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Why The Goal Keeper Can Touch The Ball

admin — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

In soccer (or football, as it is called in the majority of the world), most individuals on the field are only able to touch the ball with their legs, chest and head. Arms and the hands are completely off limit, as it is easier to direct the ball with the assistance of hands. Outside of throw ins after the ball goes out of bounds, the players are not able to touch the ball with the hands, outside of the goal keeper.

The goal keeper is the one acceptation to the rules, as they are allowed to touch the ball, as long as they are in the the goal box. This is a marked out box that extends around the goal. Inside this area, the goal keeper is able to touch the ball with the hands. They are granted this privilege because it is their job to protect the goal at all costs. Because it is their one job to protect individuals from scoring, they are given the advantage of using their hands to protect the goal. The goal is so large that if they were not allowed to use their hands it would be nearly impossible to stop the ball.

Why The Clock Counts Up And Not Down

admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Soccer is unique in contrast to other sports. The clock does count down having a set time for how long a period lasts. That means to the extent of maybe 20 minutes for hockey to count down until the next period or 15 minutes for football. With soccer, however, the clock tends to go up instead of down as anything could happen in a soccer game.

The reason for that has to be taken into account is the simple nature that the half way point is not always going to be the same. Normally in a game like football, they can start and stop the clock when the whistles are blown. Same could be said for basketball. In the case of soccer, the referee has the stopwatch and thus has to keep track of time on the field.

There is a chance that there may end up being penalty kicks that would add up the time thus the half does not end. Depending upon how many end up happening can make the difference. The game does not end until the last half has been played. While it may seem different, it is just simply the way the game is played.

Why Player Substitutions Are Sometimes Limited

admin — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Are substitution players sometimes limited? Yes, and there are a multitude of reasons behind this. For starters, substitution players are not the authentic player, so there is going to be obvious set backs to this. Stats are going to be different, even little things that can end up making a big impact, like the way substitution players interact with the team. Each little difference between the original and substitution player all add up to make a total difference that can be spotted from a mile away!

If a team has even one or two substitution players, it can negatively (or positively, but most likely negatively) impact the entire team, the fans, and everyone else involved with the team. Substitution players wouldn’t be subs if they were as good or better than anyone already on the team, after all they are subs.

Limits and set backs can be pretty much endless. If for instance a substitution player is needed as a fill in, they could very well be suffering from a weak join, an injured muscle, or a number of any other ailments that they might not feel obligated to report, because they don’t have a tight relationship with the team.

Understanding The Basic Rules Of Soccer

admin — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Soccer is an easy sport to understand once you learn the basic rules. Here are a few of the most important ones to know:

Soccer matches last 45 minutes. The clock doesn’t stop for injuries, substitituions, or if the ball goes out of play. Overtime periods last 15 minutes. If the game is still tied at the end of overtime, players take turns with penalty kicks to determine the winner.

If the ball goes out of play, it is thrown back in by the team that did not touch the ball last. This is why you will sometimes see players trying to kick the ball off of the other team and out of bounds.

No one can touch the ball with their hands except for goalies and players who are throwing the ball into play. Touching the ball forfeits control of it to the other team. This only applies to deliberate touching of the ball; if a hand or arm accidentally touches the ball, there is no penalty.

If players touch the ball deliberately or aggressively foul another player, the opposite team gets to take a penalty kick. The ball is set up in front of the goal and the team can try and score.

If the ball leaves the field on the short end of the court, by the goals, then it is not thrown in. If the defensive team kicked the ball out, the offense will kick the ball back in from the corner of the field. If the offensive team sent the ball out-of-bounds, the defensive team will kick it down the field from within the goalie’s box.

Only eleven players are allowed on the field per team. In official rules, a limited number of substitutions are allowed, but most youth and casual clubs relax this rule for the enjoyment of players.

United States Men’s National Soccer Team

admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The US men’s soccer team has had an up and down time over the past few years. There have been highs and lows and the sacking of their coach. Hopefully this time will be a learning curve for the players and staff so that they can go to greater heights in the next four or five years.

The World Cup of 2010 was certainly a positive. Landon Donovan scored a great winner against Algeria and they were an extra time period away from beating Ghana and making it to the Quarter Finals.Confused? Here ‘s a little help . They were unlucky during this tournament and if a few refereeing decisions had gone their way, the United States might have been amongst the top 8 nations in the world. They topped a group that contained England, and that is no mean feat.

However, the Gold Cup of this summer was a bitter disappointment. 2-0 up against the Mexicans in California and they let the lead slip. They eventually lost 4-2 and looked hapless in the second half. There was no coordination, no team spirit and no desire to fight back. When the going got tough the Americans disappeared. Eventually the coach was sacked and Jurgen Klinsmann has been brought in as a replacement. Hopefully he will oversee a turnaround in fortunes till the next World Cup in 2014.

