Edition: U.S. / Global

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Soccer

Aching Henry and Red Bulls Set for Playoff Opener

By JACK BELL
Thursday's playoff game against Sporting Kansas City could be Thierry Henry's last appearance for the Red Bulls.
Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Thursday's playoff game against Sporting Kansas City could be Thierry Henry's last appearance for the Red Bulls.

Thursday’s game could be Thierry Henry’s last for the Red Bulls, if the team loses and he decides not to extend his contract with Major League Soccer.

Wrestling With a Soccer Dream

By YAEL AVERBUCH

Yael Averbuch describes her bittersweet return to the United States after playing for a club in Cyprus.

Liverpool and Chelsea Win in League Cup Play

By REUTERS

Mario Balotelli led Liverpool past Swansea City, 2-1, and Chelsea edged fourth-tier Shrewsbury Town by the same score.

Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Joe Nasco, right, working this month at a youth goalie clinic, one of the ways he makes extra money to support his family.

Many in M.L.S. Playing Largely for Love of the Game

By ANDREW KEH

As Major League Soccer begins its postseason, it is also readying for labor talks in which a key topic will be player salaries, which lag far behind those in the major professional sports leagues.

At Leeds United, a Bumpy Ride Is Nothing New

By ROB HUGHES

The club that ruled English soccer decades ago is now on its third manager of the young season as it tries to turn things around under an owner known for firing coaches.

Senzo Meyiwa, captain of the South African soccer team, at a game in Johannesburg on Oct. 14.

Senzo Meyiwa, South African Soccer Star, Dies in Shooting

By ALAN COWELL

Mr. Meyiwa, the goalkeeper and captain of the national team, was killed during a robbery attempt at the home of his girlfriend near Johannesburg.

U.S. Women Take Title

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Abby Wambach scored four goals as the World Cup-bound United States defeated Costa Rica, 6-0, in Chester, Pa., for the team’s fifth Concacaf Women’s Championship title.

Chivas U.S.A. played its last match on Sunday.

M.L.S. Shuts Down Chivas USA and Will Start Over in Los Angeles

By ANDREW DAS

The league said a renamed and rebranded team in Los Angeles would return under new ownership in 2017.

Manchester United players left Chelsea players in their wake as they scrambled to celebrate the tying goal by Robin van Persie.

Van Persie Gains Draw for United in Last Minute

By ROB HUGHES

Louis Van Gaal's club showing some spirit in tough 1-1 fight with Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.

Luka Modric has made a difference for Real Madrid.

Balance of Power in Spanish Soccer Shifts to the Capital

By ROB HUGHES

It was not simply that Real Madrid, Europe's reigning champion, outplayed its Catalan foe in the Bernabéu; it was the manner of the victory.

News From A.P. and Reuters »

Seeding the Field
Qatari Soccer Empire Buys a Foothold in Europe
By SAM BORDEN, STEVE EDER, JACK WILLIAMS and CHRISTOPHER HARRESS

Through a program called Aspire Football Dreams, the Qataris had scouted hundreds of thousands of young African players; needing a place where the best youths could play professionally, they found it in a team in a small Belgian town.

Editors' Picks
Sports of The Times
Alecko Eskandarian, the top draft pick in M.L.S. in 2003, led D.C. United to a title in ’04, but later was forced to retire because of multiple head injuries.

FIFA’s Dazed and Dated Attitude

By JULIET MACUR

Soccer’s governing body has taken a misguided approach to concussions in large part because of the sport’s substitution rules, which allow for only three replacements per game.

On Soccer
After a largely successful World Cup, Sepp Blatter, FIFA's president, must face criticism regarding player safety, match-fixing allegations and possible corruption in the bidding process for future Cups.

Ugly Reality Intrudes On World Cup’s Glow

By SAM BORDEN

The 2014 World Cup was a runaway success, but significant issues like match fixing, player safety and the Cup bidding process need to be confronted.

On Soccer
Fans on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro watched the final match between Germany and Argentina.

Success for Brazil, Just Not on the Field

By JERÉ LONGMAN

Its team suffered a humiliating semifinal defeat, but Brazil is taking comfort in its success as host of the World Cup and in its archrival Argentina’s loss in the final.

Biggest Scorer in World Cup? Maybe Univision

By JONATHAN MAHLER

The huge exposure Univision received from the World Cup showed how the growth of America’s Hispanic population has reshaped the media landscape.

The Upshot

Best of the World Cup, From The Upshot

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

A collection of our interactives and analysis.

Multimedia
Interactive Feature
Spot the Ball: The Winning Goal
By THE NEW YORK TIMES

To say goodbye to the 2014 World Cup, we’ve put together a special round of Spot the Ball, featuring five views of that tournament-winning goal by Germany. See if you can guess where the ball went.

Video
After the World Cup, Glory and Heartache

Soccer fans in Berlin and Buenos Aires during the final match of the World Cup.

Photographs
The Redeemer’s View of Rio
Photographs by ALEXANDRA GARCIA

A panoramic view of the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Lens Blog
Soccer in Brazil, and Outside the World’s Glare
By DAVID GONZALEZ

Mauricio Lima went to remote villages, up the river and even to a prison, to document his countrymen’s passion for the sport, as well as their lives, during the World Cup.

Times Journeys