US Soccer Daily

Highlights: USA 3, Germany 0- Feb. 1999 in Jacksonville

2012-02-15T13:14:00.001-05:00

The Scotland friendly this May will be just the second USMNT match held in Jacksonville. The first was part of a senior team/U-23 doubleheader against Germany back in February of 1999.

The Yanks were led by Bruce Arena, coaching just his third match as USMNT head coach. They managed to beat Germany by a score of 3-0 in front of 17,259 fans, with first half goals from Jovan Kirovski, Claudio Reyna, and Tony Sanneh in the span of just 10 minutes.

Check out the highlights below, with what sounds like USSD fave Rob Stone on the mic:

With some different angles, here are some highlights from the German broadcast as well:

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Scotland Friendly in Jacksonville Confirmed; Antigua WCQ Site Announced

2012-02-15T13:04:00.004-05:00

US Soccer confirmed today what had been rumored for a few weeks: the Yanks will take on Scotland in Jacksonville on May 26, the first of three friendlies leading up to the start of World Cup qualification on June 8 (the other two being May 30 against Brazil in Landover, Maryland and June 3 against Canada in Toronto).

EverBank Field, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars

In addition, US Soccer also announced that the opening World Cup qualifier against Antigua and Barbuda will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

The trip to Jacksonville is not a first for the USMNT. Back in February of 1999, the senior team and the U-23s played a doubleheader against their German counterparts, with the USMNT winning 3-0 thanks to goals from Jovan Kirovski, Claudio Reyna, and Tony Sanneh.

Check out the highlights here.

The friendly will be the sixth match between the US and Scotland, the last being a 1-1 draw in Glasgow back in November 2005.

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There has been some question as to why Tampa's Raymond James Stadium was chosen for the Antigua qualifier, as a smaller venue might have seemed more logical considering the opponent. There are a couple of things to consider here.

First, US Soccer apparently sought to play the match in a very warm climate so as to help acclimate the players ahead of the qualifier in Guatemala City on June 12th.

Something else of importance is the fact that having the match in Florida allows for a shorter flight between World Cup qualifiers, thus lessening the physical impact of the flight ahead of an important road qualifier. Now, the Yanks' longest flight will occur prior to the Antigua match, as they go from Toronto to Tampa, a stretch that is more palatable considering the extra day between the matches as well as the less demanding second opponent.

From a support perspective, Tampa is a deserving host, as well. Fans at Raymond James Stadium created a memorably electric and overwhelmingly pro-American atmosphere during the USMNT's 2-1 group stage loss to Panama at last summer's Gold Cup.

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All told, the USMNT will certainly be wracking up the frequent flyer miles this summer. After flying in from their respective clubs to join Jurgen Klinsmann's mid-May camp at a site still to be determined, the Yanks will go to Jacksonville, then to Washington, then to Toronto, then to Tampa, then to Guatemala City, with the five matches and travel taking place over the span of just 18 days.

Needless to say, that kind of travel could take a physical toll on players. But I expect Klinsmann and his staff will look to rotate players to keep the squad fresh, along with the usual regeneration techniques.

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It's shaping up to be a fun summer. Start planning those USMNT trips, folks.

USSD at TSG: On a Night of Tragedy & Triumph

2012-02-13T13:41:00.004-05:00

The Stade d’Angondje fell silent for an instant. Pulsing with support throughout the evening, fans grew quiet, drawing the shortest of breaths as Didier Drogba approached the penalty spot in the 70th minute.

A second later, half of the crowd erupted in euphoric celebration and half howled in disbelief, combining for a cacophonous sforzando as the attempt sailed into the Gabonese night. And on an island stood Drogba, the picture of anguish and, for a split second, quiet resignation. His body looked to finally be buckling under the weight of a nation, with old demons racing back into focus.

Would this be 2006 all over again, where a Drogba penalty miss in the final helped seal another empty-handed exit from the Africa Cup of Nations? Would this Drogba-led squad ever win an international trophy, or were they doomed to become one of the most talented also-rans of their time? Why, Didi must have wondered in true Balotelli fashion, why always me?

...Read the rest of my piece on the riveting cruelty of the Africa Cup of Nations final here, hosted by The Shin Guardian. Be sure to leave some love in the comments!

Video highlights below:

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Storybook Ending: Zambia Beat Cote d'Ivoire to Win '12 Africa Cup of Nations

2012-02-12T18:28:00.000-05:00

Wow.

What a riveting final in Gabon, where the lovable underdogs Zambia managed to beat Cote d'Ivoire 8-7 on penalties after a thrilling 120 minutes of scoreless play.

There was quality play, great subplots, awesome moments, a beautiful venue, a boisterous crowd, and a storybook ending. Quite simply, it was everything one could hope for in a final.

I'll have a long, narrative-style look back to this match tomorrow, so be sure to come by. But for now, check out the highlights below, which include Didier Drogba's 70th minute penalty attempt, as well as all of the penalty rounds.

