Argentina 4 -1 USA
Argentina show their class
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=214673&cc=5901
Bradley pragmatic about the loss:
http://goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=339386
Paraguay 5 - 0 Colombia
Santa Cruz hat-trick
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=214672&cc=5901
Next up for the States is Paraguay on Monday. Kick-off is scheduled for 6:35 pm EDT.
4 comments:
Bobbie has many comments:
Argentina:
This could be the strongest lineup I've seen them put out, certainly so in midfield. The diamond shape with playmakers at the top and bottom with the holding players at the sides is very much like Milan's, and the effect is the same- total control of midfield possession with amazing passing from the deep lying playmaker role (in this case Veron imitating Pirlo's role with Milan). Riquelme had a quiet match but Veron's distribution was so good that he was hardly missed. Veron seems much more suited to the slower pace in front of the back four than he was to playing an advanced playmaker role at ManYoo and Chelski. Messi was simply absurd. His acceleration in tight spaces is simply marvelous. Crespo seemed rejuvenated by the service he was getting and turned in a fantastic performance as well.
USA:
Very promising first 60 minutes from the C team. Eddie Johnson showed that he's got the speed to run with (and past) the big boys but lacks the cohones to finish against them. Ben Olson and Benny both played pretty well and the team didn't really fall apart until Beninho was taken off of the field. Justin Mapp can't bamboozle defenders at that level like he does in MLS and if he's going to unseat Beasley or Convey on the left (and believe me, he's not) he'll have to come up with something new. Kyle Beckerman and Eddie Gavin have nothing to offer at that level at this point and Beckerman needs to get rid of the smelly hippie dreds. Bonnaroo is over, dude. Lastly, I will always love Casey Keller. The guy is a gamer and he's only out there at this point because he loves to play for his country. Screw Reyna, he's the most important and influential national team player of the last 20 years.
I was greatly saddened by Johnson's play. He rarely challenged for anything and was physically impotent, something he should not be. Twellman was ass which was no surprise.
Ditto on Keller -- outstanding. Perhaps could have done better technically in this match but his presence was critical.
Argentina played a beautifully patient match and knew what they were doing the whole time...wearing the US out. They turned it up for the second half as soon as the US walked out of the locker room w/ their asses first.
Mapp, Beckerman, Gaven...I don't think these kids even comprehend what they're dealing with. Johnson...once again proved that he doesn't really know what to do w/ the ball as soon as he gets w/in the 18. He's made many a poor decision w/ the ball in front of the net by stopping to make a decision. He doesn't seem to want the goal as bad as he should.
All in all, it was embarassing, i felt the shame myself...but maybe we should treat this learning experience as something positive, not necessarily for the future of this tournament, but for the team we'll be supporting in 2010.
I would have to agree, Mr. P. Patience was the key for Argentina. And the players you mentioned made horrible decisions. They were mentally unfit to be out there.
I was surprised that Bradley left Johnson on for so long. He was a joke.
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