North American Soccer League

In NASL action last night, the Carolina Railhawks defeated the Minnesota Stars 1-0 to pull within eight points of the league lead.

That wouldn't be notable news in the national soccer scene, except for one rather interesting twist—the game finished at 12:58 a.m.

FINAL: #RailHawks win 1-0 in a game that literally started yesterday.

— SWakeSports (@SWakeSports) July 22, 2012

Why so late?

Thunderstorms.

Four hours of them.

Lightning was first spotted just moments into the second half—with precisely 47:24 on the clock—and the game officially entered a rain delay at 8:17 p.m. local time.

The 3,158 announced fans were cleared from the stands, the stadium loudspeakers began an endless run of weather-related songs and the storms began.

And continued. 

And continued.

At 11:51 p.m. local time, the two teams at last returned to the field for another round of warmups.

At 12:23 a.m. local time, the game finally resumed play after a league-record four hours and six minutes of rain delay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhO6oSYH9dM

And 43 minutes of regulation and three minutes of stoppage time later, the Railhawks walked off the WakeMed Soccer Park Field for the final time, having battled through a six-hour-long match to earn a 1-0 victory...

...On a goal in the 10th minute.

Railhawks' coach Colin Clarke was, understandably, a bit irritated:

Colin Clarke in postgame says there needs to be a #NASL cutoff for abandoning the match. Doesn't blame MN, says 4 hours is "just too much."

— SWakeSports (@SWakeSports) July 22, 2012

Still, the win did pull Carolina (6-6-5, 24 pts.) into fifth place in the eight-team NASL standings and extended the club's league record since June 1st to 6-1-1.

But that's not the only impact of Saturday's game in Cary.

The MLS will also be closely eying last night's box score. After all, the league is looking seriously into a Southeast US expansion team—and the Railhawks are top candidates to be that expansion.

Per ESPN, MLS president Mark Abbott visited the Raleigh-Cary area in April and had good things to say about the area's soccer passion:

"Mark Abbott visited the North Carolina Triangle on Thursday as a guest of the Carolina Railhawks and met with fans and local business leaders to "get a sense of the community."

'Today was about really coming down and getting a deeper understanding of soccer in this community,' Abbott said. 'It wasn't a sort of checklist-type of exercise on the road to making an expansion decision. It was an opportunity to learn more about this community and what's happening here in soccer.'"

Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer also articulated what has become a passionate soccer following in the Triangle:

"The only question MLS should be asking with regard to the Triangle is not “if?” or “how?” but merely “when?” There are legitimate questions to be asked, about ownership and facilities, and some serious hurdles to clear, but this market is as good a fit for MLS as MLS is for this market.

The summer MLS season doesn’t coincide with college football, college basketball or the NHL; with 17 home dates, MLS is a better fit for this area’s population than baseball and there are few markets in the country with more interest in the sport at every level than the Triangle."

There are certainly a number of indicators around the Raleigh area that could point towards an MLS franchise.

The Railhawks ranked third in NASL in 2011 with an average attendance of just 3,353, but drew a record sellout crowd of 7,939 in a match against a mostly-reserve L.A. Galaxy squad during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in May. The home side scored twice in the game's final 16 minutes to win, 2-1.

The club then drew 7,117 fans the following week against Chivas USA, despite eventually losing 2-1. 

WakeMed Soccer Park, the club's current home, is also undergoing a $6.3 million grandstand expansion to increase capacity from 7,000 to 10,000 by later this summer.

With a larger, more up-to-date stadium and weekly showdowns with MLS teams and their starting players, the Triangle's soccer interest could continue to skyrocket with the blessing of an expansion franchise.

But the weather could also turn such an experiment sour.

Simply put, the MLS isn't too accustomed to thunderstorms. Of the league's 19 current cities with franchises, only four—Columbus, Kansas City, Dallas and Houston—fall in climates of moderate-to-high lightning density.

By comparison, per the National Weather Service, the next four days of Raleigh weather forecasts all include the words "T-storms," and each has a chance of rain of 30 percent or higher.

