04/25/24
June 06, 2009
U.S. Overcomes Costly Goal to Defeat Honduras: The U.S. Soccer team defeated Honduras 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier at Soldier Field Saturday night. Honduras opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a Carlos Costly goal. Landon Donovan scored a penalty kick equalizer shortly before the half and Carlos Bocanegra headed in the go-ahead goal in the 68th minute. Fans of Honduras -- a nation of 7.6 million -- appeared to outnumber U.S. supporters.
Had a chance to see this one and the Costa Rica game and the US responded better to the early goal than they did against Costa Rica, but they still didn't look too impressive at home against what looked like a fairly pedestrian Honduras.
Donovan made a few driving runs with the ball that worried the defence, but the forwards didn't show much, which was disappointing as I'd heard a lot of good things about Altidore. Conor Casey did little more than dirty a shirt.
With Mexico in a mess the US should be able to cruise through the group now without too much effort, but on the back of the last two games I think that if they end up in a solid World Cup finals group, as in '06, they'll be on the early flight home.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 09:09 AM on June 07, 2009
The team were still reeling from Wednesday early on but after about 20-25 minutes they woke up and once the penalty was conceded the road back was clear. I think Bradley was right to switch in Bornstein and Spector but Torres should have been preferred to Mastroeni. Casey was, as Dellacamera kept saying, the hot MLS striker and with Ching unavailable not a terrible idea.
The results next week in the Confederations Cup should be instructive given the squad selected. I was expecting a younger, more experimental set up but I guess Bradley wants to see how well his (generally) first choice picks do against such quality opposition.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:54 PM on June 07, 2009
Holland, too. The Orange have also qualified.
posted by owlhouse at 06:02 PM on June 07, 2009
Portugal scored a 93rd minute winner away to Albania which saved their lives. A draw there would probably have finished their chances of going to South Africa.
They still pretty much have to beat group leader's Denmark in Denmark in September and then beat Hungary home and away to have any chance of going through.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 09:07 PM on June 07, 2009
I do not get what's wrong with the Portugese, they have plenty of talent and should be winning their group easily.
Meanwhile Aguirre says Mexico is in a grave situation but not out of the running. Of course he also says the team needs 14 points out of the six remaining matches. Four wins and two draw or five wins and whatever, no problemo Javier, but I wouldn't count on taking points at Costa Rica and nothing more than a tie when the US come calling.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:04 AM on June 08, 2009
"I do not get what's wrong with the Portugese"
Carlos Queiroz. Turns out standing next to SAF for a while isn't all it takes to become a good manager.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 07:26 AM on June 08, 2009
I do not get what's wrong with the Portugese
You should have seen them in East Timor.
posted by owlhouse at 09:25 AM on June 08, 2009
What the Dili?
posted by yerfatma at 09:42 AM on June 08, 2009
Turns out standing next to SAF for a while isn't all it takes to become a good manager.
No, apparently you need to play for him.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:52 AM on June 09, 2009
No, apparently you need to play for him.
I think you're mostly correct. Steve Bruce seems to be doing a solid enough job having kept Wigan up without too many dramas this season, but was up and down, (and up again), with Birmingham... Roy Keane took the Mackems from nowhere to the Premier league and then grew a beard and quit and Paul Ince did well at a couple of lower-league efforts, but then got found out at Blackburn.
I guess the poster boy for learning from SAF is Laurent Blanc, who won the French championship this season and is being hotly tipped to eventually take over from Domenech as national coach. Although I suspect Domenech's popularity has slumped such that the French would vote for Alfred von Schlieffen before giving Raymond another couple of years at the top.
Of course, if Queiroz manages to give me a summer in 2010 without having to look at Ronaldo's pouting visage, he'll have done a great job in my books.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 03:58 PM on June 09, 2009
Meanwhile, in Asian Zone qualifying, Japan, Australia and South Korea are the first three teams to make it to South Africa 2010, joining the hosts.
/not really relevant
//has tickets for Australia v Bahrain on Wednesday