US Men’s National Team Starting XI (1990-2010)

It’s been over 20 years now since Paul Caliguiri’s goal against Trinidad & Tobago propelled the US to the 1990 World Cup and put America back on the footballing map. Since then, the US has qualified for every World Cup, risen in FIFA’s world rankings and made it to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. During that time, there have been half a dozen managers and scores of players who have worn the National Team jersey. So who are the best? Here is my starting XI:

Goalkeeper

Brad Friedel (1992-2005): Curiously underappreciated by three National Team Managers and often the second choice behind Kasey Keller, Friedel still made 82 appearances for the National Team and was between the sticks during the US Team’s run to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup. He’s enjoyed a stellar club career and even as he approaches 40, Brad is still arguably the best keeper in the EPL.

Defenders

Marcelo Balboa (1988-2000): Top ten in both appearances and goals, Balboa turned out 128 times and tallied 13 goals for the US. Best known for his flowing locks and the bicycle kick goal that almost was at the 1994 World Cup, Marcelo was a US Captain and played in three World Cups.

Oguchi Onyewu (2004-present): At 28 and in the prime of his career, Onyewu has already established himself as one of the best central defenders in US National Team history. While his size and physical presence often overshadow his footballing skills, Gooch’s ability has earned him 56 appearances for the US and five goals as well as a contract with AC Milan. I would be shocked if he doesn’t earn 100 caps in his career.

Steve Cherundolo (1999-present): The veteran of three World Cup teams, Cherundolo is, in my opinion, the finest fullback the US has ever produced. While injuries have limited him to just 62 appearances and two goals in twelve years, he’s always been available and performed well in big matches. Steve is in his 13th season with Hanover 96 and occasionally wears the captain’s armband for the Bundesliga club.

Carlos Bocanegra (2001-present): Early in his career his uncompromising style of play would sometimes overshadow his quality but as the current US captain has matured, his footballing ability has come to the forefront. With superb distribution out of the back, the versatile Bocanegra can play either central or left back. His 12 goals in 84 appearances for the US is an impressive tally for a defender.

Midfielders

Claudio Reyna (1994-2006): A revelation when he burst onto the scene during the 1995 Copa America, Reyna would go on to make 112 appearance for the National Team, scoring 12 goals. A member of a record four World Cup squads (although injury prevented him from playing in 1994) “Captain America” became only the second US player to be named to an All-Tournament Team when he received the honor at the 2002 Finals in Korea and Japan.

Kobi Jones (1992-2004): The all-time leader in appearances for the US with 164, Jones scored 15 goals during his 13 years with the National Team. His speed and work rate up and down the right wing earned him spots on three World Cup rosters.

Tab Ramos (1988-2000): A player of true quality at a time when there was precious little of it in the National Team, Ramos made 81 appearances for the US, scoring eight goals including the vital winner in a qualifier against Costa Rica in 1997. Tab’s creative, attacking play earned him spots on the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cup squads.

Strikers

Brian McBride (1993-2006): A dominating aerial presence, McBride scored 30 goals in 95 appearances for the US. A veteran of three World Cups, Brian is still playing club soccer with the Chicago Fire at age 38. Scoring goals everywhere he went, McBride had great success in the England. First with Preston North End and then with Everton before arriving at Fulham, where he played 153 matches, scoring 40 goals.

Eric Wynalda (1990-2000): A player who seemed to save his best football for the National Team, Wynalda scored 34 goals in 107 games for the US. Eric played in three World Cups and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the 1995 Copa America.

Landon Donovan (2000-present): The best field player that America has ever produced, Donovan is also the all-time leading scorer with 45 goals from 128 appearances for the US. Still only 28, Landon could become the first American to play in four World Cups in 2014 should the US qualify and he make the team. The numbers he’s capable of putting up for the National Team in terms of goals and appearances might never be equaled.

Two Questionable Decisions and a Lot of Heart Result in a Point for the US

June 18, 2010 – The US Men’s National Team came from two goals down at halftime to earn a 2-2 draw with a quality, Slovenian team in their second Group C match. The result keeps the US hopes of advancing alive but things could have gone better for the Americans if not for two controversial decisions.

The first of these decisions was made by US Coach Bob Bradley. Despite the team’s solid performance against England, Bradley decided to make a change to his line up, replacing the defensive-minded Ricardo Clark with Jose Torres in central midfield.

This move seemed to bite the US in the 13th minute when Valter Brisa found space in front of the US back line, an area normally patrolled by Clark. The Slovenian midfielder took a couple of touches before putting his head down and drilling a left-footed shot into the corner of the net from 25 yards out. Tim Howard could do nothing but watch as the ball flew past him.

Trailing early once again the Americans fought back, winning a free kick two minute later. Landon Donovan’s ball into the box looked threatening and it required a good punch from the Slovenian keeper, Samir Handanovic, to clear the danger.

In the 22nd minute, it was Howard who had to deal with a free kick. He did well to get to his far post and collect the ball with a Slovenian player making a run right in front of him.

In the 35th minute, Bostjan Cesar was cautioned for a foul on Jozy Altidore as he drove toward the penalty area. From the resulting free kick, Torres fired a well-placed shot toward the near post that Handanovic did well to push out for a corner. Torres’ corner kick was cleared only as far as Jay DeMerit, who headed wide from the top of the area.

The US was putting a lot of pressure on the Slovenians, looking for an equalizer. In the 39th minute, Donovan stole the ball in midfield and played it up to Robbie Findley, who drove into the box. The Real Salt Lake striker saw his cross cut out for a corner when shooting might have been the better option. From the resulting set piece, Findley was curiously given a yellow card for hand ball. Replays showed that the ball came through traffic and hit him in the face before bouncing off his hand.

A minute later, the Americans put together their best sequence of the half. Steve Cherundolo won the ball in the US half and played it to Torres in a central position. He in turn knocked it forward to Donovan, whose clever one-touch pass sent Altidore on his way. Jozy passed to Findley who played it out to Clint Dempsey. The Texan sent an inviting cross toward Donovan, who’d continued his run from midfield. Landon nearly got on the end it but the ball was intercepted in the last second by Miso Brecko for yet another US corner.

The Americans were pushing lots of players forward and got caught on the counter attack three minutes before halftime. Donovan was disposed at midfield and the Slovenians put together a couple of quick passes, beating the offside trap before Zlatan Ljubijankic slipped the ball under the stranded Howard to make it 2-0.

The US made two substitutions at the start of the second half. Maurice Edu came on for Torres and Benny Feilhaber replaced Findley, who will miss the last group match against Algeria unless his yellow card is rescinded. After just three minutes, the US was back in the match. Cherundolo’s ball up to Donovan eluded the Slovenian defender and the US playmaker dribbled into the area from the right corner. He looked up to see if any of his teammates were available for a cross. Realizing he was alone, Landon ran at Handanovic and blasted the ball into the roof of the net. The US almost leveled the score a couple of minutes later but Oguchi Onyewu couldn’t quite get on the end of Donovan’s free kick towards the far post.

The American pressure continued as the US creating several half-chances over the next 10-15 minutes with only the occasional response from Slovenia. In the 69th minute, Marko Suler was cautioned for pulling down Altidore on the top of the box as the young striker tried to get to a pass from Donovan. Landon knocked the free kick into the area where a scrabble ensued. Altidore got to the ball, swiveled an shot but his effort was saved by Handanovic.

Slovenia’s defending was becoming increasingly desperate and Andraz Kirm went into the referee’s notebook three minutes later for a cynical foul on Cherundolo. The right fullback took the free kick and Feilhaber managed to get his volley from the top of the box on net without really troubling the keeper. Bojan Jokic received a yellow card in the 75th minute for a foul from behind on Donovan.

In the 80th minute, Coach Bradley went for broke, replacing one of his central defenders, Onyewu, with striker Herculez Gomez. The gamble paid off two minutes later when the outstanding Donovan played a great ball up to Altidore, who headed the ball down and into the path of Michael Bradley. The coach’s son applied the perfect touch to direct the ball past Handanovic and the US were level.

Slovenia was on the ropes now and they conceded another dangerous free kick with four minutes to play when Altidore was pushed over near the right corner of the penalty area. Donovan’s free kick found Edu making an intelligent run and the substitute knocked the ball into the back of the net. But it was all for not as the second questionable decision was made by the Malian referee, Koman Coulibaly. The official apparently spotted a foul against the US but several replays failed to show any infraction.

The decision seemed to take some of the wind out of the US sails and it was Slovenia that had the better chances in the dying minutes of the match. Howard was forced to make a couple of good saves. In the end, the was US left with a point when earlier it had seemed as if they would lose and then win the match.

The tie leaves the US in an uncertain situation. They’re still alive to advance but might need help to do so. The outcome of Group C play will not be known until the final whistle blows on June 23.

Player rating for the US team follows (scored 1-10):

Tim Howard, goalkeeper (7): Nothing he could do about either goal. He made some quality saves throughout the match and commanded his penalty area with authority.

Oguchi Onyewu, central defender (5): Quite a drop off from his performance against England as might be expected form a player returning from a lengthy injury. He looked a bit slow and tired before being sacrificed late from another striker.

