Olympic Demons Exorcised and USA routs El Salvador

Photo credit: US Soccer

Sixteen months ago, the El Salvador U-23 team tied Team USA 3-3 in Olympic qualifying and in so doing eliminated one of the more talented U23-level squad the Americans have had in at least two cycles. Last night that fateful game was avenged by three special players: Brek Shea, Joe Corona and Mix Diskerud, as the United States routed El Salvador by 5-1.

Another special statement was sent out by Landon Donovan, who proved once again why he is the best soccer player this nation has ever had. Another goal and another 4 assists for the US number 10. Not bad. And now we can assume that he will start alongside Dempsey, Altidore, Bradley and the rest of the gang come September's meeting with Mexico in Columbus for World Cup Qualifying.

Overall we have to credit the midfield for yesterday's win, as well as the constant forays by Michael Parkhurst and good positioning for Goodson on his goal. Still, Beasley was at fault for the Salvadoran PK and Goodson, despite the goal, was at times slow to react. At forward Wondolowski lacked the "nastiness" needed to score but this was ameliorated by Eddie Johnson within 14 seconds of the Seattle Sounders' forward entrance to the game.

Joe Corona and Mix Diskerud were especially impressive throughout the match. They rarely lost the ball and constantly set up dangerous plays. Add to this a goal a piece and we can credit a nearly-perfect game by the two midfielders. They are quickly rising to the top of the pecking order in the senior "A" squad when injuries occur to usual starters like Bradley or Jermaine Jones. At their young age, we can definitely count on them for some time to come, especially given their willingness to learn defensive duties.

Player ratings:

Rimando.........6.5

Beasley...........5.5

Goodson.........6

Besler..............6

Parkhurst.........6.5

Corona...........7.5

Torres.............6

Diskerud..........7

Donovan..........8

Wondolowski..4.5

Subs: Johnson (7.5), Orozco (NR), Shea (6)

Model for the Qualifiers: USA defeats Panama in friendly

Photo credit: AP

Tonight's game between the US national team and its Panamanian equivalent was a perfect example of how to play in the World Cup Qualifiers. Start fast, play defensive and hold on to a favorable score and points. Tonight was also the third game won by the USA in a row, a first under Klinsmann and also abroad.

Graham Zusi scored his first goal in only his second cap, proving that the US has plenty of talent in MLS. It was an opportunistic strike in the 8th minute and one that kept Team USA ahead on the scoreboard throughout the game.

The offense was quite lively in the first half, with Wondolowski getting close to scoring the second for the US and an active and efficient Loyd-Shea partnership on the left wing. Bunbury was largely quiet but did have a couple of close shots. Jermaine Jones took several long range shots, one of which almost served to set a Wondolowski goal.

The defense was tested better than against Venezuela and if it hadn't been for Nick Rimando's heroics, then the scoreboard would have been 1-2 or 1-3 in favor of the "Canaleros." Parkhurst and Cameron looked particularly vulnerable through the middle and the latter was forced into making a tactical foul that resulted in his expulsion. And yet that is the mark of a good defender: to give up your space on the field to keep your team ahead. So, more of Geoff Cameron in the future might be intriguing.

The biggest lesson for this largely-novice group of players was the intense negative atmosphere of a Concacaf venue. If this had been a real qualifier, then three points abroad brings the team three steps closer to the World Cup. These are the kind of games needed to gain experience ahead of a new qualifying round and Klinsmann has been quite smart in setting up games abroad that widen the scope of US Soccer in a way that hasn't been done before. As the announcers said during the game, this was the first friendly against a Concacaf team outside of the US since the early 1990s. So, way to go Herr Coach. On to Italy with our "A" team.

Player ratings:
Rimando...............8
DeLaGarza............6
Parkhurst..............6
Cameron...............6.5
Loyd.....................5
Shea......................5.5
Clark.....................5.5
Jones.....................6.5
Zusi.......................7
Wondolowski........6.5
Bunbury................5

Subs: Johnson (6.5), Parke (6), Sapong (5), Evans (6), Larentowicz (6.5), Pearce (6.5)

MLS Cup 2009: When Antifutbol wins tournaments

If you are a fan of MLS, then you fall in two categories: either you were going for LA and Beckham and Donovan and greater respect for the league when the "superclub" wins it all.... or you hate MLS's direction (Beckham included) and you wanted the Cinderella team to win it all. Yesterday it was Jason Kreis' team that won the battle, but they won it by chance and by the psychology of penalties and the well-poised Rimando.

It is antifutbol, yes. This word has been coined in Latin American soccer media through the years as a way to describe overly defensive teams and penalty kick decisions. When given a chance, any psychologically motivated goalkeeper is tough to contend with. After riding high on last week's win versus Chicago, Nick Rimando was as sure of himself as Goycochea was for Argentina in 1990. It would require more power and placement than Galaxy players could. Landon Donovan, always so sure on penalties, was not to be undone by Rimando. And he wasn't. Instead, his first penalty miss in quite a while went over the bar.

It is also true that although they may have felt an edge as favorites, the Galaxy star players looked tired and injured. Such was the case of Beckham, who disappeared late in the game, and Ricketts, whose injury aided in RSL's equalizer.

And then there's Real Salt Lake. A blue collar team, grassroots from its inception and full of young, hard-working talent. Jason Kreis may have been the apprentice compared with Arena, but he has now become the master. Out was Morales early in the game and constant was the pressure from the Galaxy attack. Movsisyan, Beckerman and Findley probed a fragile Galaxy defense often and hard... especially in the extra time. They held their ground, forced the tie, and eventually lifted the trophy.

The penalties were just what they are supposed to be: a game of chance and psychology, the epitome of antifutbol. Salt Lake City now has a bona fide champion, a beautiful cathedral of a stadium and a fan base that isn't going away, not after yesterday. Maybe a designated player looms in the horizon--Blanco, I'm looking in your direction. For the Galaxy, it's back to square one, back to solidifying their defense, back to re-sign Donovan or search for another star to feed of Beckham, back to asking themselves if they really can become a superclub.