For those wondering, Zambia's win does not earn them a spot in the 2013 Confederations Cup; that berth will go to the winner of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, as the tournament switches to odd years.

Congratulations, Zambia. What a way to honor those that perished from your team just outside Libreville 19 years ago.

Yanks in Europe Saturday Highlight Reel: Dempsey, Donovan, & More

2012-02-11T14:01:00.001-05:00

There has been no shortage of highlights for Yanks in Europe today. Here's a quick video rundown:

Donovan assists in Everton win v. Chelsea

Landon Donovan picked up another assist for Everton today, this time setting up his side's second goal that sealed a 2-0 victory over Chelsea. Donovan leads the Premier League in assists since his first appearance in January, another remarkable run of form for the Toffees.

He's also now made it a habit of beating down on Chelsea. This year, he set up a goal and played 90 minutes in a win; in 2010, he drew a penalty, set up a goal, played 90 minutes, and broke Ashley Cole's leg in a big 2-1 win over the Blues at Goodison Park.

Dempsey's (sort-of) Golazo

This absolute bomb from 30 yards out is being ruled an own goal because it came off the back of the Stoke City keeper after hitting the crossbar (although it looks like he did get a touch initially, as Dempsey's shot was on target, which makes me wonder if that's the appropriate ruling). Either way, it's a ridiculously audacious attempt that was hit beautifully. There's no stopping Deuce these days:

With Donovan and Dempsey riding fantastic runs of form, the Italy friendly can't come soon enough. It would also be the first time that they play together under Jurgen Klinsmann, potentially adding some serious bite to what has often been a tepid US attack in recent months.

Bocanegra and Edu set up goals for Rangers

Carlos Bocanegra set up the eventual game-winning goal with a smart header towards the penalty spot off a set piece, giving Rangers a 2-1 lead en route to a 4-1 victory. Earlier, Maurice Edu's hard work in getting forward paid off when an attempted clearance took a fortunate bounce off of him to a teammate, who finished with ease to level the score in the first half. Check out the two plays below:

Davies returns for Sochaux

I don't have video of this, but it's worth noting that Charlie Davies came on as a 77th minute substitute for Sochaux in their 1-0 loss to Rennes today, his first appearance for the French club since October of 2009. His time on the field wasn't particularly remarkable, but it was a special moment nonetheless when you consider what he's gone through over the past two and a half years.

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Kit Questions Answered: Part 2

2012-02-10T15:27:00.003-05:00

This original post addressing some of the quirky kits of international soccer (Australia, Italy, Venezuela, Netherlands, and Slovenia) got some good feedback, so I figured I'd do another edition. Unlike last time, though, some of these questions are lacking straight forward answers. Nevertheless, I've sifted through piles of research (okay, not really) to bring you some knowledge.

From New Zealand's black to Germany's green, here are five more oddities addressed. As always, feel free to correct me if I've made any mistakes.

Japan's Blue?

The Japanese national team, representing a country whose flag is red and white, plays primarily in a blue shirt. Why? Good question.

It's actually quite hard to hunt down a concrete answer on this one. Some suggest that at the 1930 Far East Asian Games, Japan used blue to distinguish themselves because of the prevalence of red among other east Asian nations. Perhaps not disjoint from that possibility, others suggest that it's based on superstition, as Japan played its first match in a major international competition while wearing blue- and won (a 3-2 victory over Sweden in the 1936 Olympics).

Some, meanwhile, postulate that the blue represents the sea, which surrounds Japan. As it stands, no one answer seems to have consensus behind it, so I'll actually be reaching out to some folks in Japan in the coming days to see if we can hunt down the truth.

Germany's Green

This report from Bild shows a picture of what Germany's new away kit will look like in 2012. Unlike in years past, it will not be black or red, but rather green. It's not a new look for Germany, either; their away kit was green for decades (check out a picture of Jurgen Klinsmann in all his verdant glory here) until changing to gray following the 1998 World Cup cycle.

Wear does the green come from? To answer, it helps to first look at Germany's black and white home kit, which derives its colors from the flag of Prussia. One of the kingdoms united with Prussia back during the latter half of nineteenth century to form part of what we know today as Germany? Saxony, whose flag was green and white.

Some alternative theories suggest that the green represents the field or that it comes from the DFB (German football governing body) logo, but the Saxony explanation seems to carry the most weight.

Otto von Bismarck was not available for comment.

Minnow Mention: Malaysia

Okay, so Malaysia hardly ever register as a blip on the international football radar, but I couldn't help but do some digging after watching their World Cup qualifying series against Singapore last summer.

It turns out that Malaysia, whose flag is red, white, and blue with a yellow star and crescent, has primary kits that are black and yellow (as is their FA's logo). Unlike Germany and Japan, though, the reasoning behind this one is pretty straightforward: the jersey colors go back to the colors worn by national team in the 1920s, which came directly from the flag of what were then known as the Federated Malay States. Despite a flag change in 1950, the national team has stuck with the colors of old, creating one more kit oddity for fans across the world to wonder about.

