*FIFA WORLD CUP TROPHY TOUR May 2nd at UH Intramural fields brought to you by Coke, get special edition World Cup can at FIESTA and get in for free…

*May 13 Mexico vs. Angola at Reliant Stadium

*May 1 Dynamo vs. Kansas City Wizards at Robertson Stadium

I am still reeling of the efficiency of the Inter Milan performance yesterday. At 1-0 Barcelona who would have predicted that result?
Wesley Sneijder continues to impress week in and week out for Inter Milan. Seems strange yet interesting that no English teams are in the semi-finals.
Chalk another one up to “the special one” Jose Mourinho!
Bayern Munich vs. Lyon today brings interest and how can it not with Frenchman Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben in the team. Robben hit for a hat trick against Steve Cherundolo and Hannover this past weekend. Amazingly, Hannover had shocked Schalke the weekend before. Go figure?
Catch the game today on FSC at 1:30pm.

Taped both Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis on Fox Sports Houston presented by Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute yesterday at Rice University and then in the evening the Dynamo monthly show on KHOU 11.2 that is in more of a studio setting. Lots of interesting talk with Dominic Kinnear on the Chicago Fire and some of their individuals like Patrick Nyarko and Justin Mapp who can bring width and mobility to their attack, legend Brian McBride who came off the bench last week against DC United and of course Collins John who formerly played at Fulham with McBride. Marco Pappa is another player that comes to mind and can change a game with decisions that he makes on the ball. The Dynamo and Fire always play interesting games and Kinnear mentioned that he loves going to Toyota Park in Bridgeview.
Catch the Dynamo vs. Fire on Khou 11.2 Saturday night at 7:30 pm.

LOCAL NOTES
Congratulations to Dina Graves and the Woodlands High School womens squad that won the State 5A Title. Graves was a guest on Soccer Matters showing off the state championship trophy……Condolences to Ron and Edith Morehead at Soccer Time in Pasadena, Ron’s mother recently passed. The duo have been running their soccer store since I came here in 84 to play professional soccer. No lie! They have been great assets to our soccer community.

TWITTER: Soccermattersgd

Twitter: Soccermattersgd and Foxsportshouston.com for additional notices, insights and thoughts. Great radio last night on Sportstalk790 aided by you the fan!!

INTER MILAN vs. BARCELONA today at 1:30 on FSC

Inter Milan manager Jose ” The Special One” Mourinho is playing down the possible advantage his side might have today because of Barcelona’s crazed travel schedule.
The superstars of Barcelona had to go by land to get to Italy due to air travel restrictions due to the ash cloud over Europe from an Icelandic volcano. A 600 mile bus soujourn got Lionel Messi and company into Milan. The squad took an overnight stop in Cannes after leaving Sunday night and arrived in Northern Italy on Monday.
No one knows where 40 goal scorer Lionel Messi will line up for Barcelona while Inter is toying with thought that Maicon could be moved into midfield to meet the Barcelona strength head on.
Both teams will look to position themselves favorably for the second leg in Barcelona.

PODCAST IS UP
The podcast of Dynamo All Access is up on Sports790.com, interviews include Dynamo players Cory Ashe and Lovel Palmer. Coach Dominic Kinnear also weighs in with thoughts on the Chicago Fire (whom I could not get any player on the show with Monday being an off day for the Fire), Thomas Rongen U20 National team coach also on the show and stated that over 400 U.S. players are scattered throughout the world and our potential national team candidates. Interesting facts, Rongen also reminds us that clubs from around the world see value in U.S. players and as we know here in South Texas, Mexican league scouts are all over the place.

FIFA WORLD CUP TOUR MAY 2nd at UH from 2-8 pm, see the actual World Cup trophy for free if you pick up a special edition Coke can at FIESTA!!!!!
Houstondynamo.com for tickets for upcoming games against Kansas City and FC Dallas plus tickets also available at FIESTA ticketmaster locations.

