Atlanta Soccer

Silverbacks Men’s team won’t return in 2011

On November 11th, 2008 the Atlanta Silverbacks men’s professional team announced they would sit out the 2009 season citing the economy and the potential of a Major League Soccer team coming to town. There were also several fundamental issue’s the Silverbacks ownership had with how their league, United Soccer League, was structured and operated.

When word got out that a new league was being created from a group of USL teams it rejuvenated hope that Atlanta’s men’s team would return. To the disappointment of many, once the new North American Soccer League was officially recognized by USSF we learned that the Silverbacks would forgo the 2010 season as well but return in 2011. The NASL.com site currently displays a Silverbacks logo with “2011″ written over the top. The About the NASL statement also includes the following:

In 2011, these teams will be joined by teams in Atlanta and certain other cities to be named later.

According to a source with knowledge of the Silverbacks plans they will not return until 2012 at the earliest. The conditions cited in 2008 still exist and will likely continue for several more years. Until Atlanta is awarded a MLS team or MLS declares they will no longer expand there will always be discussions of Atlanta to MLS. The current economy is still struggling and doesn’t show signs that would point to significant changes in the next couple of years. However, those conditions exist in many of the other NASL & USL markets and it hasn’t prevented them from putting a team on a field. Many of the current clubs have teams but don’t own their stadium. Atlanta actually owns their stadium, but just won’t field a team.

Which do you think is more likely, MLS to Atlanta OR the Silverbacks men returning? If either, when?

Club America v Manchester City

I’ll be attempting my first Cover It Live event tonight as Club America takes on Manchester City from the Georgia Dome. It should be a great event and will hopefully continue to elevate the city of Atlanta in the eyes of the soccer world.

Continue reading Club America v Manchester City

Weekend Rewind

Atlanta Beat (1-6-3) vs FC Gold Pride (8-3-1) 0 : 4

After competing Wednesday in the All-Star game several players from both teams laced up their boots again to face off on Saturday. Just like the All-Star game Marta scored two against Atlanta Beat GK Hope Solo. Down early (31st second) the comeback became near impossible when Kia McNeill was given a red card for sliding into keeper Barnhart studs up. Tina Ellertson also failed to return for the second half from an early injury when Tiffeny Milbrett collided and Tina received an injury to her face. The Beat play their next home game against the Chicago Red Stars on Wednesday, July 21^st which is also Faith and Family Night. Post-game festivities will include the first ever concert at KSU Stadium.

Atlanta Silverback Women (6-1-1) vs North Virginia Majestics 4 : 1

The Silverbacks continued their winning ways with a victory over the last place Majectics. The lady Silverbacks will have their last regular season home game this Saturday, July 10^th @ 7:30 PM. They’ll take on the Charlotte Lady Eagles which is the only team to beat them this year.

FC Atlanta (0-3-1) vs Pumas FC 1 : 6

The Pumas pummeled FC Atlanta, nuff said. Last home game is Saturday, July 10^th @ 7PM in Hoskyn Stadium.

FC Atlanta Blackhawks (5-2-4) at IMG Bradenton Academics 0 : 4

Mark Magee of IMG Bradenton nets the brace in the lopsided match. IMG took 16 shots to Atlanta’s 11. Hopefully the 95 people in attendance enjoyed the show. The Blackhawks have two road games before coming back to play their last game of the season July 18^th at 6:30 PM.

Not a good weekend for most Atlanta Pro/Semi-Pro Soccer teams. The Beat are midway through their season while the regular season is wrapping up for the other teams in the next few weeks. Have you been to any games this year? If so, what game and how was the experience?

Aaron’s Soccer Challenge

The Atlanta International Soccer Challenge now has a title sponsor. Aaron’s has signed a multi-year agreement to be the title sponsor. This should help secure this event in Atlanta for years to come. Other encouraging news is the game has been picked up by ESPN DEPORTES.

Roberto Mancini and Manchester City just agreed to terms with Valencia to sign David Silva. Yaya Toure and James Milner are also rumored to be on their way to City. It should be a great game and hopefully we get to see a glimpse of those players who went deep into the World Cup. After all, South Africa was just a warm-up. Check out the commercial below for the challenge.