A CONCACAF Question: Guadeloupe

Ever since their surprise run in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Guadeloupe have become a little more of a known entity for North American fans. As an overseas territory of France, the Gwada Boys officially play under the French flag. But their kits hardly follow the same tricolore pattern of red, white, and blue, using green, yellow, and red instead.

Guadeloupe does, however, have an unofficial flag with two variants. The one most often seen is primarily black and blue, but the other uses red as a base color instead, with both sharing a
yellow sun and green plant. Those unofficial flags are still relatively new, though, having come about only in the last 15 years. For decades, though, the Guadeloupe independence movement has been using green, red, and yellow to represent its cause. With the Guadeloupe football team representing the island as a separate entity from France, its no wonder that they choose to wear their "own" colors.

New Zealand's Black

This is one that has bugged me for some time. It's not hard to make the connection between New Zealand's soccer colors and those of its more famed rugby team, known as the "All Blacks". The All Blacks have worn black uniforms since their earliest days in the late nineteenth century, and it has stuck ever since.

Why did it start that way? Therein lies the mystery. But the reason it persists seems to be quite simply because it stuck early on (as did the moniker), and they just kept going with it from then on out.

There's a popular myth that the name came from a newspaper typo, when a journalist intended to refer to New Zealand as a team of "all backs", with a superfluous letter producing the now-famous "All Blacks" name. Evidence doesn't exactly back this up, though, as the black uniforms preceded this alleged 1905 incident by several years.

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As opposed to last edition where I was able to come across pretty solid answers, I'm still left with some questions this time around. But some of the theories are presented here, and I'll be sure to update if any of you can shed some light on the matter.

USSD on the Union

2012-02-09T19:23:00.000-05:00

For those interested, I've written a couple of things for the Philadelphia Union website recently, which I've linked to below. It's a new gig with good exposure (albeit with a much different writing style than that employed around these parts) that I'm enjoying thus far.

There's this interview I did with UCLA head coach Jorge Salcedo on Chandler Hoffman, selected in the first round by the Union in this year's MLS SuperDraft.

And there is this piece on Costa Rican defender Porfirio Lopez, who will likely fill the void at left back for the Union. Lopez, who earned his first cap with Costa Rica last summer, is also looking to work his way into the national team picture on a more consistent basis.

I figured I'd pass them along here for those that don't make use of Twitter, as I'm sure there are a few folks out there who might be interested. I'll likely do the same every now again as I get more material posted at philadelphiaunion.com.

As always, your support is greatly appreciated.

On Yanks in Europe Chasing Their First League Title

2012-02-07T15:45:00.003-05:00

We're fast approaching the stretch run for leagues across Europe, and with it comes another opportunity for Yanks on the Old Continent to chase some hardware.

While guys like Maurice Edu and Oguchi Onyewu are no strangers to title races - Gooch won the league twice with Standard Liege, while Edu has won three SPL titles at Ibrox - there are a handful of Yanks that are in the hunt for the very first top flight league championship of their respective professional careers.

Here's a rundown of those hoping to taste league glory for the first time with some quick prognostication about their title odds:

Carlos Bocanegra and Alejandro Bedoya - Rangers (currently 2nd in the SPL):

Carlos Bocanegra is now in the twelfth year of his professional career. He has won a couple of Gold Cup titles, appeared in two World Cup tournaments, earned 100 caps (many of which came with the captain's armband), and won a couple of US Open Cup trophies with the Chicago Fire. But during his stops at Chicago, Fulham, Rennes, St. Etienne, and now Rangers, he has yet to earn a league champions medal. He came close in 2003, but ultimately fell short in the MLS Cup Final against the San Jose Earthquakes and some guy named Donovan.

This year, however, he has his best shot since moving to Europe of actually winning a league title. But Rangers have some work to do - they currently trail Celtic by a point in the SPL table, having played one more match than their Glasgow rivals. It's looking like the two sides will battle it out until the very end; their meeting on March 25th at Ibrox will likely play a big part in shaping the final standings.

Along with Bocanegra, Alejandro Bedoya is seeking his first first place finish, albeit at a much less advanced stage of his career. The 24 year old didn't win any trophies during his two and a half seasons with Orebro in Sweden, so a league title would also be the first silverware of his career.

If Rangers, who are already eliminated from European and domestic cup competition, fail to win the league, it will mark their first trophy-less season since 2006-07. As it stands, it's looking like their odds of avoiding that are a little less than a coin flip, given the tight table but their current deficit.

Michael Parkhurst - FC Nordsjaelland (currently 2nd in the Danish Superliga):

The success that FCN has had, with Michael Parkhurst a stalwart in the back, has been one of the biggest stories in Denmark. With just 13 goals conceded in 18 league matches, FCN are just four points behind perennial powers FC Copenhagen with 15 matches remaining.

