Video: Manchester United vs. Orlando Pirates Highlights (Pre-season Friendly)

Here’s footage on Lee Martin’s goal for Manchester United during their July 22nd, 2008 pre-season friendly against Orlando Pirates in South Africa. Martin’s goal proved to be the winner as a young United side held on to their 1-0 lead until the final whistle.

This week's arrivals at soccer.com

soccer.com now has the new Liverpool FC, Manchester United and Rangers FC shirts for the 2008-09 season. Check them out via the links below. They’ve also got their Summer Clearance Sale going on. ENJOY!

soccer.com Free Shipping Code – 1FREEFOOT. Valid until August 31, 2008 for orders of $50 or more.

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Marseille 2008 Day 6 / First Round Wrap Up

The quarter-final lineup for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Marseille 2008 is now set. The knockout round starts on July 24th, 2008 and will feature the match-ups below.

– France vs. Italy
– Portugal vs. Uruguay
– Argentina vs. Spain
– Brazil vs. Russia

Groups C and D completed their action today with absolutely no surprises. Here’s a summary of today’s games:

Amarelle fires Spain into quarters: Spain 6 – Japan 1
Spain overcame a brave early challenge from Japan to win 6-1 and move into the last eight. The result ended the Asians’ participation in the event.

Minici completes maximum return: Argentina 3 – Cameroon 0
The already-qualified Argentina became the first side to progress with maximum points after a Facundo Minici hat-trick sunk Cameroon.

Dominant Russia march on: Russia 5 – UAE 0
Russia emerged victorious in their winner-takes-all match with United Arab Emirates to march into the knockout phase as Group C runners-up.

Brazil 5 – Mexico 1
Benjamin scored three goals, including two piledrivers from distance, to help Brazil cruise to victory over Mexico and advance as Group D winners.

Highlights are available on the FIFA website at this link. These are the final Round 1 standings from the tournament.

Video: FC Bayern München / Bayern Munich adidas 2008-09 Away and UEFA Champions Leagues Kits / Jerseys / Trikots

Lukas Podolski, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm and Tim Borowski will have felt a strong sense of deja-vu as they stepped onto the catwalk in Bayern’s brand-new kit for 2008-9. The background music was Seven Nations Army singing “The white stripes“, the official Euro 2008 pre-match anthem which Klose, Podolski, Lahm and company last heard on 29 June ahead of the tournament final in Vienna.

The occasion on Tuesday was the official unveiling of the club’s new away and Champions League strips at the Allianz Arena, in a show staged by premium partner and equipment supplier adidas. “Both kits are wonderfully successful,” commented head coach Jürgen Klinsmann.

All of the 2008/09 FC Bayern München / Bayern Munich shirts and shorts are now available at World Soccer Shop. Click here to go to the World Soccer Shop FC Bayern München / Bayern Munich store.

Podolski thrilled by new kit

“It’s a fantastic shirt – no need to say anything more than that,” commented Podolski, kitted out along with summer signing Tim Borowski in the new all-white European strip. Schweinsteiger and Lahm modelled the away kit in a brand new shade of dark navy. “It’s very special. I’ve never played in a colour like this before,” remarked Lahm.

Bayern will thus go in search of away Bundesliga points in deepest blue, although the Reds reckon their new kit has nothing whatsoever in common with the colour favoured by city rivals, the Blues of TSV 1860. “We went for this colour because we thought it was fantastic,” commented general manager Uli Hoeneß.

Bayern inspired by United

“Manchester United, whose club colours are red and white, have a similar range of kit. And they have fierce local rivals who play in light blue, namely Manchester City. That was always somewhere in the back of our minds, and when adidas showed us this kit, we fell in love with the colour. And now, here it is,” Hoeneß continued, going on to shed some light on the selection process for a new kit.

“adidas present us with a recommendation, which we discuss at board level. We then share our thoughts with the coach and fan club representatives.“ In the current case, 13 months passed between the first presentation and the kit becoming available in fan shops.

Bayern boast four stars

Bayern have now worn adidas kit for the last 40 years. Some years ago, the Herzogenaurach-based sports equipment manufacturer took a ten percent stake in holding company FC Bayern München AG. “It’s a perfect partnership, even more intense now that it ever has been, and characterised by huge mutual trust,” commented chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

A new design element on both shirts as presented on Tuesday, and also on the existing red-and-white hooped home shirt, is a fourth star above the club crest, uniquely allocated to Bayern as the sole club to have won the Bundesliga title on 20 occasions. “It’s something we’re very proud of,” commented Rummenigge, “I don’t believe any other club will make it even as far as three stars in the next decade.“

Video: West Bromwich Albion vs. FC Köln Highlights (Pre-season Friendly)

July 19, 2008: West Bromwich Albion paid the price for a miserable first-half display as they ended their pre-season tour of Holland and Germany with a second successive defeat.

The Baggies struggled to contain the Bundesliga new boys’ intelligent forward play and conceded four times in the opening 38 minutes.
Nemanja Vucicevic opened the scoring after just 56 seconds before further strikes from Milivoje Novakovic and Fabrice Ehret sandwiched a Roman Bednar own goal to put FC Koln firmly in charge in Euskirchen.

Substitute Craig Beattie bagged a consolation goal 14 minutes from time.