MVN - Most Valuable Network

ABC Sunday Soccer Doubleheader — Recaps and Videos [UPDATED]

Sunday was a big day for U.S. soccer fans;  for the first time this year, ABC aired a live doubleheader of soccer (courtesy ESPN), showcasing the marquee matches beginning at Noon EDT, and including pre-game and post-game programming for both…

First Match, WEEK 14 MLS: 

DC UNITED 4 - 1 GALAXY

Three Galaxy teammates have won seven of this season’s 13 possible MLS Player of the Week Awards between them.  David Beckham and Edson Buddle have each won twice, while Landon Donovan just picked up his third for this past weekend’s home match, a 3-3 draw with Columbus Crew.  Donovan is also the entire league’s goal-scoring leader -with 11 at this point, and the team as a whole is also the highest-scoring of the league.

Galaxy were in first place in the Western Conference going into this match, and all three of those stars played on Sunday afternoon at RFK Stadium.

DC United are in the midst of winning ways as well, with Luciano Emilio leading the way.  Emilio was the 2007 MLS MVP, and during June of this year, he exploded with numerous goals, including a hat trick and an MLS Goal of the Week honor.  United were on a 5-match unbeaten streak prior to this match.

35,979 turned out in triple-digit heat for the lopsided match, which saw the Galaxy’s Edson Buddle score his tenth Galaxy goal this year.  However, that was the only goal for that team, and as has been the case recently, Luciano Emilio was the United star who led DC to victory.  He scored goals in the 37th and 68th minutes, now equalling Budson’s 10 on the season.  Both Emilio and Buddle now sit in second place in the league’s goal-scoring tally, only one behind Landon Donovan.

The all-time MLS goal-scoring leader was the one who got United off on the right foot in the first place this afternoon.  Jaime Moreno had his own sixth goal for the season with a penalty kick in the sixth minute of play.

Read the MLSNet.com Match Report here

VIDEO - Official match highlights from ABC, (5:22 min.)

Second match, EURO 2008 FINAL:

GERMANY  0 - 1 SPAIN

Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna hosted the Final of Euro 2008 on Sunday night, with two pre-tournament favorites battling for the quadrennial crown.

Germany came in seeking their fourth Euro title;  Spain had won the European Championship only once prior to today, in 1964.

On Wednesday, Germany had defeated Turkey 3-2 in the first semifinal, and on Thursday, Spain then beat Russia by three goals for the second time in this tournament; that 3-0 semifinal win got them to their first Euro Cup Final since 1984…

from the official event site,

“After a strong start from Germany, Spain were the more dangerous side throughout an entertaining final at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion although it took just one goal – in the 33rd minute, courtesy of Torres’s pace, perseverance and unerring finish – to end their long wait.”

“In truth, Spain should have won by more than Fernando Torres’s smartly taken 33rd-minute goal.  Apart from a nervous beginning, when Germany came out of the traps with clear ambition and found holes in the normally watertight Spanish defensive unit, the Furia Roja were the dominant attacking force. Their incisive passing and subtle movement repeatedly got them behind the back of the German defence, but a loose or rushed final ball invariably let their opponents off the hook.”

“In all, Spain had 13 shots – a sizeable total for a final, and even more impressive considering that Germany managed just four. While the only save Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas had to make all night was a tame low shot from Thomas Hitzlsperger, Jens Lehmann was called into emergency action on seven occasions. That the 38-year-old was beaten only once was to his credit, but had Spain taken just a touch more care with their finishing, the contest would have been over long before referee Roberto Rosetti brought relief to the massed ranks of red and yellow-clad fans with the final whistle.”

Read the UEFA.com Match Report here,

“Torres ends Spain’s long wait for glory”

VIDEO - Official match highlights from UEFA.com, (5:17 min.)

Other archived features on both matches also worth your time,

DC UNITED v GALAXY,

MLSNet.com Match Preview

“LA may meet scoring match in D.C.”

VIDEOS - ESPN Match Preview

“This Week Inside the LA Galaxy”

GERMANY v SPAIN,

UEFA.com Match Preview from the official event site

VIDEOS - ESPN Match Preview

“Germany’s Michael Ballack doubtful for Sunday’s Final”

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 29th, 2008 at 12:57 am and is filed under Soccer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.