After winning consecutive Danish Cups over the past two years, Parkhurst and company are challenging for the club's first ever league title, but they've got quite the hurdle to overcome in FC Copenhagen, who have won the Danish Superliga in five of the last six seasons. FCN have managed to split their two matches with the reigning champs to date, but they'll need to be spectacular in the second half of the season to close the gap and finish on top.

A second place finish wouldn't be all bad, though; it would earn the club a spot in the third qualifying round of the Champions League. Not a bad consolation prize at all.

Sacha Kljestan - Anderlecht (currently 1st in the Belgian Pro League):

In his second full season with Les Mauves, Kljestan has impressed big time, establishing himself as a regular and pushing his way back into the USMNT conversation. He's even making the highlight reel once in awhile, like this past weekend when he found the back of the net with a knuckling free kick from 30 yards out:

With consistent minutes in the midfield, Kljestan has helped Anderlecht to a seven point lead atop the Belgian table with six matches remaining in the regular season. They'll likely enter the playoff phase - which features the top six teams playing each other home and away, adding the playoff points onto their halved regular season points total - with a nice starting cushion and look like a good bet to come out on top.

To this point, Kljestan has won just one club trophy during his time as a pro: the 2010 Belgian Super Cup. So, as is the theme of this piece, a league title this spring would be a monumental first in his career. Of all the Yanks in this list, Kljestan is looking like the most likely to end his drought.

Jozy Altidore - AZ (currently 3rd in the Eredivisie):

After cruising through much of the first half of the season as the Eredivisie front-runners, AZ have hit a bit of a rough patch in recent months, winning just two of their last seven league games as Gertjan Verbeek tinkers with the lineup (which has included using Jozy Altidore primarily as a sub instead of a starter). Nevertheless, the Cheese Farmers (one of the greatest nicknames in the sport) are just three points behind first place PSV with a game in hand.

Altidore, who is entering his seventh year as a pro, has never won a trophy, let alone a league title. As he pursues his first club hardware, he'll also look to achieve another first: one more goal with give him 10 on the season across all competitions, the first double digit season goal total of his career.

Jermaine Jones - Schalke (currently 3rd in the Bundesliga):

The top four teams in the Bundesliga are separated by just three points, with Jermaine Jones and Schalke sitting two back of leaders and reigning champs Borussia Dortmund. Jones is in the process of serving an eight match suspension for a stomp in December, another turn in what has been an up-and-down season for him.

After apparently falling out the team's plans, it looked certain that Jones would be sold during the summer window. But when no move materialized, Jones had the arduous task of working his way back into the picture from way down the pecking order, eventually reestablishing himself as a regular across multiple competitions. Now, however, he's put himself behind the eight ball once again and will need to fight to work his way back into the lineup once his suspension is carried out.

When he finally does get back on the field, though, he'll be hoping to still be in the chase for the first league championship of his career, and Schalke's first Bundesliga title since 1958. It'd be a fitting final twist to what has already been a roller coaster year for Mr. Jones.

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Keep an eye on these title races (and perhaps some others, though it's looking like these are the most realistic at the moment) as European seasons begin to wind down. Maybe a Yank or two (or five!) will end up hoisting a trophy when all is said and done.

Look Ahead to Busy Summer & Look Back to Summer '08

2012-02-05T15:15:00.002-05:00

There's been a lot to process over the last week or so with regards to the USMNT's upcoming summer schedule. Rumors galore have firmed up, and it now looks as if the Yanks will play three friendlies before kicking off World Cup qualification on June 8th.

Let's start with what has been confirmed. Klinsmann and company will head north of the border on June 3rd to play Canada in a friendly at BMO Field in Toronto. The match, the Yanks' first on Canadian soil since a 1997 World Cup qualifier (a 3-0 US win in Burnaby, British Columbia), will be a part of the Canadian Soccer Association's Centenary celebration. While still chronically under-achieving (see: last summer's Gold Cup), Canada will provide the US with a solid CONCACAF road test ahead of World Cup qualification.

That match would come days after the long-rumored but still yet-to-be-confirmed friendly against Brazil on May 30th. As it stands, that match is expected to take place at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, adding another high profile friendly after matches against the likes of France and Italy during Klinsmann's tenure.

As I've always said, friendlies are the time to cash in, and this is just another example of that. US Soccer will add some money to its coffers thanks to what should be a huge crowd, while the Yanks will get a very good test on the field.

Preceding those two friendlies, though, is reportedly one more: this time against Scotland, with a rumored site of Jacksonville (which would be a first, I believe).

Assuming all three friendlies are indeed finalized, the Yanks will get a nice lead-up schedule that will both provide a couple of appropriately mid-level opponents (Scotland, Canada) as well as a big money-making challenge in between (Brazil). The schedule also provides Jurgen Klinsmann with several more opportunities to tinker with his lineup ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, which are all the more important considering that he hasn't settled on a go-to lineup (or even formation, for that matter) quite yet. So, in that regard, it's hard not to be happy with that schedule.