Dynamo at Chicago Saturday night at 7:30 pm on KHOU 11.2

Dynamo All Access with Glenn Davis on Fox Sports Houston tonight from 7-9pm on Sports Talk 790 AM…call in number 713-212-5790 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              713-212-5790      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, guests to be announced during the day plus ticket giveaways on tonight’s show……

FIFA WORLD CUP TROPHY TOUR……the World Cup trophy has been on a 225 day, 83 country, 83,274 mile journey (three times the circumference of the earth) and will arrive on May 4th in South Africa. Guess where it is on May 2nd? Right here in Houston at the University of Houston intramural fields from 2-8 pm…This is an amazing moment for you to see the trophy and have your photo taken with it.
Get a special edition Coke can at FIESTA and you get in for free. I don’t know about you but I have World Cup fever and am looking forward to calling the World Cup on Espn radio.

MEXICO vs. ANGOLA at Reliant Stadium on May 13th will give those who are not going to South Africa a great taste of what it may be like. I believe this will be a big night of soccer celebration in Houston. What is not for us to celebrate? We have the Dynamo moving into a new stadium and new practice facility, international matches at both Robertson and Reliant, the MLS All Star game in July with Manchester United coming to Houston (not confirmed yet but it seems to be a matter of time), the World Cup this summer in South Africa, plus amazing finishes in the Champions League, EPL, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1 , Bundesliga, and Mexico. So much soccer and so little time, don’t blink your eye, you might miss something.
By the way, I will be doing a trivia contest here on glenndavissoccer.com and will be giving tickets away courtesy of FIESTA to the Mexico/Angola match so be ready!!!!!!

DYNAMO POST GAME RADIO CALL IN SHOW

I was watching college game day awhile back and saw the crowd that generated around the commentators . I also knew that the Dynamo needed a post game radio show where fans could call in and talk the sport while still in the emotional connection of the result, where the result was still raw and fresh. Other sports do post game call in shows , why not us? So talking with the Dynamo the post game show was born and I want to thank all that come out to hear the radio show and get that amazing opportunity to get autographs from all the Dynamo players. If you have not had a chance to catch the post game radio call in show sponsored by San Jacinto College in the Continental Airlines autograph alley outside the Dynamo locker room then head over after the game.
It is a fun time, sometimes I give things away and you can get up close and personal with the players while listening to thoughts on the game from fans who call in!!!
I am hoping that other teams around MLS can take the cue and create this additional value at the stadium for fans post game, not to mention that it is another way to attract sponsors. It is a great platform for the fans!!!

NEPHEW WEIGHS IN
My 10 year old nephew weighed in on his first experience to Red Bull Arena to see the Red Bulls defeat FC Dallas 2-1 on a pair of goals from, as my nephew calls him, Angel. Not ON-GEL but Angel according to him. He may not have the pronounciation correct (I am working on that but being called an Angel is not a bad thing) but I am glad he has picked out a great player to model. The 11 year old gives the stadium a major thumbs up!!!!! I have also told him that if his parents don’t get him season tickets, that his Uncle will. The pressure is now firmly on my sister to produce the goods.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
*Don’t miss BARCELONA vs. INTER MILAN tomorrow at 1:30, please don’t miss this game….Wednesday it is Bayern Munich vs. Lyon

Notable quote:

“I’m personally very sorry that the World Cup is this year, in 2010, because ten is my lucky number and I wish I could play!” ~Pele

Soccer fans don’t forget tomorrow night radio DYNAMO ALL ACCESS WITH GLENN DAVIS in SPORTS 790 AM……..Call in number 713-212-5790 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              713-212-5790      end_of_the_skype_highlighting….

FIFA WORLD CUP TROPHY AT UH on May 2 brought to you by Coca Cola and FIESTA. Get your picture with the World Cup trophy that has been traveling around the world and makes only one of two stops in the U.S. in Houston. The event lasts from 2-8 pm at the UH intramural fields and you can get in free by purchasing a special edition World Cup Coke can at FIESTA…..a rare opportunity.