Jay DeMerit, central defender (7): Tight marking, strong tackles and clearances defined his performance today. He even got forward to put in a dangerous header in the first half. America’s best defender on the day.

Steve Cherundolo, right fullback (6): Another US defender who failed to replicate his fine performance from Saturday. He didn’t get forward as often or look as sure of himself in defense. That being said, he still caused some problems for the Slovenians down the right flank.

Carlos Bocanegra, left fullback (5): A second consecutive quiet performance from the captain. He didn’t look that commanding defensively, failed factor on set pieces and was unable to distribute the ball out of the back with any precision. One has to wonder if he’s completely recovered from hernia surgery.

Jose Torres, central midfielder (5): The talent’s there, as was evident on his free kick, but he just doesn’t fit in with the US setup. His substitution at halftime was not unexpected.

Michael Bradley, central midfielder (7): A very mature and composed performance by Bradley. His vital, late goal was just reward for a match full of hard work and intelligent passing.

Landon Donovan, left midfielder (8): A constant threat going forward, he scored one goal and set up the other. Perhaps bore some of the responsibility for Slovenia’s goals but more than atoned for them with his offensive contributions (Man of the Match).

Clint Dempsey, right midfielder (5): He was combative throughout but on the day lacked the skill and technique we know he possesses.

Robbie Findley, striker (5): His lack of confidence was apparent, especially in the first half when he elected to pass from inside the area when shooting seemed like the better choice.

Jozy Altidore, striker (6): Fairly quiet in the first half, he came on in the second interval to cause the Slovenian defense all kinds of problems. He won numerous free kicks and his header to Bradley set up the equalizer.

Substitutes:

Maurice Edu, central midfielder (5): He struggled to get into the match and I really don’t remember him doing much of anything until his goal was ruled out late in the game.

Benny Feilhaber, midfielder (6): He was involved in a lot of the build up during the second half onslaught by the US. He was perhaps a bit negligent defensively but looked good going forward.

Herculez Gomez, striker (no rating): Didn’t receive any service during the 10-15 minutes he was on the field.

Luck and Grit Earn US a Precious Point against England

June 12, 2010 – The English commentator for ABC’s broadcast of Saturday’s Group C World Cup match said “Sometimes when you buy a ticket, you win the raffle”. This was how he summed up the goal scored by Clint Dempsey; a hopeful, long-range effort that somehow, inexplicably, proved too much to handle for English goalkeeper Robert Green. After blocking the bouncing shot with both hands, Green’s legs seemed to get caught underneath him, leaving him unable to follow the ball as it spun away and slowly dribbled into the net. What was perhaps one of the luckiest goals in World Cup history had pulled the US even with England and would ultimately earn the Americans a valuable 1-1 draw in their opening match of the tournament.

Things had not started well for the US in one of the most-anticipated matches in the history of American soccer. Looking slightly nervous and tentative in the opening moments of the game, England caught the US flat-footed from a throw in. Glen Johnson tossed the ball to teammate Frank Lampard Jr. in the center of the field. He in turn passed it up toward Wayne Rooney but the ball slipped passed him to Emile Heskey, who deftly laid it off for Steven Gerrard. The English Captain had run past his marker, Ricardo Clark, and calmly stuck the ball into the back of the net with the outside of his foot.

Unfortunately, this was not unusual territory for the Americans. Surrendering early goals to the powers of international soccer was nothing new for this team. Perhaps the experience of being down early prevented panic in the US ranks and allowed them to find their feet in the match. Within a couple of minutes of the restart, England’s James Milner was forced to chop down Steve Cherundolo with a hard foul after the lively fullback had gotten past him with a good first touch. In the 11th minute, Dempsey got a header on goal and two minutes later the US won a series of corner kicks that ultimately came to nothing.

The Americans were gaining confidence and again threatened England’s lead in the 19th minute when Landon Donovan was given the time and space to send a dangerous cross into the area. However, Jozy Altidore was only able to apply a glancing header to the ball with Dempsey trailing the play at the far post.

England responded immediately. Rooney got on the end of Green’s long goal kick and played the ball out wide for Aaron Lennon. The speedy winger drove into the area but his cross was cut out by the retreating Cherundolo when shooting might have been the better option.

In the 26th minute, Milner was cautioned for a second foul on Cherundolo. Oguchi Onyewu, who’d recovered sufficiently from knee surgery to start the match, headed Donovan’s resulting free kick wide of the target in heavy traffic.

A couple minutes later, England got forward on a counter attack and won a corner. The US defense struggled to clear the danger. England kept the pressure on and Johnson was able to send in a dangerous cross from the right. Tim Howard came out bravely to get a hand to the ball but he also caught the studs of Heskey in his ribs as the big, English striker stretched to get a foot on the ball. Howard stayed down for a long time in obvious pain. During the stoppage of play, England brought on Shawn Wright-Philips for Milner, who apparently hadn’t recovered fully from an illness that had kept him out of training earlier in the week.

The injury to Howard slowed the tempo of the match and not much happened for the next ten minutes. Both sides created a couple of half chances but it was starting to look like the game was heading toward halftime without further incident. Cherundolo was cautioned in the 39th minute for a professional foul on Wright-Philips. Then the US got back into the match in the most improbable way. The Americans won the ball in midfield and Dempsey dribbled toward the penalty area with the excellent Gerrard defending him closely. Clint tried a couple of spin moves but couldn’t shake the dogged, English Captain. I doubt Dempsey had much hope for his speculative, left-footed shot. He probably didn’t even stay forward to watch it elude Green and roll into the net. But roll in it did and the US were level.

England came back at the US almost instantly as Johnson cut in from the right to unleash a low, hard shot from the top of the US area. Howard did brilliantly to smother the fierce drive. In the 45th minute, Onyewu was forced to clear a cross out for a corner. Nothing came of the resulting set piece and the two sides went into the break on level terms.

England made another substitution at the start of the second half with Ledley King making way for Jamie Carragher in central defense. The Three Lions came out flying as play resumed and the US appeared a bit flustered. Jay DeMerit was cautioned for an intentional hand ball at midfield in the 48th minute. Four minutes later, Heskey came steaming in on the US penalty area. He unleashed a rocket of a shot but it went straight at the advancing Howard, who was able to hold on.

The Americans managed to weather the onslaught and gradually got back into the game. In the 60th minute Carragher was cautioned for cutting down the fleet-footed Robbie Findley. Five minutes later, Altidore picked up the ball on the left and ran at the veteran, English defender. Carragher couldn’t match Altidore’s pace and couldn’t foul for fear of being sent off for a second bookable offense. Jozy rounded Carragher, drove into the area and fired a low shot toward the near post. Green did well to get down to it and deflect the ball onto the upright. The rebound was eventually cleared after the US had come inches away from taking the lead.

DeMerit and Onyewu had done a good job of keeping Rooney in check but the English danger man was starting to find room to operate. In the 71st minute he headed wide of the target from a Steven Gerrard cross. Four minutes later Rooney’s shot from distance went narrowly wide. England was ratcheting up the pressure, looking for a winning goal. In the 76th minute, the amazing Howard stood his ground bravely to deflect a close-range shot from Wright-Philips out for a corner. The American goalkeeper was called into action again from the resulting set piece as he stuffed Rooney’s effort at the near post.

The game began to wind down at this point. Edson Buddle came on for Findley, who’d been booked in the 74th minute for a foul on Gerrard. England continued to push forward, looking for a winner but the US defense had an answer for all of England’s questions. Fabio Capello made one final roll of the dice in the 79th minute, bringing on the towering Peter Crouch for Heskey. It was no use. The US were able to hold on and earn a priceless, if fortuitous, draw.

While England will be cursing their luck, the American team will be in high spirits coming out of their first group match. The US overcame early adversity and proved that their defense can hold up against quality competition. Having faced their toughest group opponent, they have every reason to be confident heading into their next match against Slovenia on June 18th.

Player ratings for the US players follows (scored 1-10):

Tim Howard, goalkeeper (8): Not much he could have done on the goal and he was fantastic from then on, making numerous, vital saves. He showed great courage coming off his line against Heskey and great toughness to continue with what looked like a painful injury. Hopefully he’ll be ready to play against Slovenia (Man of the Match).

Oguchi Onyewu, central defender (7): The only thing more surprising to me than the fact that he started was how well he played. He must have been playing at about 75% during the build up to the World Cup because I never saw this performance coming. Strong in the air, quick enough on the ground, Gooch takes our back line to another level.

Jay DeMerit, central defender (7): While he was probably the least-talented player on the field he was determined not to be the least effective. By hook or by crook he kept Rooney in his pocket for most of the match as he made some crucial clearances as well. Perhaps could have avoided picking up the yellow card for a hand ball that could have seen him sent off by a different referee.

Steve Cherundolo, right fullback (8): It’s wonderful to see the most under-rated US player in top form for this tournament. He was again quick and dangerous going forward while playing even better defensively with several key interceptions. I loved watching him absolutely stuff Wright-Philips in the 55th minute. However, the yellow card he picked up against the same player is a concern.

Carlos Bocanegra, left fullback (6): A smart, steady performance from the captain, who did enough to deal with the pace of Aaron Lennon. As a result, he wasn’t able to get forward or distribute the ball much but he played well within the US defensive scheme.

