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Thursday, November 6, 2008
Chicago Fire vs NE Revolution
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BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire took full advantage of all of their opportunities Thursday and defeated the New England Revolution 3-0, winning their Eastern Conference Semifinal Series by the same score.
After playing the Revolution to a 0-0 tie in the first game of the series last Thursday at Gillette Stadium, the Fire got a goal and an assist from midfielder Chris Rolfe and maintained their domination over the Revolution in the 2008 MLS season.
In three regular season meetings, the Fire won all three games by a total score of 9-1.
Defenders Wilman Conde and Gonzalo Segares also scored for the Fire, which advance to play either Columbus or Kansas City in the Eastern Conference Championship next Thursday.
Fire coach Denis Hamlett used his anticipated lineup, the same he used to start the game at Gillette Stadium last week. That lineup included MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Jon Busch, Most Valuable Player nominee Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Defender of the Year nominee Bakary Soumare.
The Revolution made one change to the team that played in the first leg. Defender Chris Tierney suffered a knee injury and did not even make the trip to Chicago. He was replaced by Amaechi Igwe.
The Fire had the first good scoring opportunity, coming in the fourth minute on a corner kick. Rolfe collected the service standing at the top right corner of the box and his one-time shot was stopped by defender Michael Parkhurst, standing on the line at the right post.
The Revolution earned the game's first yellow card in the seventh minute when defender Chris Albright pulled down midfielder Justin Mapp from behind before Mapp could release the ball on a two-on-one counter.
There were other scoring opportunities for the Fire in the first half, including a nice rolling cross by Mapp to Segares inside the box. Segares placed a soft redirect on the ball but it slid outside the right post.
In the 36th minute, Revolution midfielder Jeff Larentowicz was injured on a hard tackle by Fire midfielder John Thorrington, who earned a yellow card for his foul. He needed attention and had to leave the field, replaced by Pat Phelan.
The Revolution's best scoring chance came in the 43rd minute on a corner kick that midfielder Shalrie Joseph, who was battling a knee injury of his own, headed straight into Busch's chest from near the penalty mark.
In stoppage time, there was hard contact out wide left of the Revolution goal but referee Jair Marrufo let play continue, and the Fire took advantage. Blanco ended up with the ball outside the left side of the penalty area, dribbled between two defenders and fired a shot toward the far post, forcing Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis to extend himself.
Reis made the save at full stretch but could control the rebound, and the ball bounced out to the top right corner of the 6-yard box where Rolfe had an easy tap-in goal into the near corner.
The second half was immediately hard-fought, as the Revolution were called for tripping fouls twice in the first two minutes. The second one resulted in a free kick from 23 yards out, beyond the left corner of the area.
Mapp put in the outswinging service and defender Conde got inside Phelan for a header into the left corner of the net and the Fire's second goal.
At the 55-minute mark, Sainey Nyassi dribbled past Segares and had only Conde to beat, but his rocket of a shot bounced off Conde's face. Conde was down for a minute but stayed in the game.
Busch made a save in the 59th minute, then got the referee's attention and knelt down, requiring a new pair of shoes. After getting the new footwear, Busch was given a yellow card for delay of game by Marrufo.
Down 2-0, the Revolution got serious about starting a comeback, and had possession for much of the rest of the game. But they could not get through the Fire's defense, which finished second in the league in the MLS regular season.
The Fire scored its third goal in the 74th minute on a nice piece of work by Rolfe. Rolfe, who had two goals and two assists in the Fire's last regular season game against New York, danced with the ball outside the right edge of the 18-yard box, then sent a rolling cross past two Revolution defenders to the foot of Segares, who was breaking through the middle of the box for a first-time shot into the goal.
The Revolution finished a man down when, in the 83rd minute, Albright went through the back of Blanco's legs in the midfield as the former Mexican international was collecting a pass, earning his second yellow card from referee Marrufo and a red card explulsion from the game.
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire took full advantage of all of their opportunities Thursday and defeated the New England Revolution 3-0, winning their Eastern Conference Semifinal Series by the same score.
After playing the Revolution to a 0-0 tie in the first game of the series last Thursday at Gillette Stadium, the Fire got a goal and an assist from midfielder Chris Rolfe and maintained their domination over the Revolution in the 2008 MLS season.
In three regular season meetings, the Fire won all three games by a total score of 9-1.
Defenders Wilman Conde and Gonzalo Segares also scored for the Fire, which advance to play either Columbus or Kansas City in the Eastern Conference Championship next Thursday.
Fire coach Denis Hamlett used his anticipated lineup, the same he used to start the game at Gillette Stadium last week. That lineup included MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Jon Busch, Most Valuable Player nominee Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Defender of the Year nominee Bakary Soumare.
The Revolution made one change to the team that played in the first leg. Defender Chris Tierney suffered a knee injury and did not even make the trip to Chicago. He was replaced by Amaechi Igwe.
