an intelligent soccer brain. You couple that with his abilities and his tactical awareness, and it makes for a very fine soccer player.”
Next for the 2012 D.C. Gatorade Boys Soccer Player of the Year is Wake Forest University, where he will play collegiately for the Demon Deacons.
Recently, MLS partnered with an international soccer-art collective called the Futbol Artists Network (FAN), to create a series of club-inspired art as part of a project called #TrueColors. The project asked FAN artists to use the club’s colors, marks, and jersey as inspiration for their pieces.
GO TO A GALLERY OF #TRUE COLORS IMAGES
As part of the #TrueColors project, we’re holding a one-of-a kind contest that gives you the opportunity to express yourself, and your passion for your club, through art.
WIN A JERSEY
There’s a sweet prize at the end for the winner, too. One person will be randomly selected to win the official 2013 jersey of his/her choice courtesy of MLSGear.com, and the winning tweet will be featured on MLSsoccer.com.
It’s simple to participate. Between Feb. 14-19, send a tweet that includes the following four elements:
- The link to an original photo of your artwork, available on public domain (ex: Instagram, Photobucket, Flickr, etc.)
- A brief description of how your artwork is connected to your favorite MLS Club
- The hashtags: #TrueColors and the @handle of your club
- Lastly, make sure your account is following @MLS
The winner will be notified on Twitter by direct message from @MLS on Feb. 22, and announced online thereafter.
Official contest rules: http://www.mlssoccer.com/fans/social-media-giveaway-rules
While Santino Quaranta hung up his D.C. United boots in 2011, he is back in the local soccer scene. As vice president of Pipeline Soccer Club, Quaranta saw his club overcome a three-goal deficit in the Rowland Cup – Maryland’s U.S. Open Cup qualifying tournament – yesterday to defeat Spartan FC 5-4.
“It was one of the greatest comebacks I’ve ever been a part of as a player or coach,” Pipeline manager Bill George told thecup.us. “It shows a lot of the character of our team.”
While Quaranta did not suit up for this game, he may make an appearance in a Pipeline jersey before the end of the qualifying campaign. The club is one of three teams left that hope to compete in the USASA Region I Finals as the Maryland state representative. All MLS and NASL teams will earn berths into the third and second rounds, respectively, of the tournament, and smaller sides like Pipeline must play a series of games to qualify.
Quaranta, who featured for the Black-and-Red from 2001-06 and 2008-11, played in 159 games for United, notching 24 goals and 29 assists. At the time of his signing with DC, Quaranta was the youngest player in MLS history, at 16 years and four months. The Baltimore, Md., native made 15 senior U.S. Men’s National Team appearances and netted one goal, tallying against Honduras in a 2-0 CONCACAF Gold Cup win at RFK Stadium.
United captain Dwayne De Rosario takes on French icon Thierry Henry (NY) in FIFA 13.
Playing against Thierry in @fifa13 @xbox game on ... I'm terrible lol twitter.com/dwaynederosari…
— Dwayne De Rosario (@dwaynederosario) February 11, 2013
KICKTV documents legend vs. legend in FIFA 13.
Former teammates, current rivals.It's Thierry Henry vs Dwayne DeRosario in a #FIFA13 "friendly". instagr.am/p/VmeaNSRJ_I/
— KICKTV (@KICKTV) February 11, 2013
Red Bulls beat writer Dan Dickinson is curious who was victorious in the FIFA showdown.
Very curious who won this. RT @kicktv: It's Thierry Henry vs Dwayne DeRosario in a #FIFA13 "friendly". instagr.am/p/VmeaNSRJ_I/
— Dan Dickinson (@GothamistDan) February 11, 2013
Meanwhile, Chris Pontius took on Tim Cahill (NY).
Cahill as NYRB 3, Pontius as DCU 0: twitter.com/BrianStraus/st…
— Brian Straus (@BrianStraus) February 11, 2013
And Cahill is happy to own the bragging rights.
Massive day today for the @mls photoshoot and media @espnpresspass @cnnfc etc and just finished beating @chrispontius13 on #fifa13 #RBvsDC
— Tim Cahill (@Tim_Cahill) February 11, 2013
City of Angels rivals Robbie Keane (LA) and Dan Kennedy (CHV) throwdown on FIFA, too.
. @lagalaxy's Robbie Keane laying the smackdown on @cdchivasusa's Dan Kennedy in #FIFA13 SuperClasico twitter.com/KICKTV/status/…
— KICKTV (@KICKTV) February 11, 2013
MLS Insider gives the lowdown of the first day of the media tour's events.
