This might be a little bit different than what I usually write about. I’ve been following up the Champions League a little bit. Don’t get me wrong, spring hiking and jogging are great things to do! Yet, I truly believe that Barcelona versus Arsenal was a game worth remembering.

On one hand, Barcelona has highly respecter star players like Xavi, David Villa, Leo Messi, Puyol, Milito, and Iniesta. Arsenal, in the other hand, has players like Adebayor, Fabregas, Bacary Sagna, and last bu not least Robin Van Persie.

Van Persie

The fact that Van Persie is in the squad to face Barcelona was definitely a pleasant surprise for Arsenal fans! I found this video in YouTube that explains why.

As it is shown in the previous video, Van Persie suffered a knee injury during a game versus Birmingham for the League Cup. Because the injury occurred fairly recently, Van Persie was not expected to play in this last game versus Barcelona.

Statistics

In order to give you a general idea of these two team’s previous matches, I looked up some interest statistics:

• The have played 6 games: Barcelona won 3, Arsenal 1, with 2 draws.
• Barcelona has scored 14 goals, and Arsenal 9.
• In each of the 6 games, Barcelona and Arsenal have both scored.
• Messi had scored 31 goals in the Champions League cup, thus making him the all-time Champions League top scorer.
• Van Persie has scored in the 6 of the last 9 Champions League games previous to the one versus Barcelona.
• Gerard Pique from Barcelona was suspended.
• It’s been over 5 years since Barcelona did not have over 50 percent ball possession

More than “just a game”

For many soccer fans, a game of this magnitude is more than “just a game.” FC Barcelona is very well aware of it. This is why the team has an “official anthem” that is also well known by the fans.

Barcelona

“The whole stadium
loudly cheers
We’re the blue and claret supporters
It matters not where we hail from
Whether it’s the south or the north
Now we all agree, we all agree,
One flag unites us in brotherhood.
Blue and claret blowing in the wind
One valiant cry
We’ve got a name that everyone knows:
Barça, Barça, Baaarça!”

Players, Supporters
United we are strong.
We’ve achieved much over the years,
We’ve shouted many goals
And we have shown, we have shown,
That no one can ever break us.
Blue and claret blowing in the wind
One valiant cry
We’ve got a name that everyone knows:
Barça, Barça, Baaarça!”

Arsenal also recognizes the fact that their games are more than “just a game.” However, they do not have a national anthem. This is because official soccer anthems are not common among England teams. Although decades ago, Arsenal did create an anthem, it is not considered as official nor it is well know among the fans.

In order to get more information about some of the players, the rules of the game, the location of the game, the game final scores, and other news you could visit the UEFA (Union of European Football Association) official website.

Although the final score was 3-1 in favor of Barcelona, the game was full of pleasant surprises for Barcelona fans. Players from each team played with a lot of professionalism despite the couple of fouls that are common in most games.

Next Games

In the quarter finals, Barcelona will face Shakhtar Donetsk, Chelsea will face Manchester United, Internazionale will face Schalke, and Real Madrid will face Tottenham. I think that the most entertaining game this April 6th will be Chelsea versus Manchester United.

But more important than who will win this coming game is who will win the championship. Barcelona and Real Madrid have always been favorites for the cup, but would they be able to handle “magic” from the other semi-finalists?

]]> http://www.outdoorsportsaddict.com/soccer/champions-league/feed/ 0 http://www.outdoorsportsaddict.com/team-sports/soccer-in-the-us/ http://www.outdoorsportsaddict.com/team-sports/soccer-in-the-us/#comments Fri, 28 Jan 2011 22:20:47 +0000 SportsLover http://www.outdoorsportsaddict.com/?p=793 When you ask an individual in the United States what the most popular sport is, you will get football as your answer. If you ask someone in any other country, they too will say football, but they will be talking about an entirely different sport.

People in the US will be talking about American football, but everyone else will be talking about football, futbal, soccer. It is by far the most popular and played sport around the world, but the US has just not seemed to catch on.

Sure we have a major league with 15 teams across the nation; and yes, millions of kids play the sport when they are young; but who watches the MLS games?

Less that 250,000 across the Unites States watch the games that’s who. The avid fans watch the games, but even they have a favorite team that plays for another country because they are a million times better than any US team is. No major networks air soccer games on TV; ESPN doesn’t highlight plays during the season; and the league doesn’t advertise enough to get people excited about the team in their area.

But in Europe, in Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico, even Asia – soccer is the biggest thing ever, and entire nations tune in to watch. The States need to get on board, embrace this sport, and get people excited and paying attention.

I arrived at the tail-end of the sun set but the dark didn’t bother me. I just wanted to hone my shot before the first game of the tournament.

Between the quiet road and the steep hill there was a flat grassy pitch interrupted by patches of trees. The setting swallowed me up and I didn’t want it to spit me out.