The Fire had the first good scoring opportunity, coming in the fourth minute on a corner kick. Rolfe collected the service standing at the top right corner of the box and his one-time shot was stopped by defender Michael Parkhurst, standing on the line at the right post.
The Revolution earned the game's first yellow card in the seventh minute when defender Chris Albright pulled down midfielder Justin Mapp from behind before Mapp could release the ball on a two-on-one counter.
There were other scoring opportunities for the Fire in the first half, including a nice rolling cross by Mapp to Segares inside the box. Segares placed a soft redirect on the ball but it slid outside the right post.
In the 36th minute, Revolution midfielder Jeff Larentowicz was injured on a hard tackle by Fire midfielder John Thorrington, who earned a yellow card for his foul. He needed attention and had to leave the field, replaced by Pat Phelan.
The Revolution's best scoring chance came in the 43rd minute on a corner kick that midfielder Shalrie Joseph, who was battling a knee injury of his own, headed straight into Busch's chest from near the penalty mark.
In stoppage time, there was hard contact out wide left of the Revolution goal but referee Jair Marrufo let play continue, and the Fire took advantage. Blanco ended up with the ball outside the left side of the penalty area, dribbled between two defenders and fired a shot toward the far post, forcing Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis to extend himself.
Reis made the save at full stretch but could control the rebound, and the ball bounced out to the top right corner of the 6-yard box where Rolfe had an easy tap-in goal into the near corner.
The second half was immediately hard-fought, as the Revolution were called for tripping fouls twice in the first two minutes. The second one resulted in a free kick from 23 yards out, beyond the left corner of the area.
Mapp put in the outswinging service and defender Conde got inside Phelan for a header into the left corner of the net and the Fire's second goal.
At the 55-minute mark, Sainey Nyassi dribbled past Segares and had only Conde to beat, but his rocket of a shot bounced off Conde's face. Conde was down for a minute but stayed in the game.
Busch made a save in the 59th minute, then got the referee's attention and knelt down, requiring a new pair of shoes. After getting the new footwear, Busch was given a yellow card for delay of game by Marrufo.
Down 2-0, the Revolution got serious about starting a comeback, and had possession for much of the rest of the game. But they could not get through the Fire's defense, which finished second in the league in the MLS regular season.
The Fire scored its third goal in the 74th minute on a nice piece of work by Rolfe. Rolfe, who had two goals and two assists in the Fire's last regular season game against New York, danced with the ball outside the right edge of the 18-yard box, then sent a rolling cross past two Revolution defenders to the foot of Segares, who was breaking through the middle of the box for a first-time shot into the goal.
The Revolution finished a man down when, in the 83rd minute, Albright went through the back of Blanco's legs in the midfield as the former Mexican international was collecting a pass, earning his second yellow card from referee Marrufo and a red card explulsion from the game.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
USA vs Trinidad & Tobago RECAP
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (Sept. 10, 2008) — The U.S. Men’s National Team earned their fifth consecutive shutout in qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with an impressive 3-0 win Wednesday against Trinidad & Tobago in front of 11, 452 fans at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill. First half goals from Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey were complemented by a second half strike from Brian Ching to keep the U.S. in first place in Group 1 with nine points after three matches. With the shutout, the U.S. increased their streak to 551 minutes without allowing a goal.
The victory marked a trio of records for the U.S. history books, including the first time ever the U.S. has earned six consecutive shutouts, going back to the team’s 0-0 draw against Argentina on June 8 at Giants Stadium. The victory was also the sixth straight victory in World Cup qualifying dating back to the final match of the 2006 campaign, setting a team record. The five straight victories in one cycle also ties a team record set during the Final Round of the last qualifying run.
“It’s good to have gotten this round off to such a good start," said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. "We found a good rhythm and did a good job moving the ball and finding the little seams in their defense. I think that set the tone for the game. It was a good win, and halfway through this round I think we continue to improve and that’s what it’s all about.”
Back on home soil for the first time in this Semifinal Round, the U.S. came out aggressive from the start. Trinidad & Tobago were content to put numbers behind the ball, deploying a defensive formation with 10 players looking to stifle the U.S. attack. The team had the perfect answer to that approach, scoring before 10 minutes had passed from another textbook set piece.
After DaMarcus Beasley won a foul on the left side about 20 yards from goal, Landon Donovan swung a free kick into the six-yard box. With several players crashing, Bradley cleverly re-directed the cross off the outside of his right foot and to the far post past Marvin Phillip, who was rendered helpless. The goal was Bradley’s second in World Cup qualifying, and the third of his international career.
