I have been following the national team since 1994, as what I would consider a serious bordering obsessive fan since 1999.  I’m totally bummed about the result of today’s match.  Tonight, when the disappointment started setting in, I realized that I am most disappointed that I won’t have the pleasure of watching this team play again in this tournament.  As a fan, I can’t ask for much more than that.

I love this team.  There are so many things to love about it: a never-say-die attitude, a pervasive togetherness, its creativity, its hard-nosed nature, its diversity, and its leadership.

All 14 players who played for the US yesterday gave it their all.

A co-worker I watched the game with said he thought Michael Bradley looked like he was in a Benny Hill movie, in fast-forward.  Bradley seemed to be trying to will the team to win with penetrating runs, and tireless running.  I don’t like to talk about effort and the amount of running players do because the physical attributes of soccer seem to be overvalued in the US to the detriment of more skillful, technical players.  That said, Bradley couples his effort (11.7 km covered) with a sophistication (46/58 passes completed, 3 shots) that makes him a prototypical, modern two-way, box-to-box midfielder.  Check out his heatmap from FIFA:

That is what a central, box-to-box midfielder’s heatmap should look like.  (If you haven’t, check out FIFA’s stats page on its match cast.)  And his discipline is improving.  He only committed two fouls yesterday.

Jozy Altidore played with confidence and style.  Though he blasted the ball over an open goal from seven yards, he still had an excellent match.

Herculez Gomez was unpredictable and dangerous.  He would have gotten the assist if Dempsey’s goal stood.  This was only Gomez’s second start for the national team, and he was not intimidated by the occasion.

Dempsey was unlucky to not get a goal.  Not just the disallowed goal, but he hit the bar on a chance he buries 9 out of 10 times, then missed a relatively easy follow-up: he had nine shots in total, four on goal.  Dempsey covered a lot of ground, making himself available to get the ball and create chances.  The big-time player showed up for the big-time game.

Donovan was precise with his passing and dangerous when he had the ball, especially in the first half, but he didn’t see enough of it.  He should have finished with two assists, if only Dempsey and Altidore buried their chances.  All that matters, however, is that Donovan created and got the goal that clinched first place in group C.  He is surely going to be the second American player named to FIFA’s World Cup Best XI.  (Howard and Bradley also deserve a place on the team in my biased opinion.)

Maurice Edu played the first 60 minutes as Bradley’s partner in the midfield.  He was solid, if unspectacular.  I expect Edu to start the rest of the matches he is available for because of his ability to track attacking midfielders and occasionally push forward.  He has looked a bit more in-form than Ricardo Clark, who we haven’t seen since the first match.

Cherundolo put in another stellar performance from the right back position.  He got forward well, serving dangerous crosses into the area.  Beside the one defensive miscue previously mentioned, little Stevie’s defending was excellent.

DeMerit played with a tenacity and determination that I wish we could bottle.  He commanded the area around him very well.  He is everything we needed in a center back.

Captain Carlos Bocanegra shifted over to the middle of defense and delivered his best performance of the tournament.  Solid and steady in the back, Bocanegra kept things organized and made the timely plays that helped the US keep a clean sheet.

Bob Bradley is always good for a surprise and yesterday that surprise was Jonathan Bornstein.  The player who looked overmatched against El Salvador, Czech Republic, and Turkey was thrown into the starting lineup to replace Oguchi Onyewu, who Bradley thought might be tired.  He also wanted to use Bornstein’s speed to attack down the left side of the field.  Bornstein did fine.  He delivered an excellent cross early in the second half and defended capably.  I still get nervous every time he is defending because he is a penalty waiting to happen.  I’ll be anxious to see who Bradley starts Saturday.

Tim Howard didn’t have a lot to do.  The crossbar saved him once.  Timmy’s shining moment came when he delivered a perfect throw to Donovan on the play that led to the goal.  It took 12 seconds for the ball to go from Howard to the Algerian goal.  That is efficiency.