All day at RBA today. There will be a few players coming through, too. Guys you might know. #MarchToSoccer twitter.com/MLS_Insider/st…
— MLS Insider (@MLS_Insider) February 11, 2013
MLS EVP of Communications Dan Courtemanche gives his endorsement on who to follow.
23 @mls players in NY/NJ & 5 more in Miami for marketing & media initiatives today. Follow @kicktv & @mlsgabor for a behind-the-scenes look.
— Dan Courtemanche (@courtemancheMLS) February 11, 2013
Ozzy Alonso (SEA), Oscar Boniek García (HOU), Edgar Mejía (CHV) and Álvaro Saborio (HOU) were some players down in Miami.
PIC- MLS stars at @espndeportes @espn_jorgeramos- @al_saborio @chore_mejia Boniek Garcia & Ozzy Alonso @mls_insider twitter.com/MLSGabor/statu…
— Gabriel Gabor (@MLSGabor) February 11, 2013
Another behind-the-scenes look at the Miami media tour.
PIC- "MLS This is Soccer" - #MLS on set at @espn_jorgeramos @espn in Miami twitter.com/MLSGabor/statu…
— Gabriel Gabor (@MLSGabor) February 11, 2013
DeRo caps off a fun media day at Jay-Z's spot with Robbie Keane (LA) and Tim Cahill (NY).
40/40 club @malsherlock in jayz lounge with @tim_cahill & #Robbykeane instagr.am/p/VnWp-jADgu/
— Dwayne De Rosario (@dwaynederosario) February 12, 2013
United captain Dwayne De Rosario takes the positives from the 4-0 rout.
Great play from the boys tnite. Still got work to do as we prepare for season but nice to be back with the guys playing! @dcunited
— Dwayne De Rosario (@dwaynederosario) February 10, 2013
Defender Ethan White marvels at former Maryland teammate Taylor Kemp's finishing skills.
Well done from the boys tonight. Didn't know @tkemp02 knew what to do in front of goal. One to the next one. #dcu #tchub
— Ethan White (@EthanWhite15) February 10, 2013
Kemp sets him straight.
@ethanwhite15 Probably haven't been that close to an opposing team's goal since '92, but it's like riding a bike
— Taylor Kemp (@Tkemp02) February 10, 2013
Kemp and MLSsoccer.com's Jason Saghini go back and forth on Kemp's two goals.
@jasonsaghini lets just say my thought running up to the first one was "if I miss this I might as well hang up the boots for good"
— Taylor Kemp (@Tkemp02) February 10, 2013
16-year-old Homegrown product Michael Seaton thinks he should have scored, but likes the result.
Great win #DCU4-0 ,should of scored but oh well we still won and that's all that matters
— Jamaican (@MichaelSeatonn) February 10, 2013
Goalkeeper Bill Hamid keeps it short and sweet.
— Bill Hamid (@BillHamid28) February 10, 2013
White still loves Hamid's catchphrase.
Typing "TCHUB" in my phone still cracks me up. Haha @billhamid28
— Ethan White (@EthanWhite15) February 10, 2013
Homegrown player Conor Shanosky, who went on loan to the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers last year, likes defeating a familiar foe.
Good to beat tampa bay rowdies again @flight_19 @ftlstrikers
— Conor Shanosky (@ConorShanosky17) February 10, 2013
Last month D.C. United received a very special email from a family in Florida. The family, and particularly their youngest daughter Brooke, are diehard D.C. United fans, despite living almost 1000 miles from Washington DC. When they heard the news that the Black-and-Red would be playing in the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, they made plans to travel to Orlando for the first match versus the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Following the match, D.C. United midfielder Perry Kitchen surprised Brooke with a quick visit at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The young fan told Kitchen that he shared the same number as her, and was therefore her favorite player on the team.
Thank you to Brooke and all of the D.C. United supporters who made it out to Orlando for the match!
Canada Soccer has selected D.C. United defender Dejan Jakovic as Canada’s Men’s Soccer Player of the Month for January after a pair of solid 90-minute performances in friendlies against Denmark and the U.S. The 27-year-old was named Man of the Match in Canada’s 0-0 tie with the U.S. on January 29. Black-and-Red teammate Dwayne De Rosario also featured in both matches, logging 70 minutes against Denmark and 81 minutes against the U.S.
In total, Jakovic has appeared in 14 games for Canada since 2008.