Ricardo Clark, central midfielder (5): He let Gerrard get away from him for the opening goal and struggled to deal with the English Captain, who had a terrific game. However, he stuck at it and protected the back line as best he could.

Michael Bradley, central midfielder (6): With Donovan and Dempsey playing on the wings, the coach’s son will have to sit deep for the US in this tournament. He did this pretty well against world-class opposition in Gerrard and Lampard Jr.

Landon Donovan, winger (6): He was forced to defend more than he’s use to but America’s #10 still got forward to create problems for the English defense. His deliveries from set pieces and crosses were dangerous and he managed a couple of decent shots from distance too.

Clint Dempsey, winger (7): He got the goal of course but it was his defensive work, especially in the second half, that impressed me. He repeatedly joined Bocanegra on the flank to bottle up Aaron Lennon and kept running for the full 90 minutes.

Robbie Findley, striker (6): While he never really threatened the opponent’s goal, his mere presence kept the British defense honest. He made a couple of good runs and dropped back regularly to defend. Again, it would have been better if he could have avoided picking up a card.

Jozy Altidore, striker (6): Like Findley, his pace and power were concerns for England. Perhaps should have done better with his header in the first half. His drive into the area and near-post shot required an excellent save from Green just to push the ball onto the post.

Substitutes:

Edson Buddle, striker (6): Didn’t get many chances as it was all hands to the pumps by the time he came on for Findley. However, he did his part to preserve the point.

Stuart Holden, striker (6): He was only on briefly but his speed gave England something to worry about in the dying minutes of the match.

US Defeats Australia in Final Warm Up before World Cup

June 5, 2010 – The US Men’s National Team defeated Australia 3-1 in a physical, action-pact match in Roodepoort, South Africa. Two, first-half goals from Edson Buddle and a late tally from substitute Herculez Gomez were more than enough to cancel out a first half strike from Australia’s Tim Cahill. While the Americans created numerous chances going forward, they still looked a little vulnerable at the back.

Coach Bob Bradley sent out a strong side. It was a starting XI we might see against England in a week with the possible addition of Jozy Altidore. The young striker missed out after spraining his ankle in training during the week.

The US started well and Landon Donovan headed a cross on net in just the 3rd minute but the big, Australian keeper, Mark Schwarzer, made a comfortable save. A minute later the Americans had the lead. Robbie Findley pressured Vince Grella as he tried to dribble away from his area. Buddle pounced on a heavy touch by the Australian then calmly dribbled forward, shifted the ball to his favored, right foot and blasted it past Schwarzer from the top of the box.

Not much happened for the next ten minutes until the US sprung the off-side trap with Findley breaking free on goal. The speedy striker rounded the advancing Schwarzer but couldn’t get his shot on net when it really should have been 2-0.

Two minutes later the Americans were punished for their wastefulness in front of goal. Jay DeMerit headed a cross out for a corner when it seemed like he should have steered it up field or at least out into touch. From the resulting set piece, the clever Cahill ghosted in at the far post to squeeze a volley between Steve Cherundolo and the upright. The veteran fullback really should have kept it out but the two sides were level.

In the 27th minute, the US put together several good passes on a lightning-quick counter attack. Clint Dempsey got off a good, left-footed shot from inside the penalty area. However, the busy Schwarzer pulled off an excellent save, diving to his left to palm the ball around the post for a corner. Three minutes later Tim Howard did well to smother a fierce drive from distance at the other end of the pitch.

In the 31st minute, the Americans regained the lead when Ricardo Clark wisely switched fields to a wide-open Cherundolo. The talented fullback skipped past his defender to send over a delightful cross from deep in the corner. Buddle was making the far post run as he rose to head the ball down and into the net. The Soccerroos could have been level just four minutes later but Josh Kennedy headed wide of the far post after his maker, DeMerit, had fallen over.

In the 36th minute, both sides were lucky not to be reduced to ten men after a bust up between Dempsey and Craig Moore. The US midfielder was cynically chopped down by the Australian defender as he dribbled through the middle of the park. As Clint got up, Moore grabbed the American, who had a few choice words for his assailant. The Aussie then shoved Dempsey and the two literally went head to head before they could be separated by teammates. If this had been a World Cup match, both players would have been sent off but the South African referee prudently decided that yellow cards were sufficient in this particular incident. Not much else happened for the remainder of the half and the US went into the break a goal up.

At the beginning of the second half, Marcus Hahnemann replaced Howard in net for the Americans. Australia started quickly in search of an equalizer and could have been level after Cherundolo allowed his man to get a cross in that bounced across the six-yard box.

The Soccerroos’ pressure was leaving space at the back and the US nearly scored on a counter attack in the 52nd minute. Donovan did very well to settle a long ball out of the back and find Buddle with a delicately-weighted pass. Despite being a goal away from a hat trick, Buddle generously squared the ball to Findley, who somehow managed to hit the crossbar from just six yards out with the net empty. Michael Bradley, who was trailing the play, lashed the rebound goalward but Schwarzer managed to parry the ball into the path of the on-rushing Dempsey, who powered the ball into the back of the net with a diving header. However, by this time the linesman had raised his flag after spotting the unfortunate Findley in an offside position.

Three minutes later, Jonathan Bornstein came on for Carlos Bocanegra, who seemed to be recovering well from hernia surgery. Oguchi Onyewu then replace Clarence Goodson in the 61st minute. Mounting Australian pressure saw Hahnemann called into action repeatedly in the US goal. While the veteran keeper made a couple of fine saves, he struggled to deal with a series of crosses. His punched clearance of the first lacked power while he completely missed the next two balls into the area. Hahnemann’s struggles could partly be contributed to the setting sun.

In the 75th minute, DeMerit’s horrendous give-away forced Hahnemann to make another fine save. Fortunately, with Cahill having departed at halftime, the Aussies were rather inept in front of goal and the US retained the lead.

The US made a couple of late substitutions in an effort to take some of the sting out of the game. DaMarcus Beasley came on for the goal scorer Buddle and Herculez Gomez replace Dempsey but not before the later absorbed several hard fouls from the Australians.

The Soccerroos weren’t giving up as they pushed hard for a tying goal late into the game. This led to a series of half-chances for the Americans on the counter attack. They finally converted one in the third minute of stoppage time when Donovan fired a precise cross into the area where Gomez expertly directed his volley past Schwarzer. This killed off the match with the US deserving victors.

Coach Bradley and his team should be feeling pretty good heading into their opening match with England. They created loads of scoring chances and passed the ball around nicely at times. However, they’ll have to tighten things up defensively if they are to advance in the tournament. Had they been trying to contain a striker like Peter Crouch instead of Josh Kennedy, the result might have been different.

Player ratings for the US Team (scored 1-10):

Tim Howard, goalkeeper (6): A solid, first-half performance from America’s #1. He saved a couple of shots from distance but was let down by Cherundolo at the back post for the goal.

Clarence Goodson, central defender (6): Quietly and effectively saw to his defensive duties until he was replaced by Onyewu just past the hour mark.

Jay DeMerit, central defender (5): A shaky performance from the normally reliable defender. The corner he conceded led to the Aussies goal. He had a couple other slip ups as well. Hopefully he’s gotten it out of his system before the tournament begins.

Carlos Bocanegra, left fullback (6): Another defender who quietly went about his business before being substituted. He looks to be closing in on full fitness in time for the opener against England.

Steve Cherundolo, right fullback (6): His rating would have been much higher if not for a couple of defensive miscues as he was fantastic going forward. He should never have allowed the goal as guarding the post was his only responsibility on the corner. He allowed a dangerous cross early in the second half as well. However, his cross for the second goal was sublime and he was a constant threat to the Australian defense.

Ricardo Clark, central midfielder (6): He also had a pretty quiet game with some good, some bad and some indifferent touches. All in all, his work with Bradley shaded the midfield battle in favor of the Americans. Hopefully the injury he suffered late in the match isn’t too serious.

Michael Bradley, central midfielder (6): He looked composed and wisely sat deep most of the game with two offensive-minded wingers on either flank. He nearly scored when following up Findley’s surprising miss off the crossbar.

Landon Donovan, left midfielder (7): The US team looks so much more dangerous with him in the line up. He made some good runs and passes as well as setting up the third goal for Gomez. He’ll need to put in a bit more defensive work against stronger opponents.

Clint Dempsey, right midfielder (6): Not sure what he said but the Aussies really hated him. He was sent to ground with extreme prejudice on four or five occasions. He looked dangerous in the first half, drifted out of the game a bit in the second before being substituted for his own protection late on.

Robbie Findley, striker (4): If he’d had any luck at all it could have been 5-1. He missed a couple of real sitters as things just weren’t coming off for him. Findley does deserve some credit for the opening goal as it was his pressure that led to the turnover.

Edson Buddle, striker (7): When the World Cup squad was announced, I thought Brian Ching should have made it over Buddle but Coach Bradley seems to have gotten it right. He looked poised, calm and took his goals well. Should Altidore fail to overcome his ankle injury before the England match, Edson is a ready replacement.

Substitutes:

Marcus Hahnemann, goalkeeper (5): He made three nice saves but struggled mightily with several crosses. No question about who will start in net this tournament.

