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06-29-2011, 04:41 PM
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#1 |
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MVP
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Road to South Africa
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06-29-2011, 05:36 PM
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#4 |
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MVP
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Re: Road to South Africa
 USA vs. Mexico Mexico City The Americans begin their campaign with a friendly in a not so friendly place, Mexico City. The starting line-up will be a mix of starters and bench players as Bob Bradley looks to give everybody a fair shot throughout the coming games. The US is looking to put the Mexican backs and midfielders under pressure by starting with a 3-4-3 formation with Donovan stepping into the withdrawn forward position with the ability to roam side to side as well. Here is the line-up: The Starting XI: GK Tim Howard RB Jay DeMerit CB Oguchi Onyewu LB Carlos Bocanegra RM Clint Dempsey RDM Benny Feilhaber LDM Michael Bradley LM Stuart Holden RS Jozy Altidore CF Landon Donovan LS Robbie Findley Available Substitutes: GK Brad Guzan LB Jonathan Bornstein CDM Ricardo Clark ST Conor Casey CAM Jose Francisco Torres CM Maurice Edu LM DeMarcus Beasley Last edited by pfeifere1; 06-29-2011 at 05:39 PM. |
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06-29-2011, 06:36 PM
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MVP
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Re: Road to South Africa
Mexico City, Mexico In what proved to be Tim Howard's show, he kept the US in the game going into halftime after continuously standing on his head to make save after save. Blanco owned the US midfield by jump-starting all attacks Mexico had. At the half, possession was in favor of the US by a slim margin at 51-49%, but Mexico held the edge in shots with 11 and 7 on target as the US only had 4 with 2 on target. Still, it was anyone's game to win... It didn't take long for the Mexicans to make their first substitution in the 57th minute as the Americans came out of the break on a tear with chance after chance. Carlos Vela came in for Franco to solidify the midfield and did just that as he became an integral part of the offense moving forward. After Mexico hit the post twice in as many minutes, Bob Bradley decided it was time for a change as he brought on Jose Francisco Torres for Benny Feilhaber, Maurice Edu for Clint Dempsey, and DeMarcus Beasley for Stuart Holden. The substitutions electrified the US attack as Landon Donovan slipped Robbie Findley down the left sideline, passed the slide of Mexican RB Efrain Juarez. Findley then found a streaking Jozy Altidore who calmly collected the pass and slotted it by the outstretched arms of Ochoa in goal. The goal for Jozy Altidore came off an assist from Robbie Findley in the 82nd minute. As the match came to a close, the US was pinned back in their own half. Tim Howard came up with many big saves, none bigger than a save off a breakaway from Guardado in the 87th minute. This earned Tim Howard the man of the match award, finishing with an 8.7 rating. USA-1 Mexico-0 82' USA Altidore (Findley)
Last edited by pfeifere1; 06-30-2011 at 10:38 PM. |
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06-30-2011, 09:36 PM
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#6 |
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MVP
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Re: Road to South Africa
USA vs. Guatemala Guatemala City, Guatemala The USA come into their first qualifier with a totally new look. The 3-4-3 looks to be more on the attacking side as Charlie Davies slots into the other striking role along side of Jozy Altidore with Landon Donovan once again playing as the withdrawn forward. The USA come into this match in Guatemala looking to at least find a point, but with this attacking line-up, Bob Bradley must feel the Americans would like to get a head start towards the last qualifying stage. Starting Line-up: GK Tim Howard RB Steve Cherundolo CB Oguchi Onyewu LB Carlos Bocanegra RM Benny Feilhaber RDM Maurice Edu LDM Michael Bradley LM Clint Dempsey RS Jozy Altidore CF Landon Donovan LS Charlie Davies Available Substitutes: GK Brad Guzan CAM Stuart Holden CB Jay DeMerit ST Brian Ching CB Clarence Goodson LWB Edgar Castillo LM DaMarcus Beasley Last edited by pfeifere1; 06-30-2011 at 09:39 PM. |
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06-30-2011, 10:36 PM
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MVP
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Re: Road to South Africa
Guatemala City, Guatemala The Americans came out flying in their first qualifier as they had the Guatemalans on their heels throughout the first half. Within the first 20 minutes of the game Benny Feilhaber found himself two quality shots that were blocked by the keeper. All the pressure the Americans put on Guatemala didn't go for nothing as a header by Michael Bradley back into pressure found Charlie Davies feet who drew the keeper off his line. Davies then layed the ball across the six to a wide open Jozy Altidore for a tap in goal, his second goal in as many games. The goal came in the 26th minute for the early 1-0 lead. The Americans were back at it in the 32nd minute as Benny Felhaber found Landon Donovan on top of the eighteen for a one-time rip that was whiskers away from finding the back of the net as it caromed off the inside of the post and back into play. The pressure got to the Guatemalans as they conceded a Landon Donovan corner that found Michael Bradley on the penalty spot and was slammed in off his head to make it 2-0 in favor of the Americans in the 33rd minute. As the first half came to a close Guatemala had their best chance in the 37th minute as a strike from just outside the eighteen sailed inches high and wide of the net. The US countered with a volley by Maurice Edu that was blocked by a miraculous save to keep the Guatemalans hanging on by a thread. At the half the US held a large lead in shots (13-2) and shots on target (9-0). In terms of possession, the US held a slight majority at 55-45, but it was what they did with it that counted. With the Americans in the lead and dominating, this game looked a great chance for Bob Bradley to make some changes to get other players some time. As the second half began it looked to be much of the same story as the Americans took two good chances but had them both saved. Everything changed as Garcia took possession of the ball in the US half and passed to the captain Ramirez who dribbled to the eighteen and ripped an uncontested shot to the top right corner as Tim Howard was left helpless diving for a ball that was out of his reach. Somehow the Guatemalans found hope in the 55th minute as the lead was now just 2-1. The unthinkable occurred in the 62nd minute as the US looked a bit sloppy in their own half. Rodriguez stripped Dempsey of the ball and sent a cross into the box while falling off balance. With Edu and Onyewu covering tightly, the captain, Ramirez, found a way to volley the ball passed Tim Howard in what had to be an even better goal than his first. Guatemala-2 USA-2. This angered Bob Bradley who pulled Dempsey in the 62nd minute due to a poor performance for DaMarcus Beasley hoping he could provide the spark to regain control of the match. As if the tied score wasn't bad enough, the Guatemalan stadium erupted as they took a 3-2 lead in the 73rd minute. This time, Ramirez set up the goal with a perfectly timed through ball to MLS player Marco Pappa that drew Tim Howard out of the net. Pappa calmly circled around Howard and lofted one into the open net. As the last seconds ticked away the US was left only to think about what could have been as they blew a 2-0 halftime lead to eventually succumb to a 3-2 loss. The way the Americans played in the second half, it was deserved...one could only hope they can rebound from such a tough loss. The man of the match went, deservedly, to Ramirez with his 2 goals and 1 assist. Guatemala-3 USA-2 26' USA Altidore (Davies) 33' USA Bradley (Donovan) 54' Ramirez (Garcia) 61' Ramirez (Rodriguez) 73' Pappa (Ramirez)
Last edited by pfeifere1; 06-30-2011 at 10:40 PM. |
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