Clint Dempsey doubled the U.S. lead eight minutes later. A string of passes put the T&T defense on their heels, beginning with Oguchi Onyewu winning a ball and knocking it to Sacha Kljestan, who then played into Dempsey. The midfielder delivered a ball to Beasley, who had roamed into the center of the park. As Dempsey sprinted forward, Beasley held the ball before sending a through ball that was misplayed by Keyeno Thomas allowing the Fulham midfielder in on goal, and he wasted no time by firing a low shot past Phillip. The goal was Dempsey’s second in as many games and his fourth in four World Cup qualifiers he has played in this cycle.
The waves of U.S. attacks continued, the smooth surface allowing for crisp passes and long-flighted balls to change the point of attack. Both Donovan and Beasley were effective in getting behind the T&T defense and slipping dangerous crosses into the box.
The U.S. nearly got their third goal on the half hour mark, Donovan racing in behind the T&T defense and looking to pick out Ching at the penalty spot. His curling ball arrived at an awkward height for Ching, and he was unable to get a clean shot on goal. By the end of the first half, the U.S. held a 6-1 advantage in shots.
Trinidad & Tobago showed a little more life to start the second stanza, earning two corner kicks in the first five minutes. The U.S. got a scare in the 53rd minute, first when a cross from Cyd Gray was deflected by Onyewu just outside the near post. On the ensuing corner, a header that appeared pegged for the far side netting was cleared off the line by Steve Cherundolo.
The U.S. put their third goal on the board in the 57th minute on another service from Beasley. After Cherundolo was fouled 40 yards from goal, Beasley drove an in-swinger to the top of the six-yard box. Onyewu rose above his mark and headed the ball towards goal, with his effort saved by Phillip. The rebound fell to Ching, who easily deposited his third goal of the 2010 qualifying campaign and his fifth overall in qualifying.
T&T nearly got one back three minutes later when a shot by Cornell Glenn was saved by Howard. The rebound was finished off by Anthony Wolfe, but the linesman’s offside flag was correctly held high.
Kljestan nearly got on the scoresheet in the 63rd minute, when Ching sent in a cross that Donovan hustled to collect. Donovan passed it back to Kljestan, who tried his luck on goal, forcing Phillip to make a point-blank save.
The U.S. made a double-substitution in the 67th minute, replacing goalscorers Bradley and Ching with Eddie Johnson and Ricardo Clark. The U.S. made their final substitution in the 78th minute, with Eddie Lewis replacing Dempsey. Lewis has appeared in nine of the USA’s 11 matches in 2008.
Two minutes after coming in, Lewis made his presence felt as he possessed the ball up the left flank and sent in a cross to a wide open Donovan, who skimmed the ball with his head wide right of the right post.
Lewis earned the team a corner kick in the 81st minute, sending in a cross to where Onyewu was rushing into the center. Onyewu and a defender both slid toward the ball and the backspin caused it to stop dead in front of the goal, where Thomas did well to clear it out of danger.
The U.S. created another dangerous opportunity in the 82nd minute, when Beasley sent a corner kick back to Kljestan at the top of the area. Kljestan passed it out to Lewis on the left and Lewis sent it into the middle for Johnson, but his final shot was blocked by a defender. The rebound bounced right back to Johnson who sent it back towards the goal, only to have is second attempt also stuffed by the Trinidadian defense.
The Soca Warriors continued to pressure in the waning moments of the match, getting dangerously close in the 87th minute. Gray controlled the ball just outside the area on the right side, firing a shot past a cluster of red and white jerseys and just wide of Howard’s goal. With the shutout, Howard has now posted five shutouts in six career World Cup qualifying appearances.
The U.S. Men’s National Team will get a break from qualifying until the second leg of games begins for the Semifinal Round. The U.S. will face Cuba at 7 p.m. ET on Oct. 11 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., before traveling to take on Trinidad & Tobago on Oct. 15. The U.S. wraps up Semifinal Round qualifying against Guatemala at 6 p.m. MT on Nov. 19 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo.
The victory marked a trio of records for the U.S. history books, including the first time ever the U.S. has earned six consecutive shutouts, going back to the team’s 0-0 draw against Argentina on June 8 at Giants Stadium. The victory was also the sixth straight victory in World Cup qualifying dating back to the final match of the 2006 campaign, setting a team record. The five straight victories in one cycle also ties a team record set during the Final Round of the last qualifying run.
“It’s good to have gotten this round off to such a good start," said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. "We found a good rhythm and did a good job moving the ball and finding the little seams in their defense. I think that set the tone for the game. It was a good win, and halfway through this round I think we continue to improve and that’s what it’s all about.”
Back on home soil for the first time in this Semifinal Round, the U.S. came out aggressive from the start. Trinidad & Tobago were content to put numbers behind the ball, deploying a defensive formation with 10 players looking to stifle the U.S. attack. The team had the perfect answer to that approach, scoring before 10 minutes had passed from another textbook set piece.