That's the way it is every week, every summer.

Saturday night's storms dumped 1.29 inches of rain on Raleigh in a mere six-hour span and issued Severe Weather warnings on 23 North Carolina counties.

Over a three-and-a-half hour period—which fell right in the middle of the Railhawks' once-promising match—at least one lightning strike occurred within three miles of WakeMed Soccer Park every 10 minutes for over 200 consecutive minutes.

Soccer weather? Not exactly.

It ended up being a lot harder than it should have been, but the Montreal Impact have finally won their first game in the MLS, with a 2-1 win over Toronto FC on Saturday.

The Impact scored first in the 17th minute. Off a turnover in midfield, Lamar Neagle set up Sinisa Ubiparipovic near the top of the box. Ubiparipovic made no mistake as he slid the ball between both central defenders and into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Despite dominating play in the midfield throughout the first half, the Impact had a lot of trouble handling Toronto's crosses coming into the box. If not for a spectacular reaction save from Donovan Ricketts on a Danny Koevermans header, TFC would have tied the game just before half time.

The Impact later got some help from the referee when Logan Emory was sent off for taking down Sanna Nyassi in the 65th minute. The straight red was a bit harsh as Emory and Nyassi were virtually side by side at the time of the foul—but considering some of the calls the Impact have gotten this season, I'm sure they'll take it without any complaints.

The Impact almost blew the lead shortly after, however, but were saved by a Shavar Thomas goal-line clearance.

Andrew Wenger gave the Impact the insurance marker when he scored in the 81st minute with the help of a brilliant pass from Justin Mapp. The Impact were then able to hold on for the final 10 minutes, conceding only one goal.

Highlights

Jesse Marsch's personnel decisions were outstanding today. With the Impact starting to struggle midway through the second half, Marsch was able to sub in just the right players needed to give his team a boost.

Realizing that Zarek Valentin was simply incapable of generating any offence from the fullback position, and noticing that Ubiparipovic was losing some pace in the midfield, Marsch inserted Justin Mapp. Mapp changed the game for the Impact, giving them a credible threat from the wing and eventually assisting on the winning goal.

Marsch also made the right choice taking out Bernardo Corradi. Corradi wasn't making anything happen for the Impact. His replacement, Wenger, gave the Impact some much needed speed up front.

Donovan Ricketts also deserves some praise for his outstanding close range save on Koevermans. A Toronto goal at that point likely would have ruined the Impact, as the Reds were building serious momentum.

Lowlights

Zarek Valentin was ineffective in every aspect of the game. His runs up the right side never produced any offence as his crosses into the box were consistently off target. Also, because he was consistently running up the field and essentially turning the ball over, he left gaping holes in the Impact defense.

Bernardo Corradi, in what's becoming a disturbing trend, also failed to help his team today. Corradi just didn't seem capable of of keeping up with the play. He didn't have a shot on goal and was utterly invisible.

What Needs to Change

The Impact need to find a permanent solution up front. Sanna Nyassi has been solid all year, using his speed to constantly put pressure on opposing defenses. He just doesn't have another striker to work off of.

Wenger looked good today, but seems more suited for an attacking midfield role. With their depth in the middle, the Impact could do well switching to a lone striker formation and allowing guys like Felipe, Arnaud, Mapp and Wenger to attack with more regularity.

For more on the Montreal sports scene, go to The Montreal Sports Report.

The Montreal Impact’s visit to Red Bull Arena was a tale of two halves.

The Impact controlled the pace of the match for much of the first half. They dominated play in the midfield and looked to be well on their way to their first MLS win.

The Impact opened the scoring when Sanna Nyassi took advantage of a Markus Holgersson mishap in the box. The Red Bulls quickly replied, however, when Thierry Henry put away a Rafael Marquez cross with a header just 10 minutes later.

The Impact were able to regain the lead with a long range shot from Justin Mapp, but quickly gave it back on a penalty after Matteo Ferrari took down Dax McCarty in the box.