DYNAMO 3 Chivas Usa 0

Scoring summary:

Dynamo: Geoff Cameron 12th minute
Lovel Palmer 30th minute
Dominic Oduro 65th

A much needed confidence building result from the Dynamo yesterday at Robertson Stadium that saw a great collective effort . It was great to see the smiles on fans and players alike but more importantly it was three vital points in the Western Conference and the Dynamo only trail LA who got a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake to go 4-0. Some thoughts:

* CHANGES EFFECTIVE- The changes coach Dominic Kinnear made in the end were very influential. Lovel Palmer covered ground as a holding midfielder, linked up play, allowed others to attack and played with a smile on his face. Oh and did I mention that he introduced himself to the Robertson faithful and fans across MLS with a 35 yard blast!!
Cory Ashe deserves alot of credit for bringing pace and width to the team on the right side of the field, his efforts helped to temper the potential of Jonathan Bornstein getting forward for Chivas USA who was not influential. The wide effort from the Dynamo with Mike Chabala and Brad Davis on the left side helped to create space and take pressure off players that were central like Geoff Cameron.
Brian Mullan was an industrious workhorse and could hardly walk as he came out to sign autographs post game. His constant pressure on the Chivas USA backs helped to wear them down both mentally and physically, lots of unsung work here.

*A MIDFIELD OF CONVICTION
This was the best midfield performance of the year and the Dynamo asserted themselves from the start with the player changes of Palmer and Ashe plus an excellent day of ball possession. With this they controlled and dictated the game. The Dynamo back four based on what was going on in front of them looked much more assured and confident and made all the right choices not to mention were allowed to stay in a nice tight line, positionally sound. A solid working midfield is the basis for success at the back and up front.

*GOALS DURING THE RUN OF THE PLAY
The Dynamo have looked less than dangerous during the run of the play prior to yesterday afternoon where all three goals came during the run of the play.

*TIMELY GOALS- 12 minutes in from Cameron and 20 minutes in from Palmer shocked a Chivas USA team that were tamed into kittens. They have lost alot of personality in Jesse Marsch, Paulo Nagumura and former coach Preki.

*TIMELY SAVE- Pat Onstad produced the one big save he needed early in the second half when Sacha Klejstan got in behind the Dynamo, the Onstad stretch pushed the shot wide.
A goal there and the game may have changed.

*CELEBRATIONS are fun…Nice to see the great celebration from Lovel Palmer hoisted in the air after his long range bomb, what a debut as a starter!
Dominic Oduro celebrated his tap in after a great run from Brad Davis and Dynamo build up by juggling his hot stove shoe.

Next up the Chicago Fire next Saturday on KHOU 11.2, if you want to catch a rewind of the Dynamo/Chivas USA game you can do so on KHOU 11.2 Monday night 8pm

*DO NOT MISS THE ROME DERBY TODAY
Roma and Lazio tangle today in the Rome Derby and this one has implications as Roma is trying to steal the Serie A title from Inter, catch it at 1:30 on FSC

* THE RACE NOT OVER IN ENGLAND
I know Chelsea fans were in party mode after they beat Manchester United at Old Trafford but put down the beer mug for a minute. This is not over after a late header in stoppage time from Paul Scholes pulled out a 1-0 win over rivals Manchester City in the Mancurian Derby. That coupled with a Chelsea 2-1 loss to Tottenham at White Hart Lane has kept the race alive . Don’t forget, United have to play Tottenham while Chelsea has an ever important trip to Liverpool. Both Spurs or Liverpool could play spoilers.