After DaMarcus Beasley won a foul on the left side about 20 yards from goal, Landon Donovan swung a free kick into the six-yard box. With several players crashing, Bradley cleverly re-directed the cross off the outside of his right foot and to the far post past Marvin Phillip, who was rendered helpless. The goal was Bradley’s second in World Cup qualifying, and the third of his international career.
Clint Dempsey doubled the U.S. lead eight minutes later. A string of passes put the T&T defense on their heels, beginning with Oguchi Onyewu winning a ball and knocking it to Sacha Kljestan, who then played into Dempsey. The midfielder delivered a ball to Beasley, who had roamed into the center of the park. As Dempsey sprinted forward, Beasley held the ball before sending a through ball that was misplayed by Keyeno Thomas allowing the Fulham midfielder in on goal, and he wasted no time by firing a low shot past Phillip. The goal was Dempsey’s second in as many games and his fourth in four World Cup qualifiers he has played in this cycle.
The waves of U.S. attacks continued, the smooth surface allowing for crisp passes and long-flighted balls to change the point of attack. Both Donovan and Beasley were effective in getting behind the T&T defense and slipping dangerous crosses into the box.
The U.S. nearly got their third goal on the half hour mark, Donovan racing in behind the T&T defense and looking to pick out Ching at the penalty spot. His curling ball arrived at an awkward height for Ching, and he was unable to get a clean shot on goal. By the end of the first half, the U.S. held a 6-1 advantage in shots.
Trinidad & Tobago showed a little more life to start the second stanza, earning two corner kicks in the first five minutes. The U.S. got a scare in the 53rd minute, first when a cross from Cyd Gray was deflected by Onyewu just outside the near post. On the ensuing corner, a header that appeared pegged for the far side netting was cleared off the line by Steve Cherundolo.
The U.S. put their third goal on the board in the 57th minute on another service from Beasley. After Cherundolo was fouled 40 yards from goal, Beasley drove an in-swinger to the top of the six-yard box. Onyewu rose above his mark and headed the ball towards goal, with his effort saved by Phillip. The rebound fell to Ching, who easily deposited his third goal of the 2010 qualifying campaign and his fifth overall in qualifying.
T&T nearly got one back three minutes later when a shot by Cornell Glenn was saved by Howard. The rebound was finished off by Anthony Wolfe, but the linesman’s offside flag was correctly held high.
Kljestan nearly got on the scoresheet in the 63rd minute, when Ching sent in a cross that Donovan hustled to collect. Donovan passed it back to Kljestan, who tried his luck on goal, forcing Phillip to make a point-blank save.
The U.S. made a double-substitution in the 67th minute, replacing goalscorers Bradley and Ching with Eddie Johnson and Ricardo Clark. The U.S. made their final substitution in the 78th minute, with Eddie Lewis replacing Dempsey. Lewis has appeared in nine of the USA’s 11 matches in 2008.
Two minutes after coming in, Lewis made his presence felt as he possessed the ball up the left flank and sent in a cross to a wide open Donovan, who skimmed the ball with his head wide right of the right post.
Lewis earned the team a corner kick in the 81st minute, sending in a cross to where Onyewu was rushing into the center. Onyewu and a defender both slid toward the ball and the backspin caused it to stop dead in front of the goal, where Thomas did well to clear it out of danger.
The U.S. created another dangerous opportunity in the 82nd minute, when Beasley sent a corner kick back to Kljestan at the top of the area. Kljestan passed it out to Lewis on the left and Lewis sent it into the middle for Johnson, but his final shot was blocked by a defender. The rebound bounced right back to Johnson who sent it back towards the goal, only to have is second attempt also stuffed by the Trinidadian defense.
The Soca Warriors continued to pressure in the waning moments of the match, getting dangerously close in the 87th minute. Gray controlled the ball just outside the area on the right side, firing a shot past a cluster of red and white jerseys and just wide of Howard’s goal. With the shutout, Howard has now posted five shutouts in six career World Cup qualifying appearances.
The U.S. Men’s National Team will get a break from qualifying until the second leg of games begins for the Semifinal Round. The U.S. will face Cuba at 7 p.m. ET on Oct. 11 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., before traveling to take on Trinidad & Tobago on Oct. 15. The U.S. wraps up Semifinal Round qualifying against Guatemala at 6 p.m. MT on Nov. 19 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
USA vs Cuba RECAP
HAVANA, Cuba (September 6, 2008) - In their first trip to Havana in 61 years, the U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Cuba, 1-0, to move into first place in Group 1 in the Semifinal Round of FIFA World Cup qualifying. Clint Dempsey provided the game-winner with an opportunistic strike in the 40th minute to give the U.S. the three valuable points.
Facing Cuba in Cuba for just the second time in history, the U.S. had to quickly get accustomed to a bumpy and uneven field that was also slick from rain that started a few hours before kickoff. Despite the tough conditions, the U.S. was solid defensively, while controlling possession and finding moments to get forward and create chances on goal.