Mia Hamm, Most Prolific Female Score Of All Time

admin — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

In her soccer career, Mia Hamm became the most prolific scorer the sport has ever seen. That is saying a lot for a woman who began life with a club foot and corrective shoes. Hamm began playing soccer at a young age and made the United States National Team at the age of 15. She is the youngest ever to make the squad. After graduating, Hamm attended the University of North Carolina and won four NCAA Championships in five years. During her time at North Carolina she scored 103 goals in 95 starts and 100 games overall.

In international play, Mia Hamm was capped 275 times, the second most for any female in history. In those games she scored a total of 158 goals. The 158 goals is a record for any player, man or woman, in international history. In fact, she became the all-time leader in international goals when she scored her 108th in 1999, but continued to extend the lead. Due to her impact on her sport, her nation and the world, Hamm was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2008. In her career she won two World Cup MVP-s and two Olympic Gold Medals.

Can The MLS Compete With Foreign Leagues?

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Soccer has come a long way in America, but the MLS can still not compete with the excitement and fan devotion that exists in the foreign leagues. Part of soccer-s problem in America is that it is not popular; the majority of the stadiums are empty when MLS games are being played. This does not mean the MLS lacks quality and skilled players; there are many high-quality players, and during the off-season they often find themselves playing for teams in Europe. However, without American enthusiasm and devotion it does not matter how many high profile players are playing in the MLS, the league cannot compete with baseball or football, let alone the leagues in Europe.

The experiment to bring David Beckham to the Galaxy was a bid to increase the popularity of the sport in America. It failed miserably. People tuned in for his debit, and that was it. However, in the last World Cup, the underdog American team made a startling and unexpected run. Perhaps the MLS can build on that success. If not, the great players in the MLS will be playing their entire season in the foreign leagues. What athlete wants to play to an empty stand?

Best US Soccer Pubs

admin — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The US isn’t exactly known for its soccer fans but with the World Cup last year viewership is on the rise. Even though you may have a www.direct.tv satellite package that gets you all the games at home you might want to venture out to one of the country’s best soccer pubs if any are nearby. Here are three of our favorites
Brewhouse Caf – Atlanta: Who would have thought one of the best soccer watching locations in the US was in the heart of the South? Brewhouse has all the beer you could ever want on tap and dozens of TVs to watch games on. It’s a great place to take in a match.
The Mad Dog in the Fog – San Francisco: With a name like that, you know it’s got to be a good pub. It’s got a traditional Irish feel and a huge soccer community. If there’s a game on they’re airing it and you should be watching.
The Three Lions – Denver: If you live in CO you may not have a lot of fellow soccer fans but you will when you’re at The Three Lions. Stay for dinner, too.

Why Americans Choose To Play In Foreign Leagues

admin — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Although American soccer is growing in stature and status, many of its top players continue to ply their trade overseas in foreign leagues, most notably in Europe. There are many reasons why this happens, but the two main reasons tend to be money, and quality.

Financially, American professional soccer can not compete with the likes of the English Premiere League, La Liga in Spain, or Italy’s Serie A. Even though foreign stars in the USA like David Beckham get rewarded substantially, this is not the case for the average, or even top flight, home grown players. Even if you are good enough to play for a second tier club in one of the major European countries, your base salary could be double what you would receive in MLS.

Secondly, the quality of European club soccer is arguable the best in the world. Players from every continent and nationality are drawn to the European leagues. If you are a soccer player with ambition, you want to test yourself against the best. By playing with the elite players in the world, you also learn and improve in a way not possible in the USA, and ultimately this helps in improving the standard of the national team.You thought this was good? Brace yourself: Major League Soccer Needs More Spice!

Games Can End In A Tie And Other Rules

admin — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

In order to watch a soccer game and have any idea of what you are watching, it’s important to have a basic grasp on the rules. Here are a short list to clarify any misconceptions.

Number of players
A team can bring 10 outfield players and one goalkeeper onto the pitch. Substitutions allowed in a match vary with the game played. In official matches only 3 substitutions are allowed.

Match Duration
A standard game consists of two 45 minute halves. However, the clock never stops ticking for things like the ball being out of play, injuries, substitutions, etc. To compensate for the lost time, a few minutes of “injury time” is tacked onto the clock at the end of each half.

Offside
Many disagree with the rule and it’s the cause of a lot of complaint and confusion. At the basic level, a player cannot score when offside. If a player is closer to the opponent’s goal than any enemy defender when the ball is past to them, then the player is offside and that team loses the ball.

Ball Out of Play
A ball is considered in play throughout the match’s duration unless it passes a boundary line (goal or touch line), or when play is stopped by a referee for an offence. Substitutions can only be made when the ball is out of play.