The Aaron’s International Soccer Challenge will be Wednesday, July 28th 2010 at 8:00 pm in the Georgia Dome. Do you think attendance will be higher for this game then the ones last summer in Atlanta? Who do you think will win and by what scoreline?

2010 WPS All-Star Game

The second annual Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) All-Star Game was held at the KSU Soccer Stadium on Wednesday, June 30, 2010. This year’s format was a major change from last year and took a fun twist as the teams were picked playground style. In this format the top 2 vote-getters were team captains and selected 11 starters for each team from among the top 22 highest vote-getters in the All-Star balloting at a pick ‘em event for fans hosted by STATS in downtown Atlanta. The team breakdown is as follows:

Marta XI (Albertin Montoya – Head Coach)

Goalkeeper: Erin McLeod (Washington Freedom)

Defenders: Allison Falk (Philadelphia Independence), Rachel Buehler (FC Gold Pride), Brittany Taylor (Sky Blue FC)

Midfielders: Kristine Lilly (Boston Breakers), Aya Miyama (Atlanta Beat), Kelly Smith (Boston Breakers), Sonia Bompastor (Washington Freedom)

Forwards: Ramona Bachmann (Atlanta Beat), Marta (FC Gold Pride), Christine Sinclair (FC Gold Pride)

Reserves: D Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), D Becky Sauerbrunn (Washington Freedom), F Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), GK Erin McLeod (Washington Freedom), D Alex Scott (Boston Breakers), F Cristiane (Chicago Red Stars), GK Karen Bardsley (Sky Blue FC)

Abby XI (Paul Riley – Head Coach)

Goalkeeper: Hope Solo (Atlanta Beat)

Defenders: Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Tina Ellertson (Atlanta Beat), Cat Whitehill (Washington Freedom)

Midfielders: Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence), Shannon Boxx (FC Gold Pride), Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Lori Chalupny (Atlanta Beat)

Forwards: Eniola Aluko (Atlanta Beat), Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)

Reserves: M Angie Kerr (Atlanta Beat), M Karen Carney (Chicago Red Stars), F Kelley O’Hara (FC Gold Pride), M Laura Kalmari (Sky Blue FC), F Tasha Kai (Sky Blue FC), GK Jillian Loyden (Chicago Red Stars)

From the opening whistle Marta’s XI had Abby’s XI on their heels. None other than Marta got the opening goal in the 7^th minute. But she didn’t just score one goal in the 7^thminute, she scored two. This was the first game I’ve seen Marta play in person. She really is an incredible player with tremendous talent. Having just heard Thierry Henry’s comments concerning Messi’s abilities being easier to attain due to his size I can see what he means when you see the explosive maneuvers in Marta’s small frame. She has this ability to dart between players like a kid in a crowd.

Many predicted this game could have 10 goals but I couldn’t help but wonder if that might have been conservative. Things settled down to a degree and both team had several chances but just as a lull fell over the game Christine Sinclair gave team Marta another goal in the 31^stminute and got the energy flowing. Atlanta’s own Eniola Aluko got Abby’s XI on the board with a goal just 4 minutes later. That would be the last goal of the half as Marta’s XI took an early 3-1 lead.

It took a while in the second half to get things going but with Atlanta Beat’s Aluko wrapping up the first half with a goal teammate Aya Miyama decided to kick things off in the second half with a goal of her own to extend Team Marta’s lead to 3. Then moments later Lauren Cheney worked to narrow the gap and scored to bring the tally to Abby 2 - 4 Marta. But that wouldn’t last long as within minutes A-Rod scored what would be the final goal capping off the win for Team Marta with a final score of 5 – 2.

It was an entertaining game and the 4,610 on hand got their money’s worth. The 7 goal thriller was everything you could want from an All-Star game and helpfully it will help bring some additional attention to this great venue and Atlanta Beat organization. Did you attend or watch the All-Star game? If so, what were your thoughts?