Defender Oguchi Onyewu started the play that led to the game-winning goal, hitting a long ball from the midfield stripe into the penalty area towards Dempsey and Brian Ching. Carlos Domingo was able to win the challenge in the air with Dempsey, but his header hit the back of the U.S. midfielder and deflected to the feet of Ching. Holding off a defender on his back, Ching one-timed the ball back to Dempsey who had turned to face goal, and he took one touch across the goal before slamming a low drive from 15 yards out inside the left post. The goal was Dempsey’s third in 10 qualifying appearances.
The U.S. backline and goalkeeper Tim Howard were solid once again to give the U.S. their fourth straight qualifying shutout, and record third straight road qualifying victory. Howard made three saves on the night, including a fantastic game-saving effort in the 88th minute to push aside a Yeniel Marquez header that had deflected off the shin of Carlos Bocanegra and looked destined for the lower right corner.
"Cuba did a good job of responding after their first game. It meant a lot to them and as a result it was a tight game,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “I thought once again we dealt well with some difficult conditions and came away with a good result. We’ve played in two tough games on the road now and have six points, putting ourselves in a very good position going into the match against Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday.”
The U.S. will return to the United States on Sunday in preparation for their third match of the Semifinal Round when they face Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday, Sept. 10 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., just outside of Chicago. Kickoff for the match is at 7 p.m. CT and will be televised live on ESPN2 and Galavision, and can also be followed live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.
Trinidad & Tobago was only able to secure one point in their match against Guatemala earlier this evening, putting the U.S. alone atop the group with six points. T&T is in second place with four points, while Guatemala is in third with one and Cuba sits in last place with zero points.
Bradley made only a few changes from the USA’s victory against Guatemala in their last qualifying match, replacing the suspended Steve Cherundolo with Frankie Hejduk and starting midfielder Maurice Edu in place of Pablo Mastroeni, who was not on the roster. Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan swapped starting positions for the Cuba match, as Dempsey started on the right wing and Donovan started at forward.
Cuba earned the first chance of the night after winning a corner kick in the first couple minutes. Jaine Colome served the ball from the left corner to the far post where Domingo came crashing in at the corner of the six-yard box, but his one-timer was well over the bar.
The U.S. appeared to get on the board in the seventh minute when Onyewu’s flick header inside the box rolled into the open net, but the mammoth defender was called for a foul after colliding with Cuban ‘keeper Odelin Molina during the challenge.
Landon Donovan and Dempsey both created chances inside the first 15 minutes, but both chances went wide left of goal. Donovan first teamed up with Hejduk on a give and go on the right side before striking low, while Dempsey went on an impressive individual effort that started from the center line and saw him blow past Marquez and hold off Luis Villegas to get into the box and take his attempt.
In the 30th minute, Edu served in a lofted ball from the left sideline to the back post where Brian Ching had created some space from his defender, but his first touch escaped him and rolled out over the endline, losing out on a good opportunity in front of the net.
On the other end, Cuba struggled to find room to work with as the U.S. defense was well organized and didn’t allow a single shot on goal in the first half. Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra calmly won the numerous through balls up the middle, while Heath Pearce and Hejduk did well to handle the speed of the Cuban players.
The second half wasn’t even 60 seconds old when Cuba had their first dangerous look on goal when Roberto Linares struck a bouncing ball from 22 yards out which put Howard on his heels before dipping just over the bar.
Earning some confidence during the next 15 minutes, Cuba created one of their best chances of the night in the 57th minute with some nice combination play between Silvio Minoso and Alain Cervantes along the left flank. Starting near the midfield stripe, the two played a give and go down the left sideline with Cervantes eventually getting the ball inside the penalty area and unleashing a strike towards the near post, but Howard was able to securely snatch it without allowing a rebound.
With two-thirds of the match gone, the U.S. looked to double the score with a couple strikes from distance. Edu unleashed a swerving attempt from 28 yards out, but it veered wide right. Less than a minute later, Dempsey took a pass from Michael Bradley and unleashed from nearly the same spot, but his attempt was deflected and just missed the lower right corner.
DaMarcus Beasley had the best chance to give the U.S. some breathing room when he stayed with a through ball that Molina was only able to get a hand on near the top of the penalty area. Beasley ran it down on the endline and pulled it back past Molina, but with just a defender covering the goal his shot from inside the penalty area was high and wide.
As the U.S. tried to kill off the game, things got even more difficult as half the stadium lights went out. Despite the increased darkness, the game went on and Cuba pushed forward in hopes of what seemed would be an unlikely equalizer. The unlikely almost became reality off a free kick from the right sideline by Pedro Faife, but Howard came up with his spectacular save to save three points.
The U.S had one last opportunity in injury time when Sacha Kljestan found Ching inside the penalty area, but Molina made a sprawling save.