If not for two small defensive lapses, the Impact would have had a commanding two-goal lead heading into the second half. Unfortunately for the Impact, Henry simply seemed fed up with trading goals and decided to take the game over after the break.

The French superstar showed world-class patience controlling the ball at the top of the box before blasting a shot by Donovan Ricketts in the 56th minute. Henry then assisted on a Mehdi Ballouchy goal in the 72nd with a brilliant back heel, and he ended his day by capitalizing on a juicy rebound off Ricketts in the 89th.

Highlights

Nyassi was a nightmare for the Red Bulls throughout the first half. His superior speed forced the Red Bulls back line to play the ball much quicker than they would have liked and seemed to prevent them from organizing their attack.

Mapp had his best game for the Impact. He  had three shots on goal, displayed effective passing in the midfield, and was solid defensively as he broke up a number of Red Bull advances.

Henry was absolutely brilliant in this game. The Impact’s defense simply had no answer for his size, athleticism and soccer sense. He made Ferrari look weak on the first goal, he froze both central defenders on the second goal and he blew by the entire Impact defense on his third goal. He alone was worth the price of admission.

Lowlights

Bernardo Corradi was invisible for most of the game. He didn't have the pace to keep up with the much quicker Nyassi and seemed to be consistently behind the play. Hopefully, for the Impact, he’s still getting into game shape after joining the team late in training camp.

Ferrari had his weakest game for the Impact. He let Henry get past him on the first goal and conceded the penalty that led to the second. The calm demeanor he showed in his first three games was nowhere to be found.

Looking ahead

The Impact are on the road again as they play Real Salt Lake on Wednesday. Real is 3-1 on the season and sits atop the Western Conference. After his performance against New York, and because of his age, sitting Corradi in favor of Justin Braun would be prudent.

For more on the Montreal sports scene, go to The Montreal Sports Report.

As part of the continued push toward National Premier Soccer League action, the scrimmage against North American Soccer League side San Antonio Scorpions proved just another stepping stone in the growth of a club on an upward path.

Despite the initial disappointment of the delayed kickoff on Friday evening, thanks to the torrential rain, the Pirates sucked it up and moved on.

With an invite to visit San Antonio supporters groups Crocketteers and Alamo City Ultras at their home pub, the Lion and Rose, Friday night was taken care of and new friends were made.

With a revised kickoff time of 9.30 a.m. on Saturday morning and a revised venue of Heroes Stadium, the stage was set for the Galveston Pirate Soccer Club to showcase their new Admiral supplied uniform against NASL opposition.

It was always expected to be a tough tie. Their is, after all two divisions of a difference between the two sides. To be fair, when you look at club finances, facilities and playing staff, Galveston and San Antonio are worlds apart.

What we would give to have a Mexican international player in our ranks. What we would give to have five ex-MLS players in our playing squad. What we would give to have the ability to change our matches to a 11,000 capacity state-of-the-art sports facility.

Although these differences between the two sides, we have no complaints. Galveston's a good squad of players who play well for each other. They have great training facilities with the use of Ballys gym. When they play at Weis Stadium in the NPSL, they have everything they need for a club its size. Also, they have the best players in the area.

The Match

With the rain pouring down, the mood hadn't dampened the tailgate party excitement that kicked off at 8 a.m. over at the STAR soccer complex, but when the game kicked off, all pre-match frivolities were forgotten as both players and fans set about playing and supporting their colours.

It was the Scorpions that started the brighter of the two sides with a goal at the five-minute mark. From a route one ball up the field that cleared the Pirate defenders at the back, Pablo Campos was awarded the opportunity to lob from inside the box and saw his effort nestle in the back of the goal.

It wasn't the start that Pirate coach Brendan Keyes has envisaged after a four-hour journey to San Antonio, but he gathered his thoughts and passed on some words of wisdom to his players to keep their heads up and play the way they can.

