What The Ref Doesn't See, He Can't Call...Like A Cup Check...

((HT: Aaron Ward's Vine))

Last night, Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake drew at ones in Rio Tinto.
But the move that caught some folks eye was this cup check by New York's Jameson Olave


Best (or worst part)- RSL's Olmes Garcia was the one that got the yellow for diving...

Would the ref like to see how HE'D react in a situation like that...???
The HQ thinks it would be similar...

NPSL Championships Preview: Red Bulls Takes On CFC

Red Bull Arena will host the National Premier Soccer League final Saturday between the New York Red Bulls Under-23 squad and Chattanooga FC. The final will follow the New York Red Bulls – New England Revolution MLS regular season match.

The Red Bulls Under-23 squad advanced to the NPSL Final with a 2-0 win over Lansing United at Red Bull Training Facility in one semifinals. Sean Sheridan and Mike Innocenzi each scored for the U-23s in a 2-0 win. The U-23s have posted a perfect 14-0-0 record en route to advancing to the NPSL Final in 2014 and have outscored its opponents 62-7.

Here's the highlights from Lansing United


Chattanooga FC earned their berth with a 4-1 win over the Sacramento Gold. This will be the club’s third overall appearance in the final but they have yet to win the title. CFC drew a club record crowd of 8,878 fans last Saturday at Finley for their semifinal match against Sacramento.

Here's the look from our friends at Mad Kemp

NPSL Semi-Finals Review/Preview

The NPSL is down to its Final Four

One semifinal is in Chattanooga as Chattanooga FC taking on Sacramento Gold...

Chattanooga beat Tulsa Athletics in the South Regional final at Finley Stadium
((HT: Mad Kemp))


Lansing United takes on Red Bulls Under-23's in the other semi at the Red Bulls training facility. The larger issue with this match-up is capacity in New Jersey. It doesn't currently meet minimum standards for attendance in a semi-final and there is no word on how the league is going to have Red Bulls meet capacity- or if they are at all.

The fans in Lansing are less than pleased at the turn of events.
The first year franchise won the Midwest after beating Fort Pitt in the final.
Here's the celebration...
((HT: Lansing United their own selves))

NPSL West/Northeast Region Playoffs Review/Preview

West Region

The Sacramento Gold (10-3-1) and Sonoma County Sol (9-2-3) play at River City High School in West Sacramento for the first spot in the Final Four.

The teams have already met four times this season -- in a U.S. Open Cup qualifier back in February and in Golden Gate Conference showdowns in March, April and May -- and the Sol have won three of them.

Scott French has the complete breakdown hyah...

The Sol are trying to get back to the title game- where they lost to RVA FC, 2-0 in Richmond last season...
Here's the highlights from last year
((HT: Tourbeau Sports))


Northeast Region

The region final is between the GBFC Thunder and the Red Bulls Under-23's...

GBFC upset DC United 1-0 on the road and Red Bulls knocked off the Brooklyn Italians 4-3 (again) to set up the Saturday title game.

NPSL Week 10 Northeast Region Review/Preview

Keystone Conference

It's two groups...

GBFC Thunder has a three-point lead (26-23) over FC Lehigh Valley United Sonic with Junior Lone Star in third (21). Clarkstown, Hershey, and Buxmont Torch are the next three (14, 13, 11) with Pocono Snow and Electric City the bottom two (9 and 5 points, respectively).

The Thunder had a 6-point week with two wins- one over FC LVU Sonic. Junior Lone Star had two wins and a draw (Buxmont Torch and Pocono Snow, the draw with Hershey FC). Clarkstown won in their only outing- over Buxmont as well. Hershey pulled in three points over Pocono Snow as well. Electric City also had a spirited 5-4 win over Buxmont- their first win of the season.

This week, Buxmont are very busy- hosting FC Lehigh Valley, at Clarkstown, and hosting Hershey FC. GBFC also hosts FC Lehigh. Clarkstown also hosts Electric City before Buxmont.

Mid-Atlantic Conference

It's still Virginia Beach and DC United's under-23's battling for one and two (21 and 23 points). RVA FC has a four point lead on Legacy 76 (8 points) and ASA Charge and Chesterfield United are at the bottom (5 and 4 points, respectively).

VBC FC beat RVA for three points two days before DC United beat them. Legacy 76 knocked off Chesterfield United for their win of the week. ASA Charge also beat Chesterfield in the last week.

This week, RVA has a home and home with Chesterfield. DC United goes to ASA Charge. VBC FC goes to Legacy 76.

North Atlantic Conference

Red Bulls and Brooklyn each have 30 points on the season, but Red Bulls have a game in hand. Seacoast United Phantoms are at 16 points. New York Athletic Club is at 12. Seacoast United Mariners are at 8, Rhode Island Reds are at 6, and Greater Lowell are at 4.

Last week, Red Bulls put 7 goals on the Seacoast Mariners and Phantoms for 6 points. Brooklyn matched with two shut outs over Greater Lowell and NYAC. The Phantoms also drew Rhode Island who also lost to NYAC.

One of the cooler moments in the league released this week was when Greater Lowell and the Phantoms were together watching the end of the USA-Portugal match.

Cool in the sense of the teams were watching together, not in the late draw by Portugal.
((HT: GLUFC))


This week, Red Bulls take on Brooklyn in a huge 6-pointer and they also get NYAC before they take on Greater Lowell. It's Rhode Island's turn to take on the Seacoast duo.

NPPA Has No Fear From Thierry Henry's Skills

((HT: MLS/Altitude))

Thierry Henry scored in the Red Bulls game against Colorado and had this for a goal celebration...


After the videographer was startled, the HQ wonders if he was rolling and what Henry's skills actually are...

Anyone find the inside video yet...???
Let us know... and would this be called a photobomb or a video bomb...???

OSG MLS: Jimmy Nielsen Goes Down... And Goes Down Hard...

((HT: MLS/MSG))

Last night, it was red Bulls and Sporting KC in the main US league...

KC was up 1-0 as the two headed to stoppage time and the New Yorkers needed to get the ball back. So, Juninho sent the ball back to goalie Jimmy Nielsen- with a little mustard behind it...


Instant red for Juninho, and the final score didn't change...

Suspect In Soccer Coach Murder Flees US

((HT: WABC-TV))

The suspect in the murder of a New York Red Bulls youth program coach has reportedly fled the United States for Mexico.

Orlando Orea, known as Orlando Gutierrez or Orlando Estevas, bought a one-way ticket on an Aero Mexico flight with cash just before its scheduled departure from Kennedy Airport, according to a local official who spoke to the AP.

Detectives discovered Orea's name on a manifest and placed him on a no-fly list. But he was out of the country already.

Orea is a suspect in the murder of Michael Jones from early Sunday morning. There are reports that the two were arguing, but the topic of the argument is unknown.

There is a thought that it may be a case of mistaken identity and Orea is suspected of slashing Jones to death and cutting off his ear.

Here's the local coverage from New York...


More when we know more...