After a week of fans questioning New York City FC’s commitment to fielding a competitive team for its inaugural MLS season in 2015, at the news of marquee player Frank Lampard’s late, mid-season arrival, NYCFC feathered concerns with the signing of U.S. national midfielder Mix Diskerud.
The club announced the signing of the midfielder from Norwegian club, Rosenborg, where he played the last two-and-a-half years. “We couldn’t be happier to have Diskerud coming to play in New York,” said Claudio Reyna, Sporting Director of New York City FC. “He’s one of the brightest young talents in U.S. soccer and will be a fantastic addition to our club and to MLS,” Reyna added.
Diskerud, 24, played 25 times for the U.S., was on last summer’s World Cup squad and has European Champions and Europa League experience.
U.S., Jamaica struggle
The USA and Jamaica men’s U-20 teams are having a rough time in the CONCACAF tournament being played in Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica. Both teams have only a point each after their first two Group A games, but each has three group games to play to turn the tide in its favor.
After tying its first game, 1-1, versus Guatemala, the Tab Ramos-led team succumbed to a 1-0 loss to Group leader, Panama. Last Sunday at the Jamaica National Stadium, Carlos Small beat two U.S. defenders in the penalty area and scored the only goal of the game in the 78th minute to give Panama the win. It was the first win over the U.S. for the Canaleros in four tries at this youth level; Panama (2-0-0, 6 pts.) now leads the group after its opening-day, 4-0 win over Aruba. The USA (0-1-1, 1 pt.) is second from the bottom in the six-team group and plays winless Aruba (0-0-0) next; Panama next meets Jamaica (0-1-0, 1 pt.).
Jamaica is tied with the U.S. near the bottom of the standings with only Aruba below them. The hosts tied second-place Trinidad and Tobago, 2-2, in the teams’ opening game, but in the Jamaicans second outing, Guatemala defeated the hosts in the 1-0 affair in the second game of last Sunday’s doubleheader at the National Stadium.
The Guatemalans (1-1-0, 4 pts.) are now tied in second place with Trinidad and Tobago in Group A. Nineteen-year-old Steven Robles scored in the 27th minute when he maneuvered around two defenders to score the lone goal. Later in the contest, Jamaica’s goalkeeper, Nicholas Nelson, saved a penalty that could have doubled the score.
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago (1-1-0, 4 pts.) is undefeated after Sunday’s 5-1 bashing of Aruba. Trinidad head coach Derek King said that he was disappointed that the winless Arubans scored against his young Soca Warriors and did not rate his team’s performance highly. The Trinidadians were ahead, 3-0, before halftime and was led by Kadeem Corbin’s multi-goal performance.
In Montego Bay, Group B leader Mexico (2-0-0, 6 pts.) is undefeated after wins versus Cuba, 9-1 on Saturday and against Canada, 2-0, on Monday. Honduras (1-1-0, 4 pts.) is in second place after a 2-2 draw versus El Salvador and a 2-0 win over Cuba. Third-place Canada (1-0-1, 3 pts.) got its only win versus Haiti, El Salvador (0-2-0, 2 pts.) with two draws is in fourth place, followed by Haiti (0-1-1, 1 pt.) and winless Cuba. The teams are competing for four berths at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.
Women’s results
Among results in recent women’s games, host Barbados knocked off Dominica, 3-1, in the first of two games, then played to 1-1 draw in the second. Canada beat Korea Republic, 2-1, while China and Mexico played to a goalless draw; both games were played at China’s Shenzhen Stadium . The Costa Rican Football (Soccer) Federation named longtime assistant Amelia Valverde its new head women’s coach.