Substitute Benny Feilhaber played really well.  He came on for Gomez at half-time, pushing Dempsey forward and taking over in midfield.  Feilhaber’s calmness on the ball and incisive passing led to a number of excellent opportunities.  He is a great option in the midfield for the US when we have a lot of possession.

Edson Buddle came on for Edu in the 64th minute.  He was very useful with his ability to hold the ball and combine with the US midfielders.  Buddle was unlucky not to score when he powerfully directed a header right at the Algerian goalkeeper Mbohli.  If he heads the ball two yards in either direction, it’s a goal.

The final substitution was DaMarcus Beasley.  He came on too late (80′) to contribute much, but he did do well to help defend on the left side in the absence of Bornstein, who he subbed on for.  Beasley was the victim of a perplexing caution for handling the ball with his chest.

Manager Bob Bradley deserves a lot of credit for making the right moves again.  His willingness to attack, to commit numbers forward paid off against Slovenia and against Algeria.  He kept faith in Bornstein and Bornstein responded well.  The stoic Bradley had what my lovely wife referred to as a Perry/JD moment with Donovan after the match: they hugged tightly and relished the moment.  Donovan emerged tearful.  Bradley teared up, also, when talking about the wonderful support the team has gotten in South Africa.

With an incredibly good draw, the US plays Ghana Saturday and, if it advances, the winner of Uruguay/South Korea.  England, on the other hand, faces Germany, and, if it advances, the winner of Argentina/Mexico!  Ha!  England doesn’t deserve better.  As WaPo writer Steven Goff pointed out in the previously linked to post, England scored as many goals as the US had wrongfully disallowed.  Lest anyone get sentimental for Africa’s last hope, Ghana, let’s remember that Ghana was the team of diving, time-wasting losers that got a bogus penalty and knocked us out of the 2006 World Cup.   Go USA!

There are many lingering questions after yesterday’s riveting 2-2 tie.

• Is Malian referee Koman Coulibaly incompetent, corrupt, or both?

I think he’s simply incompetent.  If he was paid off or had a vendetta against the US, he certainly would’ve sent off Clint Dempsey in the first minute of the game when Dempsey provided the opportunity by elbowing a Slovene.  Coulibaly made many, many mind-baffling calls, but none more influential than the phantom foul he called against nobody-knows-who in the dying moments of the game, just before second-half substitute Maurice Edu slammed a Landon Donovan free kick into the back of the goal to seemingly give the US a 3-2 lead.  Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Coulibaly’s World Cup is likely over as FIFA is expediting his performance review.  I’d like to put him on an island with Hugh Dallas (2002 missed handball against Germany), Jorge Lorrianda (2009- ejected Bradley for an innocuous challenge in Confederations Cup semifinal then reported him for verbal abuse which got Bradley a three game suspension, 2006- ejected Mastroeni and Eddie Pope in group match against Italy) , Wolfgang Starg (2008- ejected Michael Orozco for a soft elbow in the 3rd minute in the final group match against Nigeria) and Peter Prendergrast (2001- called a phantom penalty for Costa Rica in stoppage time for a handball when in fact the ball clearly hit Greg Berhalter in the head) and see how these egomaniacs interrelate.  The America-hating NYT has come to Coulibaly’s defense, at least regarding the goal disallowing call, with a well-reasoned argument.  The problem with the argument, however, is that good judgment and the ability to understand the context of the game are the most important attributes of officials, and to make that call reveals that Coulibaly possesses neither.

• Is Oguchi Onyewu the best option in one of the two center back slots?

Probably not.  He was at fault for both goals yesterday due to slow reactions, and a healthy Gooch would’ve scored on the set piece delivery Donovan sent to the far post.  Why was he playing five yards deeper than the other three defenders on the second goal?  Perhaps Gooch was not trusting enough of his ability to recover if a ball was played into space behind him.  On the first goal, he needed to step hard to the ball and stay big.  Physically, Gooch may be ready.  To be match fit, especially at this level, you must be mentally sharp as well as physically fit; reactions must be instinctual and without delay.  Gooch is not there.  My answer is “probably not” instead of a simple “no” because I don’t know if Clarence Goodson or Jonathan Spector are better options (don’t even mention Jonathan Bornstein).  If Bob Bradley keeps the faith with Gooch, I hope he improves on yesterday’s performance.  Cohesion and communication are so important on defense that I’d likely stick with the same back four, but strongly consider playing Spector on the left and slide Carlos Bocanegra into the middle.