Jonathan Bornstein, left fullback (6): The best I’ve seen him play all year. He was assertive, decisive and didn’t commit any of the mental mistakes that have plagued him recently. Coach Bradley will probably feel that he’s got some measure of defensive insurance now with the questionable health of his back line.

Oguchi Onyewu, central defender (5): Sadly I haven’t seen anything to indicate that he’ll be able to play in this tournament. He positioned himself intelligently to make a couple of key interceptions but his movement looks slow and labored. Perhaps he can be a factor if the US reach the knock out phase of the tournament.

DaMarcus Beasley, left midfielder (no rating): Came on late, didn’t do anything that I can remember until he got knocked on his ass near the US bench and that doesn’t warrant much of a rating, does it?

Herculez Gomez, striker (6): Badly scuffed a pass to Findley in front of goal. Gave away a dangerous free kick but then he confidently deposited the ball in the back of the net and isn’t that what the US is going to need from him?

Loss to Czechs Raises Defensive Concerns Heading into the World Cup

May 25, 2010 – A US Men’s National Team, made up of several players trying to make the World Cup squad, were beaten 4-2 by a young, Czech Republic team in Hartford, CT. Poor defensive play along with Oguchi Onyewu’s apparent lack of fitness will be of particular concern for Coach Bradley as he prepares his team for next month’s tournament in South Africa.

The home team started the match brightly with DaMarcus Beasley getting loose down the left to put in a dangerous cross that was cleared. The game developed at a leisurely pace with some nice midfield play from Maurice Edu, Jose Francisco Torres and Stuart Holden.

In the 17th minute, the US won a free kick on the left wing. Holden bent in a beautiful ball to the far post where Clarence Goodson courageously rose to get a head to it in front of the Czech keeper. The ball dribbled toward the net where Edu was on hand to bundle it in.

The goal seemed to be a wake up call for the visitors. They responded quickly by winning a free kick on the left side of the US penalty area. Fortunately for the home team, Edu was in the area to head away the resulting set piece.

The Czechs kept up the pressure and should have done better in the 26th minute when Jonathan Bornstein got caught out on the counter attack. The ball was crossed into the area but the Czech striker some how missed the net with his shot.

Five minutes later Bornstein was forced to foul deep on the left side of his penalty area. Goalkeeper Brad Guzan did well to palm the ensuing free kick out for a corner.

The visitors finally equalized in the 43rd minute from yet another free kick to the left of the US area. Onyewu was beaten far too easily in the air by Tomas Sivok, who headed the ball back across goal and in at the near post. The goal turned out to be the last meaningful action of the half.

The home team rang in the changes at the start of the second half bringing on five substitutes. Brian Ching replaced the ineffective Eddie Johnson. Herculez Gomez came on for Edson Buddle, who had been very active in his first appearance for the National Team since 2003. Sasha Kljestan replaced Torres. The disappointing Jonathan Bornstein made way for Heath Pearce and Robbie Rogers came on for Beasley.

The US came out pretty well and earned a corner in the 52nd minute. Four minutes later the Czechs signaled their intent by putting the ball in the net but the goal was ruled out on a close, off-sides decision. Shortly afterwards, the visitors scored on a counter attack. Pearce fell asleep and let Jan Polak run by him in the area before knocking the ball past a stranded Guzan.

The home side responded almost immediately to falling behind as Rogers struck a fierce drive from distance that Peter Cech did well to save. Then in the 64th minute, a clever lay off from Ching set up Gomez but his shot from the top of the box was too close to the Czech keeper. A minute later the US was level. Holden’s well-taken corner was headed back across goal by Goodson and Gomez was there to nod the ball in at the near post.

As the match wore on, the Americans appeared to tire. Alejandro Bedoya came on for Onyewu in the 67th minute. The US defense was ripped open ten minutes later as Pearce lunged unsuccessfully at Libor Sionko as he drove into the area. Goodson failed to clear the cross and the ball was blasted into the roof of the net by Martin Fenin.

Following the goal, the US appeared to be out of gas and out of ideas. They managed to win a couple of free kicks but Holden’s deliveries were no where near as good as some of his earlier efforts.

In the second minute of stoppage time, the visitors sealed their victory with another goal. Kljestan, who had faded badly after a decent start, lost possession in midfield as the Czechs quickly played the ball forward. Edu, who was playing in the unfamiliar role of central defender following the exit of Onyewu, was beaten in the air. The Czech substitute Tomas Necid calmly dribbled into the area and slotted the ball past Guzan, who could do nothing to stop it.

Despite the fact that it was an experimental line up, Bradley has to be very concerned about his defense. This was a young, Czech team and they were able to score four goals against the US on the road. Onyewu looked well off the pace and appears severely limited in the air. Both Bornstein and Pearce were awful at left back, leaving Carlos Bocanegra as the only real alternative. It was just revealed this week that he underwent hernia surgery on May 5th. Jay DeMerit and Chad Marshall both have fitness concerns, meaning that Goodson, with his 12 caps, is the only fully-fit central defender. Perhaps the most telling episode of the evening was the extended playing time Edu put in at central defense during the second half. That sight alone will have alarm bells ringing for US Soccer with just 17 days to go before the match against England in Rustenburg, South Africa.

Player ratings for the US team (scored “on the plane” or “staying home”)

Brad Guzan, goalkeeper (on the plane): Perhaps he should have kept out the first goal but had little to no chance with the following three. Received precious little help from his defense. He’ll be Tim Howard’s back up at the World Cup.

Clarence Goodson, central defender (on the plane): He was great in the attack, setting up both goals with headers. However, his foul led to the Czech’s opening tally and he failed to clear the ball for their third. That being said, with all the injuries, he could very well be starting in South Africa.

Oguchi Onyewu, central defender (on the plane): He looked pretty unsure of himself out there and barely got off the ground for the first goal but Coach Bradley knows how important he is. He’ll make the squad and be given every chance to regain his fitness as there just aren’t that many other options at central defense.

Jonathan Bornstein, left fullback (on the plane): Since the end of qualifying last year, he’s done just about everything he can to not make this squad. He will though due to the lack of viable alternatives and his ability to play central defense in an emergency. He was terrible again this evening, getting caught out of position on a counter attack, giving away a couple of dangerous free kicks and offering little going forward.

Steve Cherundolo, right fullback (on the plane): Perhaps the only bona fide starter out there tonight, he seemed to be playing at about three-quarters speed most of the game. He should have done better to cut out the cross for the second goal. However, he’ll be a key man at the World Cup.

Maurice Edu, central midfielder (on the plane): Got his first goal for the US and played pretty well until he was forced into central defense. He’ll probably be on the bench in South Africa but could push Ricardo Clark for a starting spot.

Jose Francisco Torres, central midfielder (on the plane): This was a guy who I thought was squarely on the bubble going into tonight’s game but I believe he did enough to make the team. He was quick, active and seemed to be on the same page with his teammates, which hasn’t always been the case.

DaMarcus Beasley, left midfielder (on the plane): After last summer’s Confederation Cup, I would have said there’s no way he’ll make it back to South Africa but the veteran winger has probably done just enough to make the squad. He didn’t do much tonight after his early cross but he’s one of Coach Bradley’s favorites.

Stuart Holden, right midfielder (on the plane): One of the few positive storylines coming out of tonight’s game for the Americans. Holden went the full 90 and generally played well despite only recently recovering from a broken fibula. Look for him to start for the US in South Africa.

Edson Buddle, striker (staying home): He tried hard but things didn’t quite come off for him and as a result, I think he’ll miss out. I feel for this guy because he’s been in great form for the Galaxy and at 29, this is probably his last chance to go to the World Cup. That being said, he’s rarely been in the National Team picture, picking up just his second cap on the night.

Eddie Johnson, striker (staying home): While Beasley probably just squeaked into the 23-man squad, Johnson is a National Team veteran who probably just missed out. He didn’t do nearly enough in the 45 minutes he was out there. It’s disappointing for a player who broke into the National Team as a teenager, scoring loads of goals. The scoring has since dried up but he’s still young enough to get another shot in 2014.

Substitutes:

Brian Ching, striker (on the plane): He provided a spark when he came on in the second half with his intelligent play. He didn’t get the service required for any clear-cut scoring chances but he’ll be a reliable substitute in South Africa.

Herculez Gomez, striker (on the plane): There’s almost always one surprise inclusion in a World Cup roster and I believe it will be Gomez this time around. He has a knack for the net at the moment and that’s a precious resource going into a major tournament. If the US needs a goal late, he’ll be the guy they call on.

Sasha Kljestan, central midfielder (staying home): When Benny Feilhaber didn’t dress tonight, I took that to indicate that he was guaranteed a spot on the roster. That meant, in my estimation, that the last midfield spot would come down to Torres or Kljestan and I believe Torres got it. Or Kljestan pissed it away with another lackluster performance, depending on your perspective. For a guy who was playing so well at the beginning of last year he’s really fallen apart. He’s young though and will have other chances in the future.

Heath Pearce, left fullback (staying home): As bad as Bornstein was on the night, Pearce was worse. He was directly responsible for the second and third Czech goals. With the central defensive crisis gripping the team, I believe Chad Marshall will get the last defensive roster spot over Heath.