The first half continued with the home side on the ascendancy. It came as no surprise that they added another goal midway through the first period when Javier Saavedra picked up a clearance from the Pirate defence to slot home, doubling the home side's lead.

It could have been a shock to the system for a Pirate team that had only tasted defeat for the first time since October 2011 last weekend. But with their spirits strong and their bodies willing, they would fight on in this match and never give up.

Both sides were finding the going strange as neither squad of players were used to playing on an artificial turf, but this wasn't going to dampen the exuberance of the players as they continued to battle it out in the rain.

As the first half ended and the players went into the break, coach Keyes was quick to point out to the players that they needed to support the defenders more, move the ball about more quickly and keep control of the ball when in possession.

The players seemed to take this advice on board. For the majority of the second period of play, they matched their opponents, but never really threatened the opposing goalie with any venom.

To their credit as well, they shored up the defence and kept their NASL rivals at bay until a last-minute slip-up that allowed the hosts to add a perhaps undeserved third goal to finish the match 3-0 to the Scorpions.

Coach Keyes said afterwards:

We could make loads of excuses about why we lost: the travelling, the delayed kickoff, playing on artificial turf, not having my full squad available, but we won't. We lost fair and square to the better team. They were far better than us in the first half, and we barely registered a shot on goal. The second half we played much better, but, in the end, I think their superior fitness and higher level players just out-classed us. There are no excuses from us. On the day they were just simply a better team than us, but I'd love another chance at a revenge match back up the road in Galveston sometime on our home soil.

This may have been a great workout for the Pirate team and a great coup in terms of kudos in the soccer fraternity to capture a scrimmage match against an NASL side. But the delayed kickoff has hampered the Pirates run up to Sunday's matches against Barracudas and Islanders.

Looking forward, Keyes said:

We have a four hour drive back up to G-town. And then back out tomorrow morning for our first match at 9 a.m. We then have another game in the afternoon, so it's needless to say that the players will be tired, but we'll give it our best shot. We know both these teams will be tough to beat, but for our club and players to progress, we have to push ourselves to the limit and play the best teams around. That's how we improve as individuals and as a squad.

Coach Keyes also wanted to thanks his hosts for the hospitality saying:

After last night's call off to the match, the San Antonio supporters groups asked us round to the headquarters at the Lion and Rose pub which was great. We met some new friends, exchanged scarves and had some food. It relaxed our players and set us up for the match this morning. Our thanks go out to the guys at Crocketteers, Alamo City Ultras and the Lion and Rose.

Marc Roseblade is a contributor for Bleacher Report, NotJustScottishFootball and works with Ayr United Football Academy & Galveston Pirate Soccer Club in PR/Media roles. All quotes are first hand unless otherwise stated.

The U.S. is experiencing a brief soccer boom after beating Italy 1-0 in a friendly on Wednesday, and now is the perfect time to start looking towards the future.

The Nike authentic away jerseys for the 2012-13 season are out, and the look is…well, it’s certainly traditional.

The U.S. Soccer Store has the details on why this jersey is the best one yet:

Built for speed - this lightweight, athletic fit, jersey features a heat transfer crest and Swoosh with ventilated back and sides for superior performance. Authentic jerseys are designed for best fit and performance during competition with the elite athlete in mind. Support the USA with the same jersey they will be wearing during the U.S. Mens National Teams biggest matches in 2012. 100% Dri-FIT Polyester.

The jersey is the solid navy blue color we’ve seen in recent years, and it dominates the front and drapes the entire back. A red, white and blue collar and large black stripe across the middle of the jersey are the big differences.

So, how does the new look grade?

Wow Factor: 2 out of 10

It’s the exact same look as last year’s jersey with the exception being the big stripe across the middle is white, and the Nike swoosh is red instead of black.

I’m fine with keeping relatively the same look in a non-World Cup year, but the first thing I think of when looking at the jersey is certainly not “wow."

Design Factor: 8 out of 10

I love the black stripe much more than the white, and the cool color combination by the neck is a great touch.

The way in which the strip is presented almost looks like you have some sort of book bag strapped over your chest.