• Will Jose Torres ever play more than a half of a game he starts?

Other than one bad giveaway in the defensive half, I thought Torres played well.  The Edu and Benny Feilhaber double switch worked, obviously, but I was hoping Torres would still be on the field when the second half started.  Torres is a threat on set pieces; he can control games with his quick,  incisive passing.  He was not a defensive liability.  There were four or five defenders playing against two Slovenes on each goal.  The World Cup is not a time for a team to figure out how to best use a player so we may not see Torres in a starting role again, which is disappointing.

• Can you believe the Slovene goalkeeper ducked to avoid being decapitated by Donovan’s goal?

Ha!  That was awesome.

• If I have a son and name him Michael Landon, will you think of Little House on the Prairie or US soccer?
• Which two teams are going to qualify?

All four teams have it all to play for next Wednesday.  I can’t wait to watch.

Most of the talk after the most anticipated game the US has played in recent memory was centered on the mistake England goalkeeper Robert Green made.  I read and heard casual fans and fanatics alike conclude that the draw was a lucky result for the US.  What that conclusion fails to understand, however, is that the context of the game dictates the approach the players’ take.  In other words, if Green stops Dempsey’s shot, the rest of the game would not unfold just as it did Saturday.  The US would push forward more, and I am convinced, would have scored.  You could just as easily say that England was lucky to draw because Green made a wonderful save on Jozy Altidore, knocking his low hard shot off the crossbar after Altidore burned the hack of a defender Jamie Carragher…or that England surely should have won if not for Timmy Howard’s tremendous save after Emile Heskey broke through.  If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry World Cup.

Some other observations:

• I was really hoping to get a win, but pleased with a point.  I love rooting for this team because every player gives his all.  You’d think that would be a given for all teams at the World Cup, but it’s not.  I don’t think the US has a selfish player on the roster.
• I was quite pleased with the Brazilian referee.  He let the players play, for the most part.  Robbie Findley easily could’ve been sent off for his late, dangerous tackle that resulted in his cleats against Gerrard’s (I think) ankle.  That tackle was worse than all three tackles that resulted in ejections for Ricardo Clark, Sacha Kljestan, and Michael Bradley in last year’s Confederations Cup.  Equally, Heskey could’ve been sent off for his late, studs up challenge to Howard’s ribs.
• The US defense played really well, though it did get stretched a few times when Oguchi Onyewu or Jay DeMerit would step up and the other defenders wouldn’t (England’s goal is the prime example).  Gooch’s performance was much improved over what he showed against the Czechs.  I was glad to see him playing well.
• Steve Cherundolo was awesome.  He was so much better than James Milner that Milner was substituted before 30 minutes went by!  His defending was flawless and he should’ve been rewarded with an assist when he delivered a perfect cross to Altidore in the first half.  Unfortunately, Altidore bungled the header.
• DeMerit was really, really good.  He shut down Wayne Rooney.  I love the way DeMerit plays.  If Rooney had to face DeMerit every game, he quite possibly would end up with a scraggly, ginger beard living in a trailer park.
• I would have liked to see higher, tighter pressure from Clark, Bradley, and Bocanegra.  We gave England too much time and space on the ball for all but maybe the final quarter of the field.
• Bob Bradley needed to make an earlier substitution to get Holden, Feilhaber, Torres, Edu, or Beasley on the field to do some defending in the wide parts of the field.  The players were visibly tiring, and England was gaining momentum.  That said, when Holden went in he looked like a deer in the headlights.
• Steve McManaman is an a-hole.  Typical English fanboy.  His “3-1, easy” prediction was a joke, as was his despondency after the game.  Have some sense and balance.
• Martin Tyler makes me want to hurt myself.  The physiology and psychology line was hideous.  I hate his gross generalizations and his complete lack of knowledge about anything outside of England.
• I like the insight Ruud Gullit and Alexi Lalas provide.  I don’t always agree with Lalas, but I appreciate his willingness to call out the Eurosnobbery.
• Why is Disney/ABC/ESPN obsessed with Fabio Capello and slow motion replays?  He is handsome and wears nice, Italian suits.  We get it.  Give it a rest, please.  Just show the game.