Robbie Rogers, left midfielder (staying home): He’s another guy I feel bad for because he’s really come this year and actually outplayed Beasley on the night. However, Bradley will go with experience in this case and take DaMarcus to South Africa over the youngster.

Alejandro Bedoya, midfielder (staying home): He was probably only included in the 30-man squad to gain experience and serve as a back up in case Holden failed to recover from his injury. With Stuart’s strong performance, Bedoya, like Rogers, will have to wait for 2014.

Hammers All But Safe After Crucial Win Over Wigan

April 24, 2010 – West Ham took a huge step toward safety with a 3-2 victory over Wigan Athletic at the Boleyn Ground. Goals from Ilan, Radoslav Kovac and the returning Scott Parker were enough to overcome an own goal by Jonathan Spector and a Hugo Rodallega strike. The win, along with Hull City’s loss to Sunderland, all but ensures there will be Premiership football in East London next season.

The home side started the match brightly and had the ball in the offensive half before Julien Faubert hit his cross over the Wigan net. Things took a drastic turn for the worse shortly after when Kovac’s pass was intercepted in West Ham’s half, forcing Manuel Da Costa to scramble back and cut out an attempted cross for a corner. Ben Watson’s well-taken kick went straight into the mixer where Jonathan Spector some how managed to head the ball into his own net. It was the worse possible start for the nervous home team that knew the match was their last, best chance to control their own destiny.

To the credit of the supporters and the team, they responded well to the setback. Bubbles was ringing around the Boleyn within a minute of the restart and on eight minutes, Carlton Cole got loose down the left but no one was available in the box to meet his cross. Seconds later the big striker found himself in alone on Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland after a turnover. Cole rounded Kirkland as the keeper dove in vain at his feet. Cole then pivoted and shot but his effort was cleared off the line by the retreating Gary Caldwell. Kirkland remained down for several minutes having caught Cole’s studs in the face. The former Liverpool keeper bravely continued despite suffering two cuts that would require a total nine stitches to close at halftime.

When the match finally resumed, the tempo had settled, with few chances being created for the next 15-20 minutes. A key moment in the game arrived on the half hour mark when Robert Green managed to push a fierce, long-range drive from James McCarty onto the crossbar. Seconds later Ilan worked the ball through the midfield and passed it up to Cole, who’d found space between the central defenders. Cole peeled off and drove into the box on the left before crossing it back to Ilan, who’d followed him into the area. The Brazilian coolly struck the ball into the far corner and the Hammers were level.

After the goal, Cole’s size and pace continued to cause problems for Caldwell but Wigan managed to keep him in check. In the 35th minute, the lively Da Costa took the ball on a long run into the Wigan half but in the end, the defender was unable to pick out a teammate. Da Costa did well to get back a couple minutes later for some last-ditch defending that resulted in a Wigan corner. The ensuing set piece cleared everyone and went out for a West Ham throw. A minute later Wigan was forced to make a substitution as the ineffective Marcelo Moreno limped off and was replaced by Victor Moses.

In the 41st minute Da Costa hit a decent long ball into the area but Cole couldn’t quite get on the end of it. Moments later the young, Portuguese made an acrobatic, overhead kick to clear a bouncing ball. Wigan then had a stretch of sustained possession and pressure as the match moved into five minutes of first-half injury time. Then in the 49th minute Cole was hacked down 35 yards out by Titus Bramble, who’d switched onto him after Caldwell had struggled to keep pace. Mark Noble took the resulting free kick, bending it over the wall and toward the top corner where Kirkland got a hand to it. The ball bounced invitingly in front of the goal where Kovac leapt to head it home before being crushed by the desperate Caldwell. After falling behind in the first five minutes, the Hammers were now going into the break with a 2-1 lead.

Despite being in front and having the crowd behind them, West Ham were unable to take hold of the match and it was Wigan that started better in the second half. Seven minute in, Da Costa blocked a shot out for a corner and the resulting set piece came off Rodallega’s hip at the far post and went in. The visitors kept up the pressure and Spector was booked for a foul on Charles N’Zogbia just before the hour mark. Green did a terrific job of pushing the resulting free kick away at the far post. A couple of minutes later, Da Costa made another run into the Wigan half. This time it took a foul to halt the Portuguese defender and Noble’s resulting free kick was headed out for a corner but nothing came of it. Two minutes later, the Hammers won another corner and Kovac’s looping header bounced off the crossbar before being cleared.

The match entered a scrappy period for the next 10-15 minutes as the two sides struggled to take control of a game that had the potential of going either way. Bramble was cautioned for a foul on Parker in the 70th minute. Then Guillermo Franco came on for Ilan, who appeared to have picked up a knock.

The decisive moment came in the 77th minute when Da Costa lofted a long ball out of the back to Franco. The substitute rose and nodded the ball into the path of the on-rushing Parker. The midfielder took several dribbles before unleashing a low drive off the outside of his right boot that swerved away from the diving Kirkland and into the corner of the net. The feeling of relief was palpable as the Hammer of the Year celebrated with his teammates on the sideline. He broke away from them and ran to his manager to embrace him. Several others followed, mobbing Zola, again demonstrating their allegiance to their embattled gaffer.

The job wasn’t over and a nervy 15-20 minutes followed as Wigan pressured the West Ham defense with several prolonged periods of possession. In the 86th minute, The Latics earned a free kick from a Parker handball some 30 yards out but Green was perfectly positioned to make a comfortable save. Three minutes later, Parker injured himself making a tackle but was able to continue after receiving treatment. Wigan brought on Paul Scharner for Mohamed Diame and Jason Scotland for the impressive N’Zogbia. West Ham also replaced Noble, who was limping at this point, with Fabio Daprela in an effort to shore up the defense. All this took a while as five minutes of injury time were added. Wigan had one more free kick from the right that was headed out for a West Ham throw. Allan Wiley, who’d done the home side precious few favors, finally blew the last whistle and the happy Hammers celebrated knowing their Premiership survival was all but ensured.

Player ratings for the West Ham XI and subs to follow (scored 1-10):

Robert Green, goalkeeper (7): He was a bit indecisive on the two corners that resulted in goals but the saves he made from McCarthy’s blast in the first half and the free kicks in the second half were crucial.

Manuel Da Costa, central defender (8): He’s really come on during the run in and today was the best of several solid performances. Not only did he deal with everything that came his way at the back but he also make a couple of good runs forward and his long ball out of the back led to Parker’s winner.

Matthew Upson, central defender (6): Saw to his duties at the back without ever really imposing himself on the match.

Julien Faubert, right fullback (5): He battled throughout despite not having the best day going forward. He’s not a fullback and it’s a bit unfair that he’s been forced to play there all season.

Jonathan Spector, left fullback (3): It was the worst possible start for a player who’s lost his confidence after a series of poor performances. To his credit, he kept fighting and improved slightly as the match went on but N’Zogbia gave him a torrid time down the wing.

Radislav Kovac, central midfielder (7): He started poorly, giving away the ball in his own half, which led to a corner, which led to the first goal. However, he improved dramatically after that. He scored one and almost had another but it was his defensive work and running that impressed me. I know it’s fashionable to criticize his passing but I thought he did well in this area as the match went on.

Scott Parker, central midfielder (8): It will probably be forgotten but he was rather quiet in the first half as it took him a while to find his place in the team after a two-match suspension. He warmed to the task in the second interval and scored a great goal that will long be remembered in the East End. His tackles and blocks following his goal were vital as well.

Valon Behrami, right midfielder (6): His work rate is always high but it hasn’t been coming off for the Swiss in recent weeks. He could probably benefit from a rest but with only two games remaining, those matches might be our last chances to see him in a West Ham shirt.

Mark Noble, left midfielder (7): Playing out of his favored, central midfield role it took him a while to find his way offensively but he worked ever so hard at the defensive end. He played some good passes and looked absolutely exhausted when he came off at the end.

Ilan, striker (7): He scored another vital goal but did you see the way his teammates reacted to him afterward? Most of them ignored him while it looked like Noble was ready to punch him in the face. He’s not a popular guy to say the least. Could it all be because of his criticism of Zola in the press? It will be difficult for him to stay at the club beyond this season without some kind of reconciliation.

Carlton Cole, striker (7): He didn’t score but he set up the first goal and was a constant threat, especially when marked by Caldwell early on. He also provided an outlet when Wigan was pressurizing our rear guard.

Substitutes:

Guillermo Franco, striker (6): He’s got loads of talent and vision but no pace. It’s like having Sheringham back. He created a couple of half chances with Cole before heading the ball into Parker’s path for the game winner.

Fabio Daprela, left fullback (no rating): He wasn’t on long enough to do much of anything but I’d like to see him start the last two match in place of Spector.

US Able to Take Some Solace from Loss in Amsterdam

March 3, 2010 – With a late comeback, the US Men’s National Team was able to take some positives from a 2-1 loss to The Netherlands. After falling behind 2-0, a headed goal from Carlos Bocanegra in the 89th minute gave the Americans hope but their rally ultimately fell short. The late surge by the US concluded a game that was largely dominated by the home team.