FIESTA Smart Soccer Tips with Glenn Davis available at Soccer 4 All, Soccer Depot in Katy, Soccer Time in Pasadena

FIFA World Cup trophy tour at University of Houston Intramural fields May 2 brought to you by Coca Cola

Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis on Fox Sports Houston brought to you by MEMORIAL HERMANN SPORTS MEDICINE INSTITUTE

DYNAMO VS. CHIVAS USA TODAY AT 3PM ROBERTSON STADIUM (KHOU 11.2, TELEFUTURA)

Chivas Usa come off their first win of the season over the New York Red Bulls 2-0 behind and own goal and a stoppage time hit from Jesus Padilla.
One fact remains, Chivas USA has never won at Robertson Stadium posting an 0-6-2 lifetime record and hoping to break that jinx today.
Chivas USA clearly resembles a Mexican league team and likes to keep possession and pass the ball in tight areas. They will be challenged by the Dynamo pressure and the tight confines at Robertson Stadium and I am curious if they stay in a 4-4-2 or they decide to pack bodies in midfield and play a 4-5-1 with Chucky Chijindu up front?
The Dynamo come off a mistake filled loss to the LA Galaxy last weekend but improved their energy in the 2nd half going to a 3-4-2 set up that brought some urgency.
Expect changes today in the Dynamo lineup as coach Dominic Kinnear needs to shake things up a bit as the squad has failed to look good in midfield and must begin to produce chances during the run of the play.
Three out of four Dynamo strikers are not available so all indications place Brian Mullan up front to partner Dominic Oduro which means the Dynamo will be lacking that traditional striker- type without Brian Ching (whom I saw back training yesterday doing ball work) and Cam Weaver who has a knee problem. Will they have to play differently to get the ball into the feet of these two strikers? Can Oduro and Mullan hold the ball up front? Will the Dynamo not be so over-reliant on playing to their speedy striker Oduro over the top.
Better ball possession could play apart in all of the above questions.
The midfield should be re-aligned a bit and could see Cory Ashe get a start in the place of Mullan and Jamaican Lovel Palmer filling into the holding midfield role that Richard Mulrooney as vacated due to injury.
Who can forget the 2006 playoff thriller between these two teams when the Dynamo ousted the Bob Bradley led Chivas USA squad with a fight breaking out at the end of the match.
The Dynamo would go on to win the 2006 MLS Cup.

Twitter: Soccermattersgd

Couple of quick notes:

Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis airs today on Fox Sports Houston at 11:30 am and features an interview with Dynamo midfielder Lovel Palmer, top ten goals, viewer mail and a review of the Barcelona/Real Madrid Classico…..

Dynamo vs. Chivas USA Saturday at 3pm at Robertson Stadium, note the 3pm start for television. Tickets at HoustonDynamo.com and Fiesta Ticketmaster locations..This is an important night to pick up Western Conference points. Expect a bit of a lineup shake-up from the Dynamo after producing little danger during the run of the play in the last two games.
Chivas USA got a goal from Jesus Padilla and an own goal (shot from Padilla) courtesy of New York goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul.

World Cup trophy tour at University of Houston intramural fields on May 2. Get your photo with the actual World Cup trophy courtesty of Coca Cola. Free admission with a special World Cup Coke can that you can pick up at supermarkets including FIESTA!!