Jay-Z: The Blueprint 3; David Bowie: Best of Bowie; David Gray: Draw the Line; Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest; Andrew Bird: Noble Beast; Owl City: Ocean Eyes; Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon; The Bird and the Bee: Please Clap Your Hands; The Black Eyed Peas: The E.N.D.; U2: No Line on the Horizon

My favorite album of 2009 was undoubtedly Phoenix’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix which I previously wrote about.  Of the albums listed above–and previously unmentioned in this space–none quite captivated me in a way that inspired me to write about it until I wanted to solicit recommendations after receiving a bounty of amazon gift cards for Christmas. I am probably to blame for this phenomenon because my selections over the last two years have overwhelmingly been indie/arty/folk/chamber pop type selections. To earn the recommendations I seek, I will post some brief thoughts on each of the albums pictured above.

Jay-Z: The Blueprint 3

“Empire State of Mind” is an awesome song, probably my favorite of the year.  The piano, the beat, Alicia Keys, Jay’s rapping, they are all perfect.  Stephen Colbert tried to give Jay a run for his money with his own version of the song with Alicia Keys and the performance is hilarious, but just doesn’t compete.  “D.O.A. [Death of Auto Tune]” is another great song, one that I particularly appreciate because I only like auto-tune when the Gregory Brothers auto-tune the news. Honestly I can only stomach three or four Jay-Z songs at a time before I get bored.  The third song that I usually choose from this album before finding something else to listen to is “Run This Town” which features Rihanna and Kanye West and is fun and catchy.

David Bowie: Best of Bowie

How weird is it that I went to a U2 concert and saw Muse and U2 and yet walked away not able to get “Space Oddity” out of my head?  U2 walked onto stage to the song, and it intrigued me.  I’ve been meaning to check out Bowie ever since Nirvana covered “The Man Who Sold the World” on Unplugged in New York, and it only took me another chance encounter and 15 years to do it.  I’m glad I finally did, and not just because I learned “Heroes” was not written by Jakob Dylan.  The songs are rich and diverse, and make me want to explore Bowie further.

David Gray: Draw the Line

I’m a big David Gray fan and while I enjoy this album, I was not immediately grabbed like I was when I heard White Ladder and Life in Slow Motion.  It may take a couple more listens to grab me and that’s just fine.

Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest

What strikes me funny about this album is that I only ever remember one song from it, “Two Weeks”.  I never regret listening to the album, but it is too easy to forget.  It’s possible that I’m just not hipster enough (at all) to appreciate chamber pop.  Maybe next year.

Andrew Bird: Noble Beast

Armchair Apocrypha gets better with each listen.  I hoped Noble Beast would also, and it does.  It is a very polished album: I need to listen to it more.  I never thought I would appreciate onomatopoeia, but I do.  Bird is very creative with every part of his music from the instruments he uses, the way he turns a phrase, to his lyrics, and timing.  I am really impressed.

Owl City: Ocean Eyes

Owl City is not my cup of tea.  The lyrics are inane and the music is bland.  If it’s not auto-tune, it is a poor imitation of auto-tune.  I got talked into buying this album and I regret having it.  It reminds me of bad music I listened to in high school and early college like Something Corporate and Stroke 9.

Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon

I bought this album because it was available for just $5 when it was one of amazon’s daily deals.  It seems like it’s one of those albums that I should own so it was too hard to pass up at that price.  I’ve listened to it twice, and it’s good.  Maybe someday I’ll understand why it is such a profound album.