After Trinidad & Tobago, the U.S. will begin the second half of the Semifinal Round when they host Cuba at RFK Stadium on Oct. 11, before traveling to Trinidad on Oct 15 and then concluding the four-team group on Nov. 19 against Guatemala at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The top two teams in the group will advance to the Final Round of qualifying.
Facing Cuba in Cuba for just the second time in history, the U.S. had to quickly get accustomed to a bumpy and uneven field that was also slick from rain that started a few hours before kickoff. Despite the tough conditions, the U.S. was solid defensively, while controlling possession and finding moments to get forward and create chances on goal.
Defender Oguchi Onyewu started the play that led to the game-winning goal, hitting a long ball from the midfield stripe into the penalty area towards Dempsey and Brian Ching. Carlos Domingo was able to win the challenge in the air with Dempsey, but his header hit the back of the U.S. midfielder and deflected to the feet of Ching. Holding off a defender on his back, Ching one-timed the ball back to Dempsey who had turned to face goal, and he took one touch across the goal before slamming a low drive from 15 yards out inside the left post. The goal was Dempsey’s third in 10 qualifying appearances.
The U.S. backline and goalkeeper Tim Howard were solid once again to give the U.S. their fourth straight qualifying shutout, and record third straight road qualifying victory. Howard made three saves on the night, including a fantastic game-saving effort in the 88th minute to push aside a Yeniel Marquez header that had deflected off the shin of Carlos Bocanegra and looked destined for the lower right corner.
"Cuba did a good job of responding after their first game. It meant a lot to them and as a result it was a tight game,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “I thought once again we dealt well with some difficult conditions and came away with a good result. We’ve played in two tough games on the road now and have six points, putting ourselves in a very good position going into the match against Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday.”
The U.S. will return to the United States on Sunday in preparation for their third match of the Semifinal Round when they face Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday, Sept. 10 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., just outside of Chicago. Kickoff for the match is at 7 p.m. CT and will be televised live on ESPN2 and Galavision, and can also be followed live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.
Trinidad & Tobago was only able to secure one point in their match against Guatemala earlier this evening, putting the U.S. alone atop the group with six points. T&T is in second place with four points, while Guatemala is in third with one and Cuba sits in last place with zero points.
Bradley made only a few changes from the USA’s victory against Guatemala in their last qualifying match, replacing the suspended Steve Cherundolo with Frankie Hejduk and starting midfielder Maurice Edu in place of Pablo Mastroeni, who was not on the roster. Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan swapped starting positions for the Cuba match, as Dempsey started on the right wing and Donovan started at forward.
Cuba earned the first chance of the night after winning a corner kick in the first couple minutes. Jaine Colome served the ball from the left corner to the far post where Domingo came crashing in at the corner of the six-yard box, but his one-timer was well over the bar.
The U.S. appeared to get on the board in the seventh minute when Onyewu’s flick header inside the box rolled into the open net, but the mammoth defender was called for a foul after colliding with Cuban ‘keeper Odelin Molina during the challenge.
Landon Donovan and Dempsey both created chances inside the first 15 minutes, but both chances went wide left of goal. Donovan first teamed up with Hejduk on a give and go on the right side before striking low, while Dempsey went on an impressive individual effort that started from the center line and saw him blow past Marquez and hold off Luis Villegas to get into the box and take his attempt.
In the 30th minute, Edu served in a lofted ball from the left sideline to the back post where Brian Ching had created some space from his defender, but his first touch escaped him and rolled out over the endline, losing out on a good opportunity in front of the net.
On the other end, Cuba struggled to find room to work with as the U.S. defense was well organized and didn’t allow a single shot on goal in the first half. Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra calmly won the numerous through balls up the middle, while Heath Pearce and Hejduk did well to handle the speed of the Cuban players.
The second half wasn’t even 60 seconds old when Cuba had their first dangerous look on goal when Roberto Linares struck a bouncing ball from 22 yards out which put Howard on his heels before dipping just over the bar.
Earning some confidence during the next 15 minutes, Cuba created one of their best chances of the night in the 57th minute with some nice combination play between Silvio Minoso and Alain Cervantes along the left flank. Starting near the midfield stripe, the two played a give and go down the left sideline with Cervantes eventually getting the ball inside the penalty area and unleashing a strike towards the near post, but Howard was able to securely snatch it without allowing a rebound.
With two-thirds of the match gone, the U.S. looked to double the score with a couple strikes from distance. Edu unleashed a swerving attempt from 28 yards out, but it veered wide right. Less than a minute later, Dempsey took a pass from Michael Bradley and unleashed from nearly the same spot, but his attempt was deflected and just missed the lower right corner.
DaMarcus Beasley had the best chance to give the U.S. some breathing room when he stayed with a through ball that Molina was only able to get a hand on near the top of the penalty area. Beasley ran it down on the endline and pulled it back past Molina, but with just a defender covering the goal his shot from inside the penalty area was high and wide.