Coach Bob Bradley put out a strong side for the final friendly match before he has to choose his 23-man squad for this summer’s World Cup in South Africa. The majority of the team was made up of European-based players but there were three members of the starting eleven from North America (Jonathan Bornstein and Robbie Findley of the MLS as well as Jose Francisco Torres of the Mexican First Division). The players’ performances probably answered some questions for the coach while posing a few others.

The match started very slowly on a cold night in the Dutch capital. The hosts managed some light pressure but the American defense was able to handle it. The first opportunity for the visitors came in the 11th minute when Stuart Holden got down the right wing to put a good cross over to the far post. However, Holland keeper Maarten Stekelenburg rose in traffic to claim the ball. A minute later it was Tim Howard who had to be on his toes to tip a ball over the bar after Torres’ challenge outside the box saw the ball loop back dangerously toward his own net.

The home side resumed their siege of the US penalty area but weren’t able to break down the Americans. The only notable effort on net was a shot from distance in the 14th minute that Howard dealt with comfortably. Two minutes later, Findley settled a long pass from Bocanegra in the Dutch penalty area but his shot from an acute angle was tame and easily saved by Stekelenburg.

Not much else happened until the half-hour mark when the lively Holden was cut down by a vicious tackle from Nigel De Jong. The young, American winger limped off the field to be replaced by DaMarcus Beasley while De Jong somehow managed to get away without a booking.

Three minutes later, the US came as close as they would to scoring in the first half when Torres blazed a shot over the bar from 25 yards out. In the 38th minute, Jozy Altidore was able to twist and shoot after receiving a free kick in the area but his shot was wide of the mark.

The match turned a minute later when Bornstein had another of his notorious moments of madness. The American fullback seemed to panic, pulling down Wesley Sneijder as he dribbled into the box. The referee pointed to the spot and Dirk Kuyt stepped up to bang it home, 1-0 The Netherlands.

The only action of note during the remaining five or six minutes of the half occurred when the shell-shocked Bornstein inadvertently, but quite clearly, handled a cross as it bounced in the penalty area. The Turkish referee took pity on him and chose to allow play to continue despite the protests of the Dutch crowd.

The US made a change at halftime, bringing on Maurice Edu for Torres. Early pressure from the visitors was highlighted by Altidore’s audacious back-heel nutmeg as he spun and beat two defenders to send a cross in that was put out for a corner. In the 50th minute, Bornstein redeemed himself a bit when he raced back to hamper Eljero Elia’s shot as he dribbled in alone on Howard. A cynic might point out that better marking by the US defense would have prevented the situation in the first place but to be fair, it was a great move by the Dutch.

The game went a bit quiet for a while. Alejandro Bedoya replaced the ineffective Findley in the 63rd minute. Two minutes later some nice link-up play between Altidore, Michael Bradley and Beasley created a half chance but Altidore couldn’t quite get to Beasley’s ball across the goal mouth.

In the 70th minute, Heath Pearce replaced Jay DeMerit, who’d gotten stuck in for every 50/50 ball in his vicinity and received a thorough kicking for his trouble. Shortly afterward, Holland doubled their lead when substitute Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s shot from distance deflected off the unlucky Bornstein and ricocheted into the corner of the net. Replays show that the US defender was actually turning away from the shot, thus allowing it to take the unfortunate deflection. Again, in the interest of fairness, it was a fierce drive that would have required great courage to face straight on.

With the game seemingly out of reach, Coach Bradley sent on Eddie Johnson for Landon Donovan, who’d had a very quiet night. Pearce was picking up where he left off against El Salvador by getting down the left flank and delivering a lovely cross to Altidore for a glancing header that never reached Stekelenburg.

It could have been 3-0 in the 82nd minute if not for an absolutely outstanding save by Howard. The American goalkeeper was at full stretch to palm the ball away from the upper right corner.

With the clock winding down, the US grabbed a lifeline when Bocanegra stole in behind the defense to head in Beasley’s, curling free kick. The goal set up a dramatic finish as the visitors pressed for an equalizer in stoppage time. They had a couple of good chances too. Clarence Goodson, who’d come on for Bornstein, blasted over the bar from close range after a scramble in the penalty area following a US corner. Then in the waning seconds, Altidore patiently maneuvered on top of the box before firing a hard shot toward the near corner that was pushed away by Stekelenburg. Moments later the final whistled sounded. In truth, a tying goal would have flattered the Americans, who’d been second best most of the night.

Now Coach Bradley will have six to eight weeks to ponder his World Cup squad. The choices will be made harder by a series of injuries. Holden, who went to the hospital for precautionary x-rays following De Jong’s filthy tackle, joins Steve Cherundolo, Oguchi Onyewu, Ricardo Clark, Benny Feilhaber, Clint Dempsey and Charlie Davies on the injured list. With most of these players expected to recover fairly quickly, there shouldn’t be too many surprises when the 23-man roster is announced in May.

Player ratings for the US Team follows (scored 1-10):

Tim Howard, Goalkeeper (7): Not much he could have done on either of the goals. His save in the 82nd minute was world-class and he generally looked liked America’s top keeper, which he is.

Carlos Bocanegra, central defender (7): He was having a quiet but solid night until he popped up at the end to score the only goal for the US. He took care of his defensive duties pretty well and played some nice balls out of the back.

Jay DeMerit, central defender (6): He bravely got stuck in all over the pitch and I’m sure he’ll have the marks to prove it tomorrow. He read the game well and was often in the right place at the right time to clear the danger.

Jonathan Bornstein, left fullback (3): A week ago I thought he’d sewn up the left back spot in South Africa but after giving away another penalty (remember the Slovakia match?), the position is once again up in the air. Bornstein was at least partially to blame for the second goal as well and could have given away a second penalty if not for the charity shown by the ref.

Jonathan Spector, right fullback (7): It’s usually not a good sign when your best player is one of your fullbacks but that was the case in tonight’s loss. While other US players had brighter moments, Specs was solid throughout. A wayward cross in injury time was the only thing I can fault him for. With Bornstein’s lapses and the imminent returns of Cherundolo, he could be the starting left back at the World Cup.

Michael Bradley, central midfielder (6): A mainly unspectacular but professional performance by the coach’s son. He worked steadily to protect his back line and got forward to support the attack when he could with some good passes.

Jose Francisco Torres, central midfielder (5): Apart from a decent shot from distance, he didn’t do much positive during his 45 minutes on the field. I think that’s part of the problem. I don’t recall him ever getting a full game for the US. Coach Bradley probably sees him as one for the future rather than the present.

Landon Donovan, left midfield (4): A very quiet game for a player who’s been in top form for his club. When he’s off his game, the US attack suffers as it did tonight. The team actually looked better after he came off.

Stuart Holden, right midfield (6): The young winger was having a pretty good match before he was cut down by De Jong. Hopefully the injury isn’t as bad as it looked.

Robbie Findley, striker (5): Excelling in the MLS and excelling in international football are two very different things as Findley is finding out. Based on his performances this year, I can’t see him making the World Cup roster.

Jozy Altidore, striker (6): Encouragingly, he got better as the match wore on. It’s amazing what regular football can do for a player. He created a few scoring chances, had some nice link-up play and his back-heel nutmeg would have made Ronaldinho proud.

Substitutes:

DaMarcus Beasley, midfielder (6): One man’s loss is often another’s gain. That was the case tonight as Beasley came on in the 30th minute for the injured Holden and revived his World Cup hopes. He was involved in the majority of the US attacks with good runs and passes. His curling free kick for the lone, American goal had such an inviting shape that it was practically begging to be headed home.

Maurice Edu, midfielder (6): Like Beasley, Edu emerged from the Scottish wilderness to put in a solid performance. He did a sound job defensively and played simple but effective balls out of the back.

Alejandro Bedoya, midfielder (6): In just his second appearance for the National Team, Bedoya looked pretty good in a tough away fixture. He was part of some good build-up play and the give and go he worked on the top of the box late in the game set up a dangerous free kick for Beasley.

Heath Pearce, left fullback (6): He looked confident again going forward and put in a couple of good crosses. With the wobbles by Bornstein and Pearce's solid play in the last two friendlies, I’d say he’s got a good chance of going to South Africa.

Eddie Johnson, striker (5): He didn’t do very much in the 15 minutes or so he was out there. However, with Davies still recovering from the serious injuries he sustained in an October car accident and no other viable options, he might make the World Cup squad by default.

Clarence Goodson, central defender (6): I don’t usually give a rating to players who come on as late as Goodson but he made an impact in the 5-10 minutes he was out there. He got stuck in and nearly scored the equalizer in injury time after Beasley’s corner fell kindly to him in the six yard box.

Coach Bradley (6):

It was a tough game for him because he had players to evaluate but judging from his line-up, he also wanted to be competitive. With the exception of Bornstein and to a lesser extent Donovan, the team performed pretty well and nearly stole a draw at the end.

US Comes Back To Defeat El Salvador

February 24, 2010 – Late goals from Brian Ching and Sacha Kljestan allowed the US Men’s National Team to overcome El Salvador 2-1 on a rainy night in Tampa, FL. The US Team dominated proceedings throughout but found themselves a goal down an hour into the match when the visitors scored against the run of play. However, the determined Americans, many of whom were making their final bid for a place on the US World Cup roster, dug in and got the result their performance warranted in stoppage time.