Overall Grade: 7 out of 10

They aren’t the coolest uniforms in the world, but navy blue is always a safe bet, and the patch on the chest is big enough to clearly read, yet small enough not to overshadow the rest of the uniform.

It’s never a bad look to represent your country, and the new road look stays true to what fans have grown accustomed to. 

In just over a month, the newest franchise in MLS will play their first home game, but what can we expect from the Montreal Impact?

The club have already sold over 32,000 tickets for their first home game against the Chicago Fire. This news is promising, but will they be able to maintain the interest over the course of a season?

Much of the pressure will be on the shoulders of head coach Jesse Marsch.

Hiring a man with no head coaching experience is a dangerous move for the Impact in their debut season. With 18 months as assistant coach to Bob Bradley in the national setup, Marsch will need to find his feet in the MLS quickly.

The Impact have had a mixed set of results in preseason. They were underwhelming against Houston in a 2-0 defeat but recorded a solid 3-0 victory over a weakened LA Galaxy.

Donovan Ricketts played well in the shutout of his former team, and the Impact will need a big season from the Jamaican 'keeper this season.

His shot-stopping ability is up there with the best in the league. With questions surrounding the goalscoring ability of the team, to have any chance the Impact will need to build from the back.

Montreal has a strong back line, strengthened further with the acquisition of Matteo Ferrari. The former Everton, Roma and Inter Milan central defender can be dominating in the air, and a lack of pace should not be a problem in the US.

Perhaps the best signing that the Impact have made is that of Quebec native Patrice Bernier. The Canadian should give the side a solid platform to build from in the center of the park.

He has a great engine and can break up the play well. While not a goal threat, Bernier gives the club a solid base to build moves around.

His pairing with Davy Arnaud (an attacking threat) could make Montreal's midfield one of the best in the Western Conference.

The biggest drama in the Impact's preseason has surrounded striker Brian Ching.

Ching was Montreal’s first selection in last year's expansion draft, but after some personal problems was given permission to leave and return home to Texas.

Before the draft, Ching threatened to retire if selected by the Impact, but performed a U-turn and reported to the team.

Now a trade looks likely and he could return to the Houston Dynamo in return for a 2013 draft pick.

If Ching does return to Houston, then Montreal will be seriously short of firepower up front.

This will make the height of Justin Braun an important part of Montreal's strategy. In 96 appearances with Chivas USA, Braun netted 24 times. His height and power mean that he has the ability to bring others into play. 

A player who could benefit from this is number one draft pick Andrew Wenger. The versatile former Duke star has been earmarked by Marsch for an attacking role but is just as comfortable in defense.

The Hermann Trophy winner scored 17 goals in 2011 and will be looking to make a major impact in the MLS.

Despite this, Montreal will need to bring a real goal threat in.

The team has been linked to big name forwards Alessandro Del Piero and Louis Saha, but they appear to be nothing more than rumors.

Marsch held talks with Nicolas Anelka, but ultimately lost out to the money of Shanghai Shenhua.

It is all well and good chasing high-profile players, but time is ticking to bolster the squad.

How do you think the Impact will fare in their debut season? Who should they be looking to bring in? Comment below.

It's a week that seems to just be getting better and better for the Pirates. Today we can joyously announce that, after some frantic discussions, a pre-NPSL season friendly match has been arranged with South Texas NASL side the San Antonio Scorpions.

After yesterday's announcement of our partnership with sporting kit supplier Admiral, this tie against the Scorpions shows the advancements our club have made in recent times. And it proves that the Pirates are building a reputation in the Texas soccer fraternity that will only grow.

As the Pirates prepare for the NPSL season to start in May, this will be the biggest match to date for the players and the club. It may also be the sternest test they face this year.

The Scorpions themselves are preparing for the start of their inaugural NASL season. Having only formed in 2010, they have big plans for the future, including a 6,100 seat stadium at the STAR soccer complex that will hopefully be completed by 2013.