The Bird and the Bee: Please Clap Your Hands

For some reason I am drawn to male-female duos.  I like The Bird and the Bee mainly because of Inara George’s voice, but also because of the excellent keyboarding and programming by her partner in crime Greg Kurstin.  It’s like a delicious mixture of Regina Spektor, Andrew Bird, Luscious Jackson and M Ward/Zoey Deschanel.   “Polite Dance Song” is my favorite song on the EP: it borders trite like The Gourds’ cover of “Gin and Juice” or “Hit Me Baby One More Time” by Travis where the singer’s voice and the music doesn’t fit with the lyrics, but on this occasion it works well.

The Black Eyed Peas: The E.N.D.

The Black Eyed Peas know how to make me want to shake my moneymaker.  I’m not a fan of Oprah, but this was cool.  The album has a lot of filler, but just having the songs “I Gotta Feeling” and “Boom Boom Pow” available to play when I crave something fun and upbeat makes this purchase worthwhile.

U2: No Line on the Horizon

I still haven’t found what I’m looking for, for U2 to make one song as good as any of the songs on their albums pre-1991.  That may not be fair.  For me, when I want to listen to U2 I am not going to choose this album.

Happy New Year!

Photo from dcunited’s flickr stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcunited/4014318316/

The US overcame a two-goal deficit, horrendous finishing, playing down a man, and playing with heavy hearts with their teammate  Charlie Davies in the hospital to tie a Costa Rica team desperate for the win that would qualify them for next summer’s World Cup.  Jonathan Bornstein’s header from a Robbie Rogers corner kick in the 95th minute leveled the score 2-2 and secured first place in CONCACAF for the US after a grueling 16-month tournament.  On the other side, it was heartbreak for Costa Rica; the tie pushed them into fourth place which means a two-game playoff with Uruguay, CONMEBOL’s fifth place team, will decide which nation will be the final team to qualify for South Africa.

It was a very strange match.  It started as an open, attacking affair which saw both sides with chances in the first 30 minutes.  Unfortunately for the US it was Costa Rica that was able to capitalize, building a two-goal lead after 24 minutes thanks to a three minute, world-class  display by Bryan Ruiz.  The first goal was a deadly combination of attacking verve and defensive timidity.  Ruiz turned Oguchi Onyewu at the corner of the 18 and then made a beeline for the goal.  Carlos Bocanegra was slow to react and Howard was soft coming off his line.  ESPN commentator Alexi Lalas mentioned the idea that the timid display could be the result of the US playing to not get a red card.  Whenever you play with the purpose to not do something, bad things happen.  Just three minutes later the Costa Ricans played an impressive sequence of passes to undo the left side of the US defense before Ruiz hit a laser into the far upper V.  The US was shell-shocked.  Costa Rica had one foot in Cape Town.  From there, however, the US took over and generated chance after chance.  Before the goals, on 9 minutes, Conor Casey missed a 100% opportunity after a wonderful individual display by Jozy Altidore.  Before half-time Altidore would miss a similar opportunity as would Landon Donovan.

The goals would come.  Michael Bradley followed up a Donovan shot and awkwardly forced the ball into the ground and over the onrushing keeper; it took sheer determination to break the seal.  Even after Onyewu went down with a torn patella tendon and the US was playing with 10 men, substitute Jose Francisco Torres dictated play and the US was relentless in their pursuit of the second goal.  Finally, with seconds remaining Bornstein rose to meet a well-driven corner kick from Rogers and the celebrations began.

In the post-game celebration the team posed in front of a Charlie Davies banner.  Captain Carlos Bocanegra thanked the fans for their support throughout qualification.  With Trinidad and Tobago tying Mexico, the US finished first in CONCACAF.  Again.  Even with the excitement of the game and clinching first, soccer is still secondary.  The US soccer community all wishes Davies a speedy recovery, and we pray for comfort for the family and friends of the passenger who died.  Though the injuries are less severe, we all are also hoping Onyewu and Jay DeMerit are able to recover quickly and fully as well.