Coach Bob Bradley will be much happier with this performance than the one turned in last month as the Americans went down 3-1 to a strong Honduran team. As he’d done in January, the coach assembled a squad of mainly domestic-based youngsters. Some of them will fill out the squad heading to South Africa in June while others will factor into the US set-up further down the road.

The hosts came flying out of the gate and had a scoring opportunity in the first minute when Robbie Findley sent in a cross from the left that just eluded Brad Davis but resulted in a corner kick. From the resulting set piece, Davis sent a good ball to the near post that Brad Evans headed toward the lower corner only to see his effort saved by the Salvadoran keeper, Miguel Montes.

The US kept the pressure on and won another corner five minutes later. Kljestan and Kyle Beckerman were controlling the midfield. The former with his passing and the latter with hard tackles. Kljestan had a couple of decent scoring opportunities as well. In the 21st minute, a Clarence Goodson tackle led to a counter attack that ended with Kljestan shooting from distance. The long-range effort was beaten away by Montes for a corner. Ten minutes later Kljestan finished another US move with a directed shot toward the lower left corner but again Montes was able to push the ball out for a corner kick.

The Americans territorial dominance allowed fullback Heath Pearce to push forward and send in two dangerous crosses just past the half-hour mark. Both of them found Robbie Rogers in the area but his efforts were also dealt with by the impressive Montes.

The last good scoring chance for the hosts in the first half came with five minutes remaining. Kljestan played an intelligent through ball out to Rogers on the left. The winger dribbled through traffic in the box before the ball deflected back to the man who’d started move. Kljestan hit a good volley toward the lower left corner of the net but once again Montes was able to push the ball around the post for yet another corner. While Davis’s deliveries were consistently good from the succession corner kicks, the Salvadoran defense was able to scrabble them all away and the two teams went into the break on level terms.

The US made two changes at the start of the second half. Brian Ching came on for Conner Casey and Eddie Gaven replaced Davis. Again the Americans started well. Findley, whose pace had been causing the visitors problems, saw his shot from distance pushed away by Montes for a corner. A minute later Rogers crossed the ball to Ching but it was a little behind the veteran striker. Ching later saw his header loop wide of the net from a free kick in the 56th minute.

Out of the blue, the US found themselves behind three minutes later when Evans tried to head a high bouncing ball back to his keeper. He didn’t get enough power on the header and the opportunistic Rudis Corrales stole in to knock the ball past Nick Rimando and give El Salvador an improbable lead.

The US Team responded immediately to this setback. A great cross from Pearce was headed wide by Ching at the far post. Soon afterward, Gaven, who’d impressed since coming on at halftime, won the ball and made a good run toward goal but his shot was stopped by Montes. Two minutes later, another run by Gaven was stopped by a foul just outside the penalty area. Rogers took the resulting free kick and sent in a good ball that was headed just wide by Evans.

In the 68th minute, Jeff Cunningham came on for Findley, who appeared to have picked up a knock. The US pressure continued unabated and the Salvadoran defense were forced to foul to stem the onslaught. In the 70th minute, Pearce was brought down on the left flank. The free kick by Rogers was headed on net by Ching only to be saved by Montes as American players crashed the net looking for a rebound. A minute later, Ching was kicked in the head by a high boot. The resulting free kick from Rogers went just wide at the far post.

Just when it seemed like the US dominance would go unrewarded, the US finally got one past Montes to level the score. A good cross from Pearce was headed in at the near post by the ever-present Ching.

The hosts could have taken the lead three minutes later when Rogers shot high and wide from inside the box. With two teammates in front of the net, a cross was probably the better option. A minute later, a Cunningham cross set up a shot for Ching that was saved by Montes.

The match began to wind down at this point. The US made a couple of substitutions. Dax McCarthy came on for Beckerman in the 79th minute and Geoff Cameron made his National Team debut, replacing Rogers with four minutes remaining.

A draw looked likely until the second minute of stoppage time when the US got numbers forward against an exhausted Salvadoran defense. Some nice passing between Kljestan and Ching allowed the former to slot home a relatively easy chance at the near post and the hosts had the victory they deserved.

It was encouraging to see these young players bounce back from the poor performance against Honduras. The win probably helped Coach Bradley make some decisions about his World Cup roster as well. The US will be in action again in a week’s time when they face Holland in Amsterdam. It will be a much different line up for the US, composed mainly of European-based players. However, a few standouts from this match might find a place on the bench with one last opportunity to punch their ticket to South Africa.

Player rating for the US Team follows (scored 1-10):

Nick Rimando, goalkeeper (6): Aside from picking the ball out of his net, he had almost nothing to do. He looked pretty confident back there and his distribution was decent.

Jonathan Bornstein, central defender (6): I hardly realized he was out there as he was another American with very little to do. It’s telling that he wore the captain’s armband for the first time. Look for him to start at left fullback for the US in South Africa.

Clarence Goodson, central defender (7): He played slightly farther up the field then Bornstein and got stuck in more. He also went forward on set pieces from time to time. I believe his consistent play over the past six month has earned him a spot on the World Cup roster.

Heath Pearce, left fullback (8): The best I’ve seen him play in a long time. He saw to his few defensive duties well and got forward with numerous good crosses, one of which led to the first goal for the US. This performance put him back into contention for the World Cup squad.

Brad Evans, right fullback (5): His weak header back to the keeper gifted the opening goal to El Salvador but he did pretty well otherwise. There’s a hard edge to his game as the tackles (and fouls) were flying in. He got forward on set pieces as well and nearly scored with a couple of headers.

Kyle Beckerman, central midfielder (6): He set the tone in the center of the park with several hard tackles in the first half and worked tirelessly to snuff out the few Salvadoran attacks. His distribution was hit and miss. I’m still knocking off a point for the hair.

Sacha Kljestan, central midfielder (8): He ran things from central midfield in the first half with a series of excellent passes. He was a bit quiet in the second interval as the US attack moved out to the wings via Gaven, Rogers and Pearce. However, he kept working and was on hand to score the winner in extra time.

Robbie Rogers, left midfielder (7): He provided plenty of ammunition for the strikers throughout the game with good crosses and nearly scored himself on a couple occasions. He also did well with his deliveries from set pieces in the second half. Perhaps he should have crossed the ball late on when he fired wide at the near post but I liked his confidence.

Brad Davis, right midfielder (6): I still haven’t seen much from this guy in open play but he’s fantastic striking dead balls. He sent in several good corners before coming off at halftime with a tight hamstring.

Conner Casey, striker (5): He was better than I’ve seen him in recent matches but could still increase his work rate in my opinion. There was some nice link-up play here and there but he never really looked like scoring.

Robbie Findley, striker (6): He was really trying hard but it just wasn’t quite coming off for him. His pace caused the Salvadoran defense problems but he couldn’t carve out any clear scoring chances.

Substitutes:

Brian Ching, striker (8): Replaced Casey at the start of the second half and made all the difference. He scored one goal and set up the second. He was constantly open in the area and put a barrage of headers and shots on net (man of the match).

Eddie Gaven, midfielder (7): He’s been on the fringe of the US Team for a while and turned in a great performance in the second half. His runs down the right caused all kinds of problems for El Salvador. It’s probably too late for him to figure in the World Cup squad but you never know.

Jeff Cunningham, striker (6): Came on for Findley in the 68th minute put in a good cross to Ching ten minutes later that almost resulted in a goal. I don’t recall to much else from him.

Dax McCarthy, midfielder (-): Not on long enough to make an impression.

Geoff Cameron, midfielder (-): Not on long enough to make an impression.

Bob Bradley, coach (7): Not much for him to do in this game from a tactical standpoint. His work was done during the training camp prior to the match. His team was ready to play and did a good job of putting the Honduras match behind them.

Crazy Heart: Not Tender Mercies but Not Bad

When you make a movie about a washed-up county singer searching for redemption, you run the risk of being compared to the 1983 film that was nominated for five Academy Awards and won two. While Crazy Heart doesn’t come close to equaling the stark, beautiful simplicity of Tender Mercies, it has its own virtues, particularly strong performances by Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Bridges plays Bad Blake; a hard-drinking, chain-smoking has-been country singer, still performing in dives as he approaches 60. While playing two nights in Santa Fe, he agrees to do an interview with Jean Craddock (Gyllenhaal), a reporter for the local paper. Initially, she approaches the assignment with cautious admiration. However, her loneliness and Blake’s charms eventually prevail and before he leaves town, a May-December love affair has blossomed. The relationship is made more poignant by the fact that Jean has a young son, Buddy, who reminds Bad of the son he abandoned years earlier.

Blake’s next stop is Phoenix where he’s the opening act for his former guitar player and protégé, Tommy Sweet, played by Collin Farrell. Tommy has become a huge success and while their relationship is fairly amicable, the divergent trajectories their careers have taken since they split makes things awkward. Tommy, through a sense of indebtedness to his aging mentor, makes the greater effort to smooth things over. He asks Bad to write some songs for him.

For the remainder of the movie, Blake pursues Jean’s affections and eventually the changes necessary for a guy like him to be with some one like her. The highs and lows of this courtship provide the inspiration he needs to write the songs for Tommy.