As the U.S. tried to kill off the game, things got even more difficult as half the stadium lights went out. Despite the increased darkness, the game went on and Cuba pushed forward in hopes of what seemed would be an unlikely equalizer. The unlikely almost became reality off a free kick from the right sideline by Pedro Faife, but Howard came up with his spectacular save to save three points.
The U.S had one last opportunity in injury time when Sacha Kljestan found Ching inside the penalty area, but Molina made a sprawling save.
After Trinidad & Tobago, the U.S. will begin the second half of the Semifinal Round when they host Cuba at RFK Stadium on Oct. 11, before traveling to Trinidad on Oct 15 and then concluding the four-team group on Nov. 19 against Guatemala at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The top two teams in the group will advance to the Final Round of qualifying.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
USA VS GUATEMALA
THE BROADCAST HAS ENDED
RECAP
GUATEMALA CITY -- It wasn't pretty, but World Cup qualifiers in Central America never are.
Pablo Mastroeni, right, and the U.S. struggled against a fired-up Guatemala.
The U.S. men's national team faced an inspired Guatemala team that pressed and attacked and looked every bit a team capable of knocking them off, but one vicious elbow changed the momentum of the match, as the U.S. would go on to win 1-0 on a Carlos Bocanegra goal in the 69th minute.
When Steve Cherundolo was sent off after a second yellow card in the 60th minute, the U.S. team suddenly found itself facing 30 minutes with a man down in front of a hostile crowd, against an inspired opponent. The signs of an upset hung in the air, threatening to overwhelm the U.S.
"We looked at the clock and there was a long time left so we were going to have to defend for a long time," U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "We've been resilient and we showed that against Argentina as well. We've figured out ways to make a block of eight and fight through that time. It's not always easy. That's when we got let off the hook."
They were let off the hook when Guatemalan defender Gustavo Cabrera drew a red card for a late challenge on U.S. midfielder Eddie Lewis that resulted in Lewis leaving the match with a cut over his right eye. The ejection erased the man advantage and seemed to give the U.S. team some much-needed energy.
It also helped pave the way for DaMarcus Beasley to take the field and make an instant impact. The speedy winger not only helped set up Carlos Bocanegra's winning goal with a perfect curling corner kick, but Beasley's pace on the left flank helped neutralize Guatemala's main source of attacking menace.
Bolstered by another top-shelf performance from Howard, the U.S. defense made Bocanegra's goal stand up by neutralizing a Guatemalan offense that looked so dangerous early in the second half, led by some runs from MLS castoff Mario Rodriguez.
"Their right winger had done a good job," Lewis said of Rodriguez. "I think he was by far their most direct attacker up the wing and I think he was having a lot of success getting behind us."
"It helped us a great deal when we brought DaMarcus Beasley in," Bradley said. "He did a very good job of working with Heath Pearce and helping to make that situation better."
Beasley's defensive work, as well as better possession from the Americans in the final 20 minutes, helped kill off a game that will never be confused with an example of quality attacking soccer. The Americans basically found themselves in a street fight and showed enough heart to win in hostile territory.
"Although probably everybody would assume that we're the strong team of the group and everything else, we haven't won here in 20 years and there's a reason for that," Lewis said. "It was a quick reminder for everybody tonight that these qualifiers are tough. They're hard games and it was a testament to the player's efforts tonight and it's a great result."
Lewis' words helped provide some perspective on a match that wasn't likely to please many American fans from an aesthetic standpoint. While you can certainly criticize the U.S. team for being outplayed by Guatemala for the first 60 minutes of the match, you must also credit it for withstanding that onslaught and taking control of a game that looked like it might overwhelm the Americans.
No, it wasn't pretty, but an ugly win beats a loss any day of the week.
"It was not a game where I think our soccer was ...," Bradley said before stopping just short of saying something critical about his team's performance. "It was a game where we relied much more on the effort of the team and the team spirit, and that was the most important thing for us in a very hard game."
That's what stands out from Wednesday night's victory even more than the concerns about the play of players such as Lewis, Heath Pearce, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Steve Cherundolo. For all the individual struggles, the team came together and found a way to win a game they could have easily lost in a country where the United States had not won in 20 years.
There's nothing ugly about that.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=564883&sec=us&root=us&&cc=5901
RECAP
GUATEMALA CITY -- It wasn't pretty, but World Cup qualifiers in Central America never are.
Pablo Mastroeni, right, and the U.S. struggled against a fired-up Guatemala.
The U.S. men's national team faced an inspired Guatemala team that pressed and attacked and looked every bit a team capable of knocking them off, but one vicious elbow changed the momentum of the match, as the U.S. would go on to win 1-0 on a Carlos Bocanegra goal in the 69th minute.
When Steve Cherundolo was sent off after a second yellow card in the 60th minute, the U.S. team suddenly found itself facing 30 minutes with a man down in front of a hostile crowd, against an inspired opponent. The signs of an upset hung in the air, threatening to overwhelm the U.S.
