Soccer's elite to play in city
FA Cup runners up will meet unnamed opponent in July
BY CURTIS STOCK, THE EDMONTON JOURNALJUNE 2, 2009 7:56 AMCOMMENTS (2)
STORYPHOTOS ( 1 )
Everton's Louis Saha plays against Chelsea in Saturday's FA Cup final.
Photograph by: Adrian Dennis, Agence France-Presse, Getty Images, The Edmonton Journal
Local soccer fans will get a chance to watch two of the top professional teams in the world next month.
Everton, the English Premier League side, who narrowly lost in the FA Cup final to Chelsea last Saturday, has signed a contract to play an exhibition game at Commonwealth Stadium on July 25, according to sources.
Everton's opponent has not yet been named, but Mike Traficante, the past present of the Alberta Soccer Association and current technical director for the Canadian Soccer Association, said on Monday that organizers are trying to secure a top team from Argentina.
The July game is meant to be the centrepiece of the 100th anniversary of the provincial association.
"It's a huge achievement for us," said Fred Kern, its current president, adding that it's also a huge opportunity for Edmontonians and Albertans to see some of the world's best professional players in action.
Earlier this year, it was expected Italian league champion Inter Milan was going to be the showcase team to play in Edmonton. Those plans, however, unravelled.
Everton is comparable to Inter, but given their narrow 2-1 loss to Chelsea in this past weekend's FA Cup Final, may have a higher profile.
"I'm more than excited. This is like having dessert," said Kern. "They (Everton) are one of the best teams in the world."
Kern said Mel Kowalchuk, president of the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League, of which the Edmonton Drillers belong, was putting it all together.
When contacted on Monday, however, Kowalchuk, said: "Given what happened with Inter Milan, I'd rather not say anything."
Traficante, who is also instrumental in getting the game for Edmonton, said: "My understanding is that what was signed with Inter Milan was a letter of intent, but this one is the real contract."
Inter Milan is also playing three other games in North America from July 19 to July 26 and did not want to play a fourth game.
A press conference to announce the July 25 Everton game in Edmonton is expected in the next few days.
Everton, which got to the FA Cup Final by defeating Manchester United, was missing three of their top players when they lost to Chelsea on Saturday -- midfielder Mike Arteta and key strikers Phil Jagielka and Yakubu Ayegbeni.
Ayegbeni joined Everton for a club-record fee, the equivalent of $20.2 million Cdn. He was the first Everton player to score more than 20 goals in an English Premier League season since 1992.
Jagielka was named Everton's player of the season as well as the player's player of the season.
In the 2-1 loss to Chelsea, Louis Saha scored the fastest goal in FA Cup final history -- just 25 seconds into the match.
Other top players for Everton include keeper Tim Howard, midfielder Tim Cahill, captain Phil Neville, the former United midfielder who has six Premiership titles, three FA Cups, a Champions League winner's medal and a World Club Cup title, and youngster Marouane Fellaini.
Everton has maintained a place in the Premier League since its inception in 1922.
cstock@thejournal.canwest.com
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