May 13th the Mexican National team takes on Angola at Reliant Stadium, this will be a World Cup Celebration and the closest thing you can get to a World Cup feel without going to South Africa. A full house sends a message to World Cup Committee about Houston as a potential World Cup host if the U.S. gets the Cup in 2018 and 2022. Common knowledge says it is going to Europe in 2018. And it is not to early to plan to hit the All Star Game at Reliant Stadium in July as the word has Manchester United taking on the MLS All Stars.
Man U is also said to be going to Guadalajara to open the new Estadio Chivas Stadium next summer. I intend on being at both!!! Did I mention that Estadio Chivas will be an artificial surface? Ugggh. What a disappointment from Chivas and owner Jorge Vergara, this will be spun in a number of different ways but in the end is to save money on maintenance and upkeep plus provide a facility that will welcome concerts and other events. The only saving grace is that the style of football in Mexico is based on keeping the ball on the ground and possession but it will effect the game irregardless……purists, time for your thoughts?
Meanwhile a thumbs up for Toronto FC who changed their field to grass as evidenced last night on the Espn2 broadcast of Toronto and Philadelphia, Toronto got a 2-1 win with both goals coming from former Dynamo Dwayne DeRosario off a free kick (horribly played by Chris Seitz who right now is good for a mistake a game in goal for Philly) and a penalty kick.
Maybe the MLS Cup final being there helped the cause of going from turf to grass but teams must alleviate as much pounding and wear and tear on their players as possible. After all, they are assets right? The Dynamo have already been beaten up by poor training facilities forcing a change of training venue to Rice University. Dynamo striker Cam Weaver missed the last game and will miss this weekend due to twisting a knee on the poor surface. That has to drive a manager nuts as every game and points have large value!!!

Joseph Ngwenya signed with the Dynamo this past Tuesday and fans will remember his final game at the 2007 MLS Cup where he scored the first Dynamo goal in their comeback win over the NE Revolution. The second goal was the infamous Brad Davis to Dwayne DeRosario header. The Dynamo have to get Ngwenya’s international transfer certificate from his last club Antalyaspor in Turkey. The Dynamo are hoping to get his paperwork sorted out by the weekend in time for the Dynamo /Chivas USA match.
Ngwenya as you know can play both up front and in midfield…..The Dynamo are struggling with strikers injured and could put Brian Mullan up front .

Manchester City and Manchester United play in their derby match this weekend at 6:30Am om Espn 2. This is a can’t miss match as City are fighting for a place in the Champions League and United of course are chasing Chelsea now for the title. Early morning EPL viewing and then on to the Dynamo in the afternoon!!! Can’t beat that!!

LANDON supports Buddle and Gomez……Lots of concern around the U.S. striker position ahead of the World Cup but Landon Donovan just spoke out in support of in form strikers Edson Buddle of the LA Galaxy and Herculez Gomez currently playing for Puebla. Buddle has five goals in three games while Gomez has hit 8 times in Mexico mostly in a reserve role. Could we see U.S. manager Bob Bradley bring in either of these strikers who have limited national team appearances? He apparently has made contact with Gomez and has told him he is keeping an eye on him. Minutes are counting towards the World Cup.

Twitter: Soccermattersgd………..

Catch SOCCER MATTERS with GLENN DAVIS tonight on FOX SPORTS HOUSTON brought to you by MEMORIAL HERMANN SPORTS MEDICINE INSTITUTE at 5pm

Dynamo midfielder Lovel Palmer is a guest and will give this thoughts on representing Jamaica, signing with the Dynamo and Bob Marley and Peter Tosh in the world of reggae.
Interesting viewer email, top ten goals from around the world plus former players with Houston ties making their mark.

Twitter: Soccermattersgd

DYNAMO vs. CHIVAS USA this Saturday…get your ticktets at Houstondynamo.com

FIFA WORLD CUP TROPHY TOUR, May 2nd at UH Intramural Fields presented by Coca Cola from 2-8pm, get your picture with the most famous trophy on the planet. Free admission with a special edition World Cup Coke can available at FIESTA!!!!

MEXICO vs. ANGOLA May 2nd at RELIANT STADIUM, get your shot of WORLD CUP atmosphere on a night where a sell-out crowd could go a long way in helping secure World Cup matches here in 2018 or 2022………Of course if the WORLD CUP is awarded to the United States……

What is on your soccer mind?

Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis on Fox Sports Houston brought to you by Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute…Thursday at 5pm, features Lovel Palmer Dynamo midfielder on playing with Dynamo, against Argentina for Jamaica and reggae greats Bob Marley and Peter Tosh………

DYNAMO VS. CHIVAS USA and note the time!!!
The Dynamo take on Chivas USA this Saturday at 3pm, yes 3pm. Get your tickets at Houstondynamo.com
Something tells me there will be great energy at this game after the positive stadium announcement from yesterday. Will the Dynamo lineup change on Saturday?
What are your thoughts?

