What a difference three games make! Before our second game in the Hexagonal World Cup Qualifying round back in March, the U.S. team was sitting dead last as the only team without a point. Now after game five, our halfway point, The U.S. sits alone at the top as we prepare for the Honduras rematch this Tuesday in Salt Lake City.
Up next: Tuesday, June 18. USA vs HONDURAS, Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah
9:00pm EST, 8:00pm CST, 7:00pm MST, 6:00pm PST
Watch on: ESPN, WatchESPN, UniMas
Follow on Match Tracker at ussoccer.com
and via Twitter @ussoccer
CHICAGO: Watch it live on the big screen at the Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park!
OK USA fans... a strong showing against Panama. I like seeing Eddie (Johnson) and Jozy (Altidore) finishing off goals. That is so important in World Cup Qualifying and will be even more important in the World Cup. You can dominate a game, but if you don't hit the net then it means nothing. We still need to improve in some areas I feel, but overall I am pleased with our progress. Honduras will be an interesting game. I’ll say! Honduras shocked us with a late goal back in February to steal a victory. That was our only loss in the first half of the Hex. We will get to see how Zusi comes out after sitting out a game. And I will get my personal wish of not having Beasley in the backfield, although I would like to have him available for a late sub. Speaking of late subs, Jurgen Klinsmann didn’t even make his first sub until the 87th minute. I’ve been a DaMarcus Beasley fan since his days with the Chicago Fire. I thought he played a very exciting, attacking-minded game at left back, but his lack of national team experience as a defender is a concern. We will find out about some of the other defenders I guess. I'm curious to see who Jurgen will play back there. Gonzalez, Cameron, Evans and Besler is my guess... with Evans on the left. And it will be nerve racking to see if Jones is able to go or not. I think as long as we have Bradley in the middle and our strikers continue to finish, it should be a good result. However, Honduras did beat Jamaica 2-0, so they will be a formidable opponent. So come out and support the Team or watch for us on TV! We will be there! The Red White and Blues Brothers will be unveiling our new supporter uniforms at the game!
Jozy Altidore was again named the Budweiser Man of the Match. Tim Howard shaved his beard. Jurgen Klinsmann looked much more professional in his Centennial USA sweatshirt. Kyle Beckerman who plays for Real Salt Lake was just called up to the team. He has a lot of National Team experience and it’s good to see him back. If the U.S. would have beaten Mexico in the 2011 Gold Cup Final, they would be representing CONCACAF in the Confederations Cup in Brazil right now. That would have been a much better test to prepare them for the World Cup in Brazil. This will be the last World Cup Qualifier until September. The Gold Cup takes place in July and we might see Landon Donovan and Carlos Bocanegra suit up for the U.S. in that tournament. Let’s home the U.S. can extend their 2-game win streak with a victory over this pesky Honduras team. You might have watched the following Honduran players with for their club teams… Victor Bernardez and Marvin Chavez (San Jose Earthquakes) Mario Martinez (Seattle Sounders) Oscar Garcia (Houston Dynamo) Arnold Peralta (Glascow Rangers) Roger Espinoza (Wigan) and Wilson Palacios (Stoke City, teammate of Geoff Cameron).
GO USA!
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