12/21/24
October 18, 2013
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
I feel really bad for Panama, but hats off to the U.S. for going for the win and maintaining the integrity of the competition. Hopefully Panama will be back in the mix for 2018.
When Zusi scored the goal, the Panamanian player closest to Davis (who sent in the cross) just turned to Davis with a sad look and put his hands up as if to say "Why?" Video here.
posted by holden at 10:26 AM on October 18, 2013
The US players after Zusi scored and a few minutes later after the game winner were among the least excited-looking players who just scored I've ever seen. I also felt bad for Panama, although these comments from Kyle Beckerman (via @Rogbennett) certainly make sense: "@KyleBeckerman tells me Panamanian players were begging US to take it easy on the field. "I told them I got to play hard to get to Brazil""
posted by bender at 10:41 AM on October 18, 2013
Both mlb top seeds going home for the weekend with leads, despite the surfeit of articles I've seen this week regarding how much trouble each of them was in. Likely to see a familiar matchup in the fall classic. The first Sox Dodgers series since 1916 would be interesting though, given a recent trade.
posted by Scottymac at 10:55 AM on October 18, 2013
Panama didn't deserve the win, sorry. Both times as soon as they took the lead the players did everything possible to waste time and at the end (in injury time) most of them seemed to stop playing--certainly their movements were lethargic and passing aimless, which led to both of the late US goals.
I was among the many USMNT fans ambivalent about the result--in the 89th minute I was thinking, okay, I'd rather have a W every time out but we haven't played good tonight and if this score means no Mexico next summer that's a decent result. The Panamanians forgot the old adage of You play until the whistle blows and so will be sitting watching their TVs next July.
posted by billsaysthis at 04:05 PM on October 18, 2013
It was kind of amusing to see my Mexican Facebook friends posting "USA! USA!" as their status updates after that game.
posted by LionIndex at 04:11 PM on October 18, 2013
In case anyone missed the wild finish in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying Tuesday night, Graham Zusi has been cannonized in Mexico.