So the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team kicks off the final round of World Cup qualifiers against its toughest opponent in the region and their bitter rivals, Mexico. Lucky for the Americans, they are at home. I'm liveblogging the match.
Pregame: It's a longstanding tradition for the U.S. to play their homegames against Mexico in Columbus, because it's the city feasible for a World Cup qualifier with the least Mexican contingent.
Pregame: Brian Ching starting at striker for the U.S. is kind of controversial. I think Jozy Altidore is ready now.
Pregame: Conditions are very rainy and windy in Columbus, where they are playing, enough so that match officials considered postponing it. Mexico manager Sven-Goran Eriksson said the whether is comparable to Albania, causing Pedro Gomez to muse of Columbus and Albania are "sister cities." Idiot. Incidentally, playing Mexico in Columbus has become a tradition, because of the feasible cities to hold a World Cup qualifier, Columbus is where Mexico has the least local support.
3' Tim Howard makes a point-blank kick save from about four feet to save the Americans' bacon. That sound you heard was the last man forgetting about Kasey Keller.
11' DaMarcus Beasley, who hasn't been getting much time on the pitch in Europe, just completely whiffed on a header in Mexico's box and looks as rusty as I feared.
13' Beasley also just took a U.S. corner. I don't often see Landon Donovan not taking them when he's on the field. Curious.
15' I'm sorry to keep piling on Beasley, but it's 52 degrees and he's wearing gloves. He's from Indiana. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say it's so the ball doesn't slip out of his hands on throw-ins.
21' Free kick upcoming for the U.S. in a very dangerous position, right at the edge of the box ... take us home, Donovan.
22' Damn, just wide from Donovan.
23' Sacha Kljestan has cut his long hair very short. You can't get this kind of critical news anywhere else.
26' Pedro Gomez, who we already established is an idiot, just did a sideline piece on voodoo dolls in U.S. jerseys the Mexican fans are sticking pins into. Gomez, seemingly serious, assured us this won't really hurt the American players.
I know Gomez gets these gigs because he speaks Spanish, but do we even need a Spanish-speaking sideline reporter for this match? Eriksson coached the England squad for many years.
31' Mexican keeper Oswaldo Sanchez just made a save off the foot of Clint Dempsey equal to Howard's save at the outset.
37' Michael Bradley, who has a lot of haters being the coach's son, didn't do himself any favors with that hero shot from well outside the box.
40' Mexico just had a free kick in about the same spot as Donovan's kick in the 22nd minute, but Howard barely needed to take two steps to make the save.
42' In the announcer's booth, Eric Wynalda just used "sportsmanship" and "gamesmanship" together in such a way that suggests he thinks they mean the same thing.
43' GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL USA!!!!!!!!! Michael Bradley on the ricochet after a beautiful curving corner kick from Beasley.
Halftime: Just saw a U.S. Marines commercial for the umpteenth time. For as long as I remember, different branches of the military have advertised very heavily for U.S. soccer matches. I don't quite understand the strategy. Soccer is not a very popular sport, and many of those who do watch probably come from countries where it is popular and would thus be ineligible or uninterested in serving. Of actual Americans who might enlist because of a commercial ... I'm thinking NASCAR.
49' After questioning why Beasley was taking the corners and not Donavan, my doubts were slammed shut after the U.S. scored off a Beasley corner. So who takes the first corner for the Americans in the second half? Donovan, of course.
53' Dempsey just beautifully ripped a Mexican defender with no one in front of him, but too much space and no closing speed to bring it home.
64' Game has hit a lull with lots of fouls, but nothing too chippy (no yellows shown thus far). Trinidad & Tobago leads the Cinderella of CONCACAF qualifying, El Salvador, 2-0 at home in the first half. U.S. goes to El Salvador next, March 28th, and return to Mexico August 12th.
65' No sooner do I write this than Mexico misses an easy opportunity to equalize by not having anyone in position off the near post, then when Howard makes a save off the ricochet, the Mexican captain Rafael Marquez goes at him studs up and gets the red card.
70' Interesting stat: neither team has a shot on target in the second half.
71' Mexico prepares to make their last substitution, and possibly the last substitution the beleaguered Eriksson ever makes for Mexico, with over 20 minutes left to play considering extra time. The U.S. has yet to make a substitution.
80' Two shots back-to-back from Mexico, including a scary one where Carlos Bocanegra had to make a kick save. They are throwing everything at the Americans now.
81' Altidore prepares to come into the game for Ching. An offensive substitution? I like it. I think Bob Bradley's "defense" is to put this game on ice with a goal on the counterattack.
86' Now a defensive sub for the U.S.: Ricardo Clark for Kljestan.
93' Again, a overambitious shot from Michael Bradley from outside the box. This time, though, he hits it. 2-0, USA. Sanchez perhaps should have come up with that one.
94' Game over. Mexico played with less passion than I've ever seen them play against the U.S. and I think they've quit on Eriksson. I'll say again, I do believe this will be his last game in charge of El Tri.
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