MAY 2 FIFA WORLD CUP TROPHY IN HOUSTON !!!!

This is one not to be missed by soccer fans. The FIFA WORLD CUP TROPHY will be at the University of Houston intramural fields from 2-8 at an interactive festival. Soccer fans can get into this event free by getting a special edition COCA COLA World Cup can at FIESTA . Get your camera ready and don’t miss out on getting your photo taken with the WORLD CUP.

MAY 13th MEXICO COMES TO RELIANT STADIUM

Mexico will take on Angola at May 13 at Reliant Stadium. If you are not headed to South Africa then this will be the closest thing that you get to a World Cup celebration. Fans who come out to this game will make a statement for the city of Houston as a potential World Cup city in 2018 or 2022 provided the U.S. wins the World Cup bid.

The Harris County Commissioners unanimously approved an agreement Tuesday for a 20,000 seat stadium in partnership with MLS and the City of Houston.
Houston City council had approved it last week.
Sit back, take a deep breathe and revel in what is an outstanding and exciting moment. Oliver Luck and the Dynamo deserve great credit for staying steadfast to the political process and never leaving the idea of having the stadium in downtown on stadium row. As most know, it was the only place for professional soccer in this town.
Soccer fans who rallied and who showed up at commissioners court and other open political forums deserve major applause for they helped to bring awareness to the political vein and the public!
The stadium will be owned jointly by the city and the country and the Dynamo will be responsible for stadium operations.
So what are you doing to celebrate this great moment that will see MLS in a soccer specific stadium come 2012?

Based on comments from Dynamo manager Dominic Kinnear on tonight’s Dynamo All Access with Glenn Davis, it looks as though Joseph Ngwenya will be signed in the coming days. Ngwenya scored a goal in the 2007 MLS Cup Final at RFK Stadium to help the squad secure their second title. Ngwenya has been on trial in Houston since last Thursday and last played overseas in Turkey.

WORLD CUP TROPHY COMING TO HOUSTON COURTESY OF COCA COLA

May 2nd the World Cup trophy will be at UH on the intramural fields. The event is free to the public if you get a special edition World Cup can of Coke at FIESTA. The event goes from 2-8 pm and soccer fans should not miss this amazing opportunity to see the World Cup trophy and have your photo taken.

MEDIA MISSES DONOVAN CONNECTION

Where was the coverage and insight on Landon Donovan during the past week? Mainstream media in Houston totally missed on his recent connection to the English Premier League and performances for Everton against such prestigious clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. On top of that, Donovan will lead the United States at the World Cup in South Africa which is a global event.
Donovan can be heard on this week and last week’s podcast on Sports Talk 790, click podcasts, click Glenn Davis. He recounts being ill the night before the Manchester United game with his father in town, reflects on how he reacted to unexpectedly being named in the starting 11 by manager David Moyes after being overseas only 11 days. He also applauds the fans for recognizing more than just scoring goals when it came to contributing.

PODCAST IS UP AT SPORTSTALK790.com

Claudio Reyna gets a great platform on this show to talk player development as he was recently named a U.S. Youth Soccer Technical Director. Can he make an impact? Take a listen and tell me what you think?
Lovel Palmer talks Dynamo, Richard Mulrooney and Bob Marley while Dominic Kinnear talks Galaxy, Chivas and what is next for the Dynamo.
Jesus Padilla of Chivas USA formerly played for Chivas in Mexico and talks about the differences in the leagues.
Go to Sportstalk790.com, click podcasts, click Glenn Davis
Thoughts on this program and who you want interviewed in the future! For those who have soccer related stories or things of interest that could fit on these shows, email me at gdavis98@swbell.net, who knows, your story could make the shows….

Twitter: Soccermatters gd