Their own preseason will likely to be littered with matches against MLS sides to make sure they are fit and ready for their opening match away against the Atlanta Silverbacks on April 7th.

This match against the Pirates will also be a test for them to prepare for that first all-important competitive match.

Galveston Pirate coach Brendan Keyes said, "This is great news for us. This week just keeps getting better and better for the club. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket for the weekend!

"It shows our ambition that we want to play against the best the state has to offer. We don't want to rest on our laurels and stay still. We want to grow and build a soccer community and franchise that the whole area can get behind and be proud of."

Speaking with a giddiness normally seen in seven-year-olds talking about Santa Claus, he continued, "We are preparing for the NPSL. We have Texas State cup matches to play. We will be playing in the US Open Cup. We just qualified for the last 16 in the Houston Memorial Cup

"We have a great chance of promotion to the Premier League in the HFA league we currently participate in. We signed a five-year deal with soccer apparel supplier Admiral yesterday and now this. It's brilliant. That's why I love this game and why I do it."

"The talks went fast and before I knew it, San Antonio agreed to play us," said the coach.
"It's been a furious day trying to arrange the details and I am over the moon that the Scorpions have been kind enough to fit us into their busy schedule of preseason matches." he said.

The match is to be played at the STAR soccer complex in San Antonio on Friday, March 9th with an 8pm kickoff.

"We understand that it's quite a journey for our supporters to travel, and if any come along to help support us, it would be a great boost for us, but the fact we have the tie at all is boost enough for all involved at the club," Keyes said.

"The players are buzzing for this game now, and if playing for a place in the NPSL team wasn't enough incentive to play well week in week out, this match will add an extra sting in their tail to show their worth."

Friday 9th, March 2012, 8 p.m. Kickoff

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand.

Congratulations to the NSC Minnesota Stars on winning the NASL Championship over the Fort Lauderdale Strikers!

The NSC Minnesota Stars won their first North American Soccer League title against the Strikers on a 3-1 aggregate following a 0-0 draw on Saturday at Lockhart Stadium. Regardless of the rainstorm prior to the match, the Stars weren't going to be denied their NASL Championship. 

After qualifying for the playoffs with a 9-9-10 record, the Stars had to face three of the top four teams in the NASL in their journey of becoming NASL Champions. After defeating the third-seeded FC Tampa Bay 1-0, the Stars thwarted the regular NASL regular season champion Carolina RailHawks from advancing to the NASL Championship Series in a memorable semifinal series. 

In the NASL Championship Series, the Stars faced the hottest-scoring team in the postseason. Prior to facing Minnesota, the Strikers had outscored FC Edmonton and the Puerto Rico Islanders by a combined score of 10-2 in three matches. 

In a series of defense vs. offense, the Stars demonstrated some offensive firepower of their own. In the first leg of the championship series, Minnesota won 3-1 over the Strikers. With the second leg in Florida, the Stars were able to prevent Florida from producing any goals on Saturday night. 

Following the victory, it'll be interesting to see how the monumental win impacts the club in the upcoming months. Currently the Stars are owned by the NASL with the hopes of finding an owner. Time will tell how the Stars' NASL Championship impacts the soccer culture.

“We don’t want to shy away from what we are, and that’s a team that’s owned by the league and looking for the right owner,” Minnesota Head Coach Manny Lagos said in a press release. “I hope the pride we bring back to the state open eyes and gives Minnesotans some pride in this state as a soccer market. We’re looking forward to coming home and sharing this moment with the fans who weren’t able to travel.”

The Stars return to Minnesota at 10:30 a.m. on Monday. Fans are welcome to meet them in Terminal 2 at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport and are also encouraged to attend a championship celebration at Brit’s Pub in downtown Minneapolis starting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

Cesar Diaz is a mild-mannered reporter who writes for several online publications. If there's a soccer topic you believe that needs to be written about, please feel free to contact him. Easily accessible, you may contact him CoveringSoccer@gmail.com and at @Covering Soccer. 

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand.