Soccer Watch
UT women begin conference play, and more
By Nick Barbaro, Fri., Sept. 23, 2011
The UT women open their Big 12 schedule this weekend, hosting the two weakest teams in the conference on paper: Baylor and Iowa State. At 6-2, the Horns have looked more potent on the attack than they have in a long time. Against some pretty good opposition, they've scored at least one goal in every game and hold a 19-7 overall goal differential. They'll be trying to light up the scoreboard against Baylor, Friday, Sept. 23, 7pm (free for police, fire, EMS, military), and Iowa State, Sunday, Sept. 25, 1pm (food drive: donate five canned goods and get a UT polo shirt). Both games: $2 admission for all teachers and guests, advance sale only. Call 232-3865 by noon Friday. Mike A. Myers Stadium, 707 Clyde Littlefield Dr.
The St. Edward's women dropped all the way to 19th in the nation after losing their first game of the season, 2-0, to Central Oklahoma. They open Heartland Conference play this week on the road at UT-Permian Basin and Newman.
The USA women are back in action, following their memorable World Cup Final loss to Japan; they play Canada, Thursday, Sept. 22, 10pm, ESPN2... And the European Champions League is in action Sept. 27-28; Fox Soccer Channel will have Manchester United vs. Basel Tuesday, and Valencia-Chelsea Wednesday, both at 1:45pm.
Faced with a ban on all spectators after fans swarmed the field during a recent game, Turkish giant Fenerbahçe instead got permission to ban men only, and some 45,000 women and children attended Tuesday's game against Manisaspor in Istanbul. Both teams tossed flowers at the fans before the game, and the visiting team was greeted with applause, instead of the usual jeering, "which perplexed the footballers," reports National Turk magazine. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, and the club's popular (but jailed) chairman issued a statement thanking the team's female fans.