The ball bounced from one foot to the other as I weaved through the darkness. Squaring up to shoot, I pulled back and released.

Leaving my foot the ball sailed straight, hitting the tree, I had decided was goal keeper, right in the chest. I reset and aimed for the lower left corner but my shot nailed the keeper again.

Frustrated I kicked harder and with more feeling, but every time the ball flew straight to the goalie. The harder I kicked with with my right foot the higher my left foot flew up after contacting the ball.

Then the light bulb turned on!  Without my left foot staying firmly planted in the grass I couldn’t aim.  I tried again and the ball sailed smoothly into the bottom left corner, slipping over the roots of the tree that made up my left post.

When ever my left foot was firmly planted, I could send the ball in the direction I wanted.  The next day I applied this technique and scored our second and third goals my first of the season.

Grateful  I thanked God for the epiphany that made a night to day difference in my shot.

Group A:  South Africa, Uruguay, Mexico, France

Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, Korea Republic, Greece

Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia

Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana

Group E: Denmark, Netherlands, Japan, Cameroon

Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia

Group G: Brazil, Korea DPR, Cote d’Ivoire, Portugal

Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile

Rivalries are already flaring as teams get set to come up against each other.  England’s Sun Newspaper spelled out its feelings on how Group C turned out on their front page:

England

Algeria

Slovenia

Yanks

But that kind of a cocky attitude is what became their downfall in Germany 2006.  News reports are saying that group G is going to be the hardest, or the group of death, as some call it.  Next hardest group would be Group D.  Multiple reactions have been publicized in the last few days showing how come countries are relaxing and feeling confident about the draw, while others have just begun to pray for their lives.   South Africa, also, has been praised for its organization and handling of the events this weekend.  It should be a great tournament this year.

A disapointing  loss to the U.S. was a huge disappointment for Honduran soccer fans and left many hopeless.  But in the end the team did not disappoint. Honduras’ World Cup dreams came true when Honduras defeated El Salvador in a dramatic way last month.

This is the first time in twenty seven years that they have qualified for the World Cup. The last time they played in World Cup was in the year 1982.

While this may not be the biggest game of the year the Hondurans are out to prove to the world that they can compete in an international arena.

In other places in the world: Slovenia beat Russia 1-0 to qualify for the World Cup finals. Also Portugal beat Bosnia by the same score as France to go through 2-0 on aggregate. Earlier Greece beat Ukraine 1-0 to qualify as well.

Well that’s it for today, just thought I’d get the score up quick since it just happened.

Videos show her pulling a BYU player to the ground by her ponytail, clearly tripping players with the ball, kicking violently and dangerously close to the heads of BYU girls who had been knocked down, kicking into them, even punching one girl in the back!

Lambert has been suspended from the team and rumors have spread that the coaches from New Mexico as well as one of the referees from that game may lose their jobs for not taking the girl off the field sooner.  (Though, like I said that is only what I have heard word of mouth)  Though I wouldn’t doubt it if it was true.  Lambert was given a yellow card in the 77th minute after colliding with a BYU player who was going for the goal but from what I have heard she was never given a red card, which it seems she very much deserved.  These were not casual gestures of a normal competitive soccer game when things start to get too rough, these were truly irrational displays of violence.

Aggression came from both sides of the field however. Lambert’s punch to the back, for example was brought on by an elbow to her ribs by one of the BYU soccer players during a dead ball.  From what you see in the video however, and maybe this is just personal bias, it didn’t look as though anything BYU did should have brought on half of what Lambert did.  Her take down of Kassidy Shumway by grabbing onto her ponytail was totally uncalled for and was completely un-sportsman of her.

The game was won by BYU 1-0 after a header goal by Carlee Payne in the 31st minute and Lambert has since made a formal apology for her actions towards the BYU players as well as to her fellow players from New Mexico and to her coaches for her behavior.

Republic of Ireland-France
Portugal-Bosnia-Herzegovina
Greece-Ukraine
Russia-Slovenia

These teams are set to play the 14th and 18th of November.  Whoever wins the matches will qualify to play in the 2010 World Cup South Africa this summer.  As of the 14th of October 23 of the 32 teams have already qualified.  Among them are the defending champions Italy and the the top three ranked FIFA teams Brazil, Spain and Netherlands.

No one is all that sure how these next few qualifying matches will turn out.  Between the French and the Republic of Ireland the french have the advantage but not by much.  Portugal and Bosnia-Herzegovina have never meet before.  Ukraine ranks only six places below Greece and only three matches have ever been placed between Russia and Slovenia though Russia did win 2 of the 3.

The first game of the World cup will start on June 11 in Johannesburg, South Africa at the FNB Stadium, also known as Soccer City.  The Stadium is the third largest in Africa and holds a capacity of 78,000 people.