Crazy Heart doesn’t try so much to match Tender Mercies as pay homage to it. This becomes clear with a late cameo by Robert Duvall, the protagonist of the 1983 award winner. Here he plays Bad’s confidant, Wayne and is, along with Bridges, one of the producers of this film.

With slow pacing and no action to speak of, the movie focuses on the acting. Bridges gives a career performance as the lovable scoundrel, who’s squandered so much to a reckless lifestyle. Gyllenhaal more then holds her own as a vulnerable, single mom determined not to repeat past mistakes. Both Bridges and Farrell deserve accolades for doing their own singing.

Ultimately, it’s Bridges performance that defines this picture. He does the utmost with a solid but unspectacular script. A similar role brought Duvall an Oscar in ’83. Bridge’s portrayal of Bad Blake just might bring him the same reward this March.

US Beaten at Home by Honduras

January 23, 2010 – A second-string US Men’s National Team, composed of domestic and Scandinavian-based players, was humbled by a strong Honduran side 3-1 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California this evening. Coach Bob Bradley sent out a group that contained only a handful of players who will be in this summer’s World Cup squad. Conversely, the majority of the visitor’s line up is likely to be on the plane to South Africa.

There were few clear chances early on but that changed drastically in the 18th minute when Jimmy Conrad inexplicably pulled over Jerry Palacios in the penalty area. This act of madness resulted in two things: First, Conrad received his second yellow card and was sent off (he’d already received a caution in the 6th minute for a professional foul on Walter Martinez). Second, it gave Honduras a penalty kick that was put away by Carlos Pavon at the second time of asking (The veteran Honduran striker was forced to take the spot kick twice after some of his teammates entered the area early on his first attempt). How such an experienced player as Conrad could make such a foolish error in judgment is beyond me. It was a mistake from which the US would not recover.

To the American’s credit, they responded well to the setback. Three minutes after falling behind, they won a corner and Chad Marshall came ever so close to equalizing with a powerful header just over the bar. The hosts continued to press forward but they struggled to pass the ball through the Honduran midfield.

Being down a central defender, I was expecting Coach Bradley to bring on another and sacrifice one of his strikers. However, he chose instead to bring Jonathan Bornstein into the center of defense from his left fullback position and have Robbie Rogers drop back from left midfield.

The visitors nearly doubled their lead in the 29th when Benny Feilhaber was dispossessed near the top of his own area by a high kick. The Mexican referee, as he would do throughout the evening, allowed play to continue and the resulting ball into the box was fired just wide.

The US kept getting forward up the wings with Rogers and Marvell Wynne sending in crosses and winning corners but no real scoring chances resulted from their endeavor.

Honduras came close to scoring on the counter in the 37th minute when Palacios blasted a shot just wide of the near post. The American keeper Troy Perkins appeared to have it covered but it was hard to tell.

Seconds later, the Central Americans doubled their lead when Rogers got caught up field and was slow to close down Pavon, who crossed the ball to Palacios as he dove in front of Marshall to head home from close range. Bradley’s decision not to reinforce his defense following Conrad’s dismissal appeared to have been a mistake as well.

Again the Americans reacted positively to being scored on and went forward to win a free kick and a corner. However, despite good deliveries into the box, Honduras was able to clear the danger and the half ended with the US two goals down.

Central defender Clarence Goodson came on to start the second half for the ineffective Jeff Cunningham. Why he wasn’t introduced immediately following Conrad’s dismissal is still a mystery to me. The change seemed to help. Shortly after the restart, some good passing set up Rogers for a shot from distance. The midfielder showed that he can hit the ball with both feet as he cut inside and smashed a right-footed shot from 45 yards out that beat the Honduran keeper, Donis Escobar, only to come back off the post.

Freed from the defensive responsibilities thrust upon him when he was dropped to fullback, Rogers continued causing problems. He was tripped on a run through midfield by Amado Guevara, resulting in a yellow card for the Honduran captain. Sacha Kljestan then proceeded to balloon the resulting free kick way over from 45 yards out.

In the 53rd minute the visitors put the game out of reach. Some nice short passing on the left put Roger Espinoza through on goal and he calmly slotted the ball into the far corner for an insurmountable 3-0 lead.

Again the Americans tried to answer as Kyle Beckerman dragged his shot wide from 25 yards out after some good build up play. Coach Bradley decided to ring in the changes on the hour mark with Coner Casey , Heath Pearce, Alejandro Bedoya and Brad Davis coming on for Beckerman, Marshall, Kljestan and Rogers.

Marvell Wynne continued working hard at both ends of the pitch. In the 64th minute, he made a good slide tackle in his own area. Five minutes later, he won a corner that lead to the American’s only goal. Davis sent over a good ball to the far post and Goodson powered through the Honduran keeper to head the ball in. Replays show that he may have led with his elbow but the referee stood true to form and allowed the goal to stand despite Escobar needing several minutes to recover from the collision.

In the 77th minute, Bradley made his final change when he sent on Dax McCarthy for the disappointing Feilhaber. By this point, the visitors were just trying to kill the game off by keeping possession against the short-handed US side.
The game was fizzling out until the 88th minute when Espinoza sprang the off-side trap and went though on Perkins. Wynne raced back and did just enough to distract the Honduran winger and prevent another goal.

A minute later, Robbie Findley was brought down right on top of the area. Davis took a fine free kick that was well saved by Escobar, leading to a corner. Bedoya headed just wide from the resulting set play as the game went into four minutes of injury time.

Not much happen until the final added minute when Casey failed to hit the target after being presented with a golden opportunity. This was perhaps an appropriate way to end what had been a frustrating night for the Americans.

It’s hard to access this game after the US went down a goal and a man so early in the proceedings. Ultimately, I’d say it was a pretty disappointing performance with only a few players giving their World Cup aspirations a boost. The Americans are next in action on February 24th against El Salvador as they continue preparations for this summer’s trip to South Africa.

Ratings for the US players follow (scored 1-10):

Troy Perkins, goalkeeper (6): Couldn’t have done much to prevent the three goals. His distribution could have been a bit better.

Jimmy Conrad, central defender (1): What was he thinking? The blatant manner in which he pulled down Palacios left the referee with little choice but to send him off and award Honduras a penalty. For all intents and purposes, the match was over at this point. I’m not sure if we’ll see the 32-year-old defender again in a US Team jersey.

Chad Marshall, central defender (6): Nearly scored an immediate reply to the early Honduran goal with his powerful header and defended well for the most part. However, he allowed Palacios to get across him for the visitor’s second goal.

Jonathan Bornstein, left fullback (8): Whether at his familiar left back position or as an emergency central defender, Bornstein played very well. He got in several important tackles and passed the ball well out of the back (US man of the match).

Marvell Wynne, right fullback (7): Seeming unphased by the adversity his team was suffering, Wynne just stuck to his task at both ends of the field. His battling defense, forward runs and crosses did his World Cup chances no harm at all. Unfortunately for the Toronto FC defender, The US already has a lot of depth at right fullback.

Kyle Beckerman, central midfielder (4): He did alright without doing anything exceptional. I’m docking him a point for his hair and will continue to do so until he gets it cut.

Benny Feilhaber, central midfielder (4): It’s easy to see that he has talent but it hasn’t come off for him with the National Team since the 2007 Gold Cup. As the most-capped player on the US Team, he should have taken control of the match but he could never develop any kind of rhythm.

Robbie Rogers, left midfielder (5): He looked a bit out of his depth early on and struggled further when forced to play in an unfamiliar left fullback position. However, he was better after the break when he was returned to his usual left midfield position and was unlucky not to score when his shot came crashing off the post. I was disappointed to see him get substituted just when he was play well.

Sacha Kljestan right midfielder (4): The slump in form that started in 2009 is continuing into the new year. While he did provide some link up play in midfield, he seemed unwilling to impose himself on the match. The free kick he put in row Z was an embarrassment as well.

Jeff Cunningham, striker (3): Nothing was coming off for him with the few opportunities he had. He committed a couple of lazy fouls and seemed to hang his head after the US fell behind.

Robbie Findley, striker (5): He tried hard but was starved of service throughout the game. Conrad owes him an apology, as he denied the young striker the opportunity to show what he could do.

Substitutes:

Clarence Goodson, central defender (7): He looked good again in defense and scored a goal too. His quickness, aerial prowess and combative nature will go a long way to making the World Cup squad.

Heath Pearce, defender (5): Came on with about half an hour remaining but didn’t do much. He tried to get forward and put in some crosses without much effect.

Alejandro Bedoya, midfielder (6): Showed a few glimpses of promise in his first appearance for the National Team. He sent over a couple of decent crosses and nearly headed in a corner during injury time.

Brad Davis, midfielder (6): I didn’t see a whole lot from him during open play but he looked a real threat with corners and free kicks. He nearly scored on a set piece right at the end of the match.

Coner Casey, striker (3): Another lazy performance from a guy who confounds me with his continued inclusion in the team. He wasted a great opportunity to score late in added time.

Coach Bob Bradley (4):

I realize this was a friendly and he wanted to experiment but not replacing Conrad with another central defender was a clear mistake. Also, I would have liked to see him give Rogers more of a chance in his natural left midfield position.