"We looked at the clock and there was a long time left so we were going to have to defend for a long time," U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "We've been resilient and we showed that against Argentina as well. We've figured out ways to make a block of eight and fight through that time. It's not always easy. That's when we got let off the hook."
They were let off the hook when Guatemalan defender Gustavo Cabrera drew a red card for a late challenge on U.S. midfielder Eddie Lewis that resulted in Lewis leaving the match with a cut over his right eye. The ejection erased the man advantage and seemed to give the U.S. team some much-needed energy.
It also helped pave the way for DaMarcus Beasley to take the field and make an instant impact. The speedy winger not only helped set up Carlos Bocanegra's winning goal with a perfect curling corner kick, but Beasley's pace on the left flank helped neutralize Guatemala's main source of attacking menace.
Bolstered by another top-shelf performance from Howard, the U.S. defense made Bocanegra's goal stand up by neutralizing a Guatemalan offense that looked so dangerous early in the second half, led by some runs from MLS castoff Mario Rodriguez.
"Their right winger had done a good job," Lewis said of Rodriguez. "I think he was by far their most direct attacker up the wing and I think he was having a lot of success getting behind us."
"It helped us a great deal when we brought DaMarcus Beasley in," Bradley said. "He did a very good job of working with Heath Pearce and helping to make that situation better."
Beasley's defensive work, as well as better possession from the Americans in the final 20 minutes, helped kill off a game that will never be confused with an example of quality attacking soccer. The Americans basically found themselves in a street fight and showed enough heart to win in hostile territory.
"Although probably everybody would assume that we're the strong team of the group and everything else, we haven't won here in 20 years and there's a reason for that," Lewis said. "It was a quick reminder for everybody tonight that these qualifiers are tough. They're hard games and it was a testament to the player's efforts tonight and it's a great result."
Lewis' words helped provide some perspective on a match that wasn't likely to please many American fans from an aesthetic standpoint. While you can certainly criticize the U.S. team for being outplayed by Guatemala for the first 60 minutes of the match, you must also credit it for withstanding that onslaught and taking control of a game that looked like it might overwhelm the Americans.
No, it wasn't pretty, but an ugly win beats a loss any day of the week.
"It was not a game where I think our soccer was ...," Bradley said before stopping just short of saying something critical about his team's performance. "It was a game where we relied much more on the effort of the team and the team spirit, and that was the most important thing for us in a very hard game."
That's what stands out from Wednesday night's victory even more than the concerns about the play of players such as Lewis, Heath Pearce, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Steve Cherundolo. For all the individual struggles, the team came together and found a way to win a game they could have easily lost in a country where the United States had not won in 20 years.
There's nothing ugly about that.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=564883&sec=us&root=us&&cc=5901
Olympics
THE BROADCAST HAS ENDED
LA TRANSMISION HA TERMINADO
Tune in later at 9 pm central for USA vs Guatemala in the World Cup Qualifier
LA TRANSMISION HA TERMINADO
Tune in later at 9 pm central for USA vs Guatemala in the World Cup Qualifier
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
GRACIAS!!! THANKS!!!
Thanks for tuning in today. I'll be back at 2 AM Central time.
Gracias por sintonisar. estare para tras a las 2 AM Tiempo Central.
Gracias por sintonisar. estare para tras a las 2 AM Tiempo Central.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Leave Comments!!! Dejen Su Respuesta!!!
Leave Comments on how you think this site is and how the streaming is !!!
Dejen su respuesta de como les gusta este sitio y que tan bien estan los streams!!!
THANKS!!!
GRACIAS!!!
Dejen su respuesta de como les gusta este sitio y que tan bien estan los streams!!!
THANKS!!!
GRACIAS!!!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
GRACIAS!!! THANKS!!!
Thanks for tuning in today. I'll be back at 12 AM Central time like always.
Gracias por sintonisar. estare para tras a las 12 AM Tiempo Central como siempre.
Gracias por sintonisar. estare para tras a las 12 AM Tiempo Central como siempre.
Friday, August 15, 2008
I'll be back. Regresere
I'll be back in about 10 hours to stream again. So at like 12 AM central time.
Regresere en unas 10 horas para transmitir otra vez. Como a las 12 AM central.
GRACIAS!
THANKS!
Regresere en unas 10 horas para transmitir otra vez. Como a las 12 AM central.
GRACIAS!
THANKS!
Leave Comments!!! Dejen Su Respuesta!!!
Leave Comments on how you think this site is and how the streaming is !!!
Dejen su respuesta de como les gusta este sitio y que tan bien estan los streams!!!
THANKS!!!
GRACIAS!!!
Dejen su respuesta de como les gusta este sitio y que tan bien estan los streams!!!
THANKS!!!
GRACIAS!!!
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