Sidenote: We US fans weren’t the only people excited by last night’s late night.  Check out the radio call from Honduras.  Keep in mind all three CONCACAF matches were played simultaneously and the US tie propelled Honduras into the World Cup aka El Mundial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tL-Wfs1ZjU

Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images

Mission Accomplished. The US is going to South Africa after scoring three goals in the second half and surviving a few scares in the dying moments against a Honduras team that had won all eight of its prior home games in 2010 qualifying.  Conor Casey scored the first two goals and drew the foul that led to the third.  Donovan scored the third, expertly hitting a direct kick over a five-man wall and into the upper corner from 20 yards.  Honduras had scored in the first two minutes of the second half on a similar direct kick.  They were fortunate to be credited with a second goal after a missed offside call, but unfortunate to miss a penalty with five minutes remaining.  Having missed the first 30 minutes and only able to watch the remainder of the game on an Internet feed, it is difficult to judge individual performances.  What I will say is that qualification is not easy, no matter where you are in the world (ask fans of Portugal or Argentina or Nigeria), and the US is in for the sixth consecutive World Cup.  Kudos to Bob Bradley.  The US won all its home matches (with one remaining) and won in Trinidad & Tobago and Honduras.

Here are some good articles/posts from journalists who were either at the game or able to watch it on a decent feed.

Americans Qualify for World Cup Steven Goff, Washington Post

Where’s the Love for U.S.’ Casey? Greg Lalas, Sports Illustrated

USA 3, Honduras 2: The U.S. is in the 2010 World Cup Grant Wahl, Sports Illustrated

(AFP/Bertrand de Peaza)

With two matchdays remaining, the United States is back on top of the CONCACAF table after it posted a rare away victory against Trinidad and Tobago.  In the 24 matches played in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, the away team has only won three times (the US and Costa Rica at T&T, and Mexico at Costa Rica).  In the other two CONCACAF matches last night the home team won 1-0: Mexico over Honduras and El Salvador over the suddenly pedestrian Costa Rica.  The US also won 1-0 on the strength of a wonderstrike by midfielder Ricardo Clark, who particularly relished scoring while his Trinidadian father was in attendance in the Port of Spain.

The performance of the US is not something to remember: looking tired and unmotivated, it was only the woodwork that kept Cornell Glen and T&T off the scoreboard in the first half.  The US was unable to possess the ball or close down T&T quickly which can often lead to exciting open matches.  On this night, however, it led to sloppy play that just left me scratching my head.  Is this the team that beat Spain 2-0?  Excuses abound: you play down to the level of your opponent; eight plus hours of travel from Salt Lake City to Port of Spain, just seven miles off the coast of Venezuela, took its toll; it was hot; the pitch was bumpy; T&T was playing without pressure; the stadium lacked atmosphere as the stands were only half-full.  As a family friend used to say, “Excuses are like b-holes; everyone has one.”  So it was good to see an improved performance in the second half and a grind-it-out victory that teams with greater histories are known for.

Three performances stood out to me.  1-Jonathan Bornstein: I ripped into Bornstein after he had a howler against El Salvador on the weekend.  Bob Bradley kept faith in Bornstein, and Bornstein responded well.  He was less panicked, defending and in possession.  T&T attacked him for the first 30 minutes of the match and then seemed to surrender.  Well done Johnny B.  2-Landon Donovan: in a post-game interview Clark said Donovan is a big-time player doing big-time things.  Not the most eloquent quote, but he gets the point across. Donovan passed well and made several unsettling runs at the heart of the T&T defense.  He picked up yet another assist to add to his record as the US player with the most points. 3-Ricardo Clark: his goal was all that was needed.  The ability of the deep midfielder to hit a bomb like that is invaluable, not just for goals but for opening up defenses.  His pressure in the midfield in the second half helped the US start to defend with urgency and purpose.

The end of qualifying is just a month away, with another double fixture in the second week of October.  The US will play at Honduras on the weekend and then at home against Costa Rica midweek.  With the logjam at the top of the table, there are a number of circumstances in which the US will qualify.  The easiest to remember is that one win and the US is in.  There is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of playing composedly and possessing the ball better, but at this point the value is in getting points.  A perfect six points from this round is what was required and it is what was achieved.