Atlanta Beat v Philadelphia Independance

The Atlanta Beat in their third game against the Philadelphia Independence looked to start moving up the league standings and climb out of the cellar. After picking up their first win of the season the Beat got back starters Hope Solo and Kia McNeill who were at the World Cup as part of Team Exchange which is a partnership for Grassroot Soccer in Soweto, South Africa and The Grassroot Project in Washington, D.C. Eniola Aluko also returned after national team duty in which England took on Spain in a qualifier for Women’s World Cup 2011. Ramona Bachmann (Switzerland) and Johanna Rasmussen (Denmark) were still unavailable due to national duty. Both Bachmann & Rasmussen scored 2 goals in their respective matches earlier in the week helping their teams to victories.

Despite adding six Athletica players earlier this month the team is playing with better cohesion then ever. There is a confidence in their play and each other that is evident in their play on and off the ball.

At the start of the game Zerboni was taking on anyone in her path. She had three nutmegs in the first 10 minutes and it was her determination the led to the first goal on the night. After dispossessing the Philly defender she crossed it in to Mami Yamaguchi who turned it and scored at the 14th minute.

The Beat managed possession and dictated the pace for the first 30 minutes before the Independence was able to put anything together but they made the most of their first opportunity and scored on the 36th minute. Possession was back and forth for the remainder of the half which ended all square 1-1 at the half.

Whatever energy and mentality the Beat started the half with was quickly changed when the Independance sent a ball in across the goalmouth that Stacy Bishop, of the Beat, put into her own goal. At this point in WPS games the Beat have scored 4 goals at KSU Stadium, 2 against their opponents and 2 against themselves. Not a good ratio.

From that point on play went back and forth with both team getting chances. Following the lead of the US Men’s National Team, the Beat added a stoppage time goal to pull even and take a well earned point. It was from a set piece that Tina Ellertson headed home the equalizer for her second goal as an Atlanta Beat player.

Attendance – 2632

Atlanta Beat Roster (Updated)

Below is the updated overhauled Atlanta Beat roster.

Forward

Eniola Aluko, Ramona Bachmann, Monica Ocampo

Midfielders

Johanna Rasmussen, Lori Chalupny, Aya Miyama, Mami Yamaguchi, Angie Kerr

McCall Zerboni, Stacy Bishop

Defenders

Katie Larkin, Tina Ellertson, Kia McNeill, Leigh Ann Robinson

Goalkeepers

Hope Solo, Brett Maron

Developmental Roster

Carolyn Blank, Rebecca Nolin, Amanda Cinalli, Malori Lofton-Malachi

Season Ending Injury List

Tobin Heath, Manya Makoski, Sophia Mundy

Changes to formerly rostered players

June 18, 2010: The Atlanta Beat traded GK Allison Whitworth, its first round pick in the 2011 WPS Draft and its fourth round pick in the 2011 WPS Draft to the Chicago Red Stars for their first round pick in the 2012 WPS Draft and their fourth round pick in the 2012 WPS Draft.

June 8, 2010: Waived Blakely Mattern and mutually terminated their contract with Shelley Thompson.

June 3, 2010: Waived Tracy Hamm.

May 31, 2010: Waived Marisha Schumacher-Hodge and Lauren Sesselmann.

New Look Beat prepares for Red Stars

After a bye weekend The Atlanta Beat are preparing to face the Chicago Red Stars who are unbeaten since Omid Namazi took over at the beginning of June. This will be the second game since the influx of Athletica players. However, not content with the 5 additions the Beat added Aya Miyama last week to bring the total to 6 since St. Louis folded.