The question might come up, though, "Might that be overkill ahead of qualifiers?" 5 matches in the span of 17 or 18 days is tournament-like, and thus not foreign to many of the players who will likely form the squad this summer. I also expect that, given the multiple matches, Klinsmann will take the opportunity to rotate players and give some guys looks while resting others (something that he won't have the luxury of doing in WCQs, where I doubt he'll be taking anything for granted).

This type of stretch isn't unprecedented during a non-tournament setting, either. In the summer of 2008, Bob Bradley and company played three friendlies before the USMNT's first pair of World Cup qualifiers, all in the course of 26 days. Included in that were a couple of trans-Atlantic flights as well, as the first two friendlies against England and Spain were played on the road before flying to New York for one last warm-up against Argentina (a ridiculously entertaining 0-0 draw). What then followed was a home-and-away aggregate series with Barbados, which proved to be easy work - the Yanks' opening leg 8-0 win at the Home Depot Center was the biggest margin of victory in USMNT history.

The performances during that stretch were pretty good as well, considering the opponents, as the Yanks hung with soon-to-be-Euro-champs Spain in a 1-0 loss before the aforementioned Argentina tie.

This time around, it's a little less time, still plenty of miles, and a much tougher fifth match at the end of the line: a road qualifier against Guatemala (compared to a relatively meaningless away leg against Barbados in '08, with a spot in the next round all but guaranteed). As we saw later in the summer of '08, matches in the hostile atmosphere of Guatemala City are never easy.

It will be a demanding stretch, but if managed well, US Soccer and Jurgen Klinsmann can fulfill all of their objectives: good tune-ups, opportunities to tinker with the lineup, a decent bit of cash, and a pair of qualifying wins to get out of the gates quickly. But it won't be easy, and Klinsmann and his staff will have to constantly be thinking of the Guatemala match, the most important of the bunch, as they carry out their plans throughout the months of May and June.

For now, though, we can revel in the fact that the Yanks have what should be a fun (well, for us observers at least) and busy summer ahead of them to make up for the three-month gap between matches after this month's Italy friendly.

Weekend in Videos: Donovan, Run DMB, & Gooch

2012-01-30T15:21:00.000-05:00

The weekend gave us some great Yank highlights. Here's a day-by-day look at some of the best USMNTers had to offer:

Friday: In the much-hyped Yank clash between Everton and Fulham in the FA Cup, Landon Donovan was a spark plug for the Toffees, setting up both of his team's goals in a 2-1 win with some quality service from the wing:

Saturday: DaMarcus Beasley is doing good things with Puebla once again. On Saturday, he scored a beautiful 3rd minute goal that eventually proved to be the game-winner, as his side beat Jaguares 1-0 on the road. Check out the gorgeous finish, set up by a good first touch inside:

Sunday: Oguchi Onyewu did it all for Sporting on Sunday, helping them preserve a clean sheet while also bagging a brace in a 2-0 league win over Beira Mar. Check out the awesome "Capitao America" banner, as well as Gooch's finishes, in the videos below:

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USA-Panama: Post-Match Thoughts & Highlights

2012-01-27T14:22:00.002-05:00

The USMNT’s January camp closed out with a second 1-0 win on Wednesday night, albeit with a lot fewer of the bright moments and dominating play that we saw against Venezuela.

Instead of the same controlling 4-3-3 that dictated the match in Glendale, we saw a scattered 4-4-2 and sloppy play throughout the lineup. It was, result aside, a step back for most that left a lot to be desired.

But before we delve into the bad, let’s first look at some of the good.

Nick Rimando, earning the fifth cap of his career, made a couple of stellar stops in his 45 minutes of play that preserved the USMNT’s 1-0 lead. Sure, he nearly got caught when he missed the ball on an aggressive rush off his line, but that’s far outweighed by the stunning one hand stop he made on a shot that was already past him, plus the scrambling clearance that followed. Not a lot of positions came out of the January camp having generally succeeded in both matches, but the goalkeeping corps (albeit without a ton asked of them) got the job done very well.

Another good thing to see was the international debut of Jeff Parke, who came on after the Geoff Cameron red card. As I’ve said time and time again, it’s always a special thing for a player to earn his first cap, so it was great to see the Drexel product get his shot with the Yanks. In his debut, Parke was solid (save for one gaffe that led to a shocking Panama miss from close range), helping the back line weather the storm after the US were reduced to 10 men.

Similarly, a first international goal is always special, so it was neat to see Graham Zusi find the back of the net in an otherwise decent but unremarkable appearance.

Well, that’s pretty much it for the good, unfortunately. Slim pickins in Panama City.

In general, many players had off nights. Brek Shea wasn’t particularly effective going forward, Jermaine Jones and Ricardo Clark didn’t exactly wow in the center of the park (so much for the snowball effect for Rico following that Venezuela goal), and Teal Bunbury turned in another underwhelming performance.

The center backs got beaten over the top on several occasions, and Cameron’s night ended in undesirable fashion with his second half red card (there's some debate as to whether or not he made contact, but it looked like he clipped Blas Perez to me, and once that call was made in that spot, the red card wasn't really a surprise). Playing a high line, the duo looked far less comfortable than they did against Venezuela, with Panama attackers finding space behind and threatening goal a number of times. Though, it must be said for them and for others, the squad’s tactics on the night worked to their detriment.