The Beat played the Red Stars in their last match on June 4^th and held them scoreless for the first shutout since the opening match on April 11^th against the Philadelphia Independence when Allison Whitworth got the donut. Former St. Louis Athletica player and recent addition Hope Solo had 8 saves on the night. The USWNT starting keeper was the difference between earning a point and losing their sixth straight game of the season. All 5 St. Louis players that were picked up prior to the match started and played the full 90 minutes. Only 5 players from the season opener started this game: Zerboni, Robinson, Yamaguchi, Kerr, McNeil. You may remember that Kerr and McNeil were picked up from St. Louis by trading the first pick in the LA Sol Dispersal Draft. Having 8 players that have previously been on the Athletica roster makes it understandable why many have nicknamed the Atlanta Beat as “Atlantica”. Of the 20+ member Atlanta Beat team that was originally formed to compete this year in WPS only 4 started this past Sunday: Robinson, Yamaguchi, Zerboni, and Larkin. With Miyama added to the fold that number is likely to drop down to 3 this week. Given the transition this team has gone through I think the draw on the road was a fortunate result.

This time around the new Atlanta Beat hopes to post their first win of the season. Having played 7 of 24 games the Beat needs to pick-up 36 points over the next 17 games (2.12pts/gm) to slide into a playoff spot if the Independence and Sky Blue FC continue on their current pace of 1.55 pts/game. That translates to winning 12 of 17 games or a combination of wins and ties (i.e. 11 wins, 3 ties). In other words they need to be on a slightly better pace then the FC Gold Pride (2.11pts/gm) has had so far this year. It’s a tall order but with 10 home games left and a revamped roster it should be interesting to see if these changes start resulting in Wins.

One question that I wonder is what all of these changes to one team means. Is it a reflection of depth in women’s professional soccer or team building. If it’s a reflection on depth then how can a league that almost started the season with 9 teams, now has 7, can expand to 12 teams in the near future (ownership issues aside). If depth isn’t a problem would you attribute early season struggles to player selection, coaching, or nothing more than normal struggles that most expansion teams face. If player selection was an issue I have a hard time questioning Coach Gareth O’Sullivan or GM Shawn McGee’s decisions without understanding the budget they had to work with from ownership. I can’t really even blame Atlanta Beat Owner, Fitz Johnson, if he did initially attempt to field a young and “cost effecient” team considering the significant outlay of cash that must have been necessary to get the stadium completed. As we’ve seen this is a business after all and managing cash poorly can have devastating results.

The Atlanta Beat continue their quest to become the best in the world this Saturday. I’ll be at that game. Have all of the recent additions increased your interest in the Beat? Are you planning to come out to the game this Saturday?

WPS: Atlanta Beat v Washington Freedom

Final Thoughts – Atlanta continues to struggle to get goals. Two goals from six games. The league has next weekend off and hopefully Coach O’Sullivan can keep the team together and spirits up. The play seems to be improving but the goals just aren’t there. Hopefully we’ll get a status for Zerboni but she was taken to the hospital after a colision of heads for precautionary measures.

Full Time – Atlanta 0 – Washinton Freedom 2

Continue reading WPS: Atlanta Beat v Washington Freedom

Atlanta International Soccer Challenge

The Atlanta International Soccer Challenge will be Wednesday, July 28th 2010 at 8:00 pm in the Georgia Dome. Manchester City will take on Club America in what hopes to become an annual event.

Last year the match between Club America and AC Milan was a huge success. They hope to repeat that success this year and continue building Atlanta as an International soccer city in hopes of being a part of the 2022 World Cup if the USA is awarded the honor.

To get more info you can go to their website http://www.atlantainternationalsoccerchallenge.com or follow them on twitter at @ProSoccerATL

Tickets will be available online through TicketMaster.

Do you think with only one international soccer event this summer that the Dome will sellout? Who would you like to see compete in next years event?

Atlanta Soccer

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Silverbacks Men’s team won’t return in 2011

Club America v Manchester City

Weekend Rewind

Aaron’s Soccer Challenge

2010 WPS All-Star Game

Marta XI (Albertin Montoya – Head Coach)

Abby XI (Paul Riley – Head Coach)

Atlanta Beat v Philadelphia Independance

Atlanta Beat Roster (Updated)

New Look Beat prepares for Red Stars

WPS: Atlanta Beat v Washington Freedom

Atlanta International Soccer Challenge

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Atlanta Links

Soccer Essentials

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Marta XI (Albertin Montoya – Head Coach)

Abby XI (Paul Riley – Head Coach)

Recent Posts

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