That, of course, falls on the shoulders of one Jurgen Klinsmann.

I said in my preview piece that one strong tactical performance against Venezuela was nice, but I wanted to see Klinsi replicate that success on the road against a tougher opponent. Well, he fell short of that by a decent margin.

Instead of continuing on with the 4-3-3 that was so successful in controlling possession and generating quality scoring opportunities, Klinsmann opted for rather defensive, dare-I-say Bradley-esque tactics with a 4-4-2 of the “empty bucket” variety. With two defensive-minded midfielders, a gap between the strikers and midfielders emerged, leading to a general disconnect within the US attack.

Forwards weren’t often provided great service or support, while the midfield was lost at times at both ends of the field, failing to command the game against a Panama team that was, apart from some veterans, pretty young and inexperienced.
Moreover, without a pressing midfield and front line controlling the match, the high back line that was employed was exposed on multiple occasions with simple probing balls over the top, as the Panama midfield had enough time on the ball to drop passes behind Parkhurst and Cameron. Once again, it could be argued that there was a lack of coherence between tactics and personnel, as Parkhurst and Cameron struggled to hold the high line at times against a Panamanian front line that included Blas Perez.

But most importantly, it seemed to show a lack of coherence between elements of Klinsmann’s larger tactical plan. A high back line coupled with a deep-lying midfield that concedes a decent bit of possession just by the nature of its positioning creates a situation in which space exists both for opposing midfielders to possess the ball, and for opposing forwards to run in behind the defense.
Granted, it did not cost the Yanks in the form of a goal, but there were a number of close calls that easily could have wiped away the US win.

The formation also did few favors for the forwards trying to impress. Chris Wondolowski, while not spectacular, did do well all things considered (mainly the lack of consistent service and support), helping set up Zusi’s goal with a nice flick-on header to get the ball into a dangerous spot. Wondo was also agonizingly unlucky not to score his first international goal, getting absolutely robbed after smartly following the rebound after a bullet from distance by Jermaine Jones.

Did he do enough to merit a call into the Italy camp or at least keep himself on Klinsi’s radar heading into World Cup qualification? I certainly don’t think he hurt his case across the two matches, and I wonder how much Klinsmann will take his own tactical missteps – which hampered the play of many Yanks – into consideration when evaluating the Panama performances, though. Ultimately, a lot will likely depend on what happens with other forwards in the pool, several of whom have a little bit of a leg up as is, being part of Klinsmann's "A-team". And, of course, we aren’t able to see what goes on in all of camp, which very well could impact any decision that is made.

While Wondo was okay – the lack of a connection between the forwards and the midfield limited the effectiveness of those in the front six – Teal Bunbury capped off the January camp with an uninspiring performance. Perhaps it’s a lack of match fitness and sharpness that will come back once the MLS season is underway, but Bunbury looked far from a player capable of breaking into the full team in the coming months.

Do I think any of the guys who haven’t featured with the full team in the past handful of months have a shot at getting called into the Italy camp, now that the January camp is over? Cameron, while not overly impressive against Panama, still seems like someone who could get called in because he resembles the type of skilled center back Klinsmann has been looking for. Do I think that Cameron is capable of filling that role? Eh, it’s hard to say at this point, but Klinsmann’s desire for that type of defender led us to several agonizing appearances from Michael Orozco Fiscal, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Klinsi takes a flier on Cameron in February. Realistically, though, I think that would probably wait until the summer.

Benny Feilhaber’s absence was curious after a solid outing v. Venezuela. Was it perhaps the result of being a little banged up after a long camp? Or was instead an indication that Benny is further down on the totem pole?

Ultimately, I expect the Italy camp to be the usual suspects, with few from this January camp getting the invite.

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All of that aside, it must be said that the Yanks still prevailed on the road in Central America, something that is never easy to do. In the end, it’s good for the players, as well as Klinsmann and his staff, to get that experience ahead of World Cup qualification, where a trip to Guatemala (and likely other Central American destinations) awaits.

I guess it’s just a sign of higher expectations that even a 1-0 road win by a B-team is still met with some consternation stateside.

On to February we go…

USA-Panama: 5 Things To Watch For

2012-01-25T15:48:00.004-05:00

The USMNT take on Panama tonight in the second of their two January friendlies. Here are some of the things I'll be watching for:

1. Response to a tougher test?

Michael Parkhurst and Geoff Cameron managed to do what was asked of them at center back against Venezuela, keeping a clean sheet and helping build a number of US attacks. But the fact of the matter is that they were rarely tested on the night, in part because of strong play from the center mids in front of them, but also in large part because of a rather toothless Venezuelan attack.

Against a well-coached Panama side that includes Blas Perez up front, how will Parkhurst and Cameron fare? Will they be able to handle the physical presence of Perez, something Tim Ream struggled with during last year's Gold Cup? And how will they manage playing on the road in Central America, an always challenging task that may help paint a better picture for Jurgen Klinsmann as he starts looking towards World Cup qualification.

Unlike the Venezuela match, expect Cameron and Parkhurst (assuming they're the starting tandem again) to be tested in this one.

Behind them, Bill Hamid should also get more work to do than he did in his international debut- a match in which he wasn't forced to make a single save. (Fun fact: Hamid is the first USMNT keeper to keep a clean sheet in his first senior team cap since Matt Reis did it in January 2006.) With a stronger opponent and hostile environment, organizing his defense well and taking command of his box will be greater challenges.

On the sidelines, it'll be interesting to see how the Yanks fare from a tactical perspective. After a miserable couple of months at the end of last year, Jurgen Klinsmann quelled some fears with a strong half against Slovenia in the final match of 2011 (only to renew some concerns with a rather poor second half). He has managed to start 2012 off on the right foot, employing a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 that dominated Venezuela in Arizona. But, like Cameron and Parkhurst, how will he fare against what should be a tougher opponent in a tougher environment? Will the US be as dangerous in the final third as they were on Saturday? Or will they revert back to some of the drab attacking displays that we saw in the first months of Klinsmann's reign?

Let's see what kind of tactics Jurgen puts forward, and how he is able to adjust in-game.

2. Will Wondo build his case?

Teal Bunbury didn't really wow against Venezuela, but fellow striker Chris Wondolowski managed to impress in less than a half hour off of the bench. He put himself in good positions, used his body well to create separation and opportunities, and was quick on the ball in the final third, helping generate a couple of quality scoring chances.

With the USMNT forward corps still in a state of flux (Bunbury wasn't great against Venezuela, Juan Agudelo is still fighting for club team minutes and may move sooner rather than later, Edson Buddle- while impressive against Slovenia- is still very much unsettled at the club level, Herculez Gomez is just working his way into his new team, and Jozy Altidore has come off the bench lately with AZ; and it's not unreasonable to say that a lot more could change in the next couple of months, for better or for worse), I don't think it's beyond Wondo's reach to work his way into the full team picture ahead of World Cup qualification. He has proven himself to be a very capable finisher over the last couple of years (well, most of the time), something that can't exactly be said of many players in the US pool.

I think Wondo could be in line to start tonight. Another strong performance would go a long way towards putting him on Jurgen Klinsmann's first team radar heading into the coming months.

And I'm sure the San Jose Earthquakes star will be gunning for some small measure of redemption after his awful miss against Panama last summer. A goal tonight would be the first of his international career.

3. New faces in MLS

USMNT-centric focus aside, tonight will also give MLS fans a chance to see three of the leagues newest signings. Gabriel Gomez, who was named to the All-Tournament Team in the 2011 Gold Cup, signed with the Philadelphia Union in December and will likely tangle with Benny Feilhaber and Jermaine Jones in the center of the midfield. Blas Perez (whom USMNT fans are likely already familiar with) and Carlos Rodriguez, meanwhile, are both headed to FC Dallas, and will be facing off against their new club teammates Brek Shea and Zach Loyd. With the MLS season still an agonizing two months away, it will be nice to get a sneak peak at some of the league's newest acquisitions.

4. One more debut?

Last Saturday's friendly gave us four USMNT debuts, as CJ Sapong, Graham Zusi, AJ DeLaGarza, and Bill Hamid all earned their first cap.

Of the players currently in camp, there is now just one player who has yet to make an appearance with the senior national team: Jeff Parke. Will the Pennsylvania native get his chance tonight? The odds aren't great, but like Lloyd Christmas- I'm saying there's a chance.

5. Another step forward for Rico?

Saturday night was a feel-good moment for Ricardo Clark and his fans. Now, let's see him build on it. A good outing could help start a snowball effect with his form and confidence (the two aren't unrelated, in my book; what goes on between one's ears can be just as important as what happens with one's feet) at the club level, as he seeks to revive his career (hopefully away from Eintracht Frankfurt).

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Well, that's it for now. The match kicks off at 8:30 ET on ESPN3.com and Galavision. Be sure to come by tomorrow for some post-match analysis, and join in the conversation on Twitter (@USsoccerDaily).

Enjoy the match, folks.

USA-Venezuela Post-Match Thoughts: On Cameron, Rico, Wondo, & More

2012-01-24T13:16:00.003-05:00

There certainly are worse ways to start off the year than the USMNT's dramatic 1-0 win over Venezuela on Saturday night. Check out the highlights below, which includes Ricardo Clark's record-setting game-winner:

While the win did not come until the dying moments of the match, a positive result never seemed in doubt, as Venezuela hardly ever threatened in their attacking third.

I mentioned on Twitter prior to kickoff that Geoff Cameron and Michael Parkhurst would be two players that I would be monitoring, as they might provide the kind of possession-oriented center back that Jurgen Klinsmann has been seeking. Neither were greatly tested, thanks in part to strong support in front of them from the defensive mids, but both managed to do what was asked of them without much trouble.

Cameron, who looks capable of making the leap to the full team in the near future, was solid going forward, helping build attacks from the back. One notable example occurred early in the first half, when Benny Feilhaber was able to spring Brek Shea behind the defense, a sequence that began with a properly-placed ball from Cameron into the midfield. Parkhurst, meanwhile, brought his usual understated game to the table, positioning himself well to disrupt attacks without much drama.

In the end, though, Venezuela's toothless attack leaves me not entirely convinced of either center back's merits. Getting tested in a hostile environment against a Panama side that will include a couple of strong, skilled forwards should give us a much better idea of where the two stand at the international level.

As I mentioned above, the midfield was key in limiting the amount of work Parkhurst and Cameron actually had to do, with Jermaine Jones leading the way. Jones looked very much the part of an in-season veteran on a Champions League squad, bossing his way around the center of the park. While he looked to get a little too heated at times (wearing the captain's armband didn't smooth out all his rough edges), Jones led by example, tracking well and helping initiate attacking forays. I was hoping to see Jones show his class instead of perhaps playing down to his competition, and he did not disappoint, turning in a very solid performance after an abbreviated camp stay.

Alongside him, Jeff Larentowicz quitely pulled his weight as well, providing a more under-the-radar kind of support next to the more eye-catching play of Jones.

The big moment of the match, though, came from Larentowicz's replacement, Ricardo Clark. His goal in the 7th minute of stoppage time was the latest second half stoppage time winner in USMNT history. It must be said, also: Jermaine Jones provided the service after hitting several other quality corners throughout the match. That could very well be something that we see carry over to the full national team if Jones continues to produce dangerous set piece deliveries.

As far as Clark goes, though, his time on was largely anonymous until his goal. But that goal alone could go along way to boosting the confidence of a 29 year old who as recently as last year was doing some good things in the Bundesliga. It was a nice moment for a player that left the field at the World Cup nearly in tears, and you could tell by his reaction that the goal really meant something to him.

While some love to write him off or blame him for the World Cup loss to Ghana (this just in: several others were involved in that play, from Bob Bradley to the center backs to Tim Howard), the fact of the matter is that Rico could very well still have more to offer to the national team setup (even if just as depth). He needs a move from Eintracht Frankfurt, which has devolved into a pretty terrible situation for him, but Saturday's goal could go a long way to boosting his confidence as he seeks to revive his career.

In that regard, his call into camp (which some were not too pleased about, for various reasons) has already been a success in my book, and could pay greater dividends down the road than bringing in a fringe young player just to fill out the ranks. And for that, I commend Jurgen Klinsmann for his unexpected decision. We'll see if Rico is able to build off of that against Panama and in the coming weeks as he seeks a move.

As I've always said, in never hurts to have a surplus of experienced, skilled, in-form options. So don't write someone like Rico off just yet.

Elsewhere in the midfield, Brek Shea showed flashes of his quality and was unlikely not to score at least one goal in the first half. Ultimately, though, he disappeared for long stretches of the match, which was a little disappointing. As one of the more talented (and internationally experienced) players in the squad, I was hoping to see Shea do what Jermaine Jones did and really help dictate the match. Alas, he did not, apart from a couple of bright moments in the attacking third.

Benny Feilhaber, meanwhile, did some good things in the middle, setting up a Shea opportunity with a gorgeous through-ball among other things. In the end, though, I found myself frustrated with his outing. While Feilhaber showed his quality and creativity at times, there were also a couple of instances of being "too cute", where he passed up a shooting opportunity for an ill-advised pass. Nevertheless, he reminded us once again that he possesses a skill set that is still pretty unique in the USMNT's center mid pool, which could keep him in the full team picture in the near future.

What irked me, though, was his constant yelling at the ref. Without a doubt, referee Roberto Garcia Orozco missed a lot. A lot. Between several maulings in the box on nearly every corner, the US has legitimate penalty claims on a number of occasions, with Feilhaber often on the receiving end. But Benny let his anger get the best of him too often and nearly cost the US dearly when he kicked out at a Venezuelan defender, an unpunished act that very well could have led to a red card on another night. That kind of petulance or lack of composure takes away from Benny's game and is in stark contrast to the reaction of someone like Chris Wondolowski, who responded to a clear take-down on a corner by getting up and working to get a shot off just seconds later. At 27 years old with 39 caps across some big competitions, Feilhaber simply needs to better at keeping his cool in that spot.

Up front, Teal Bunbury had a little bit of a tall task, playing without another true striker. But he managed to get himself into some dangerous spots throughout his time on. With that being said, though, his finishing and performance as a whole left a lot to be desired, with several good opportunities squandered. While undoubtedly a talented young prospect, Bunbury still has plenty of room to grow before he starts making a big impact with the full side.
zusi, sapong, hamid, delagarza

In contrast to the performance of Bunbury was that of Chris Wondolowski, who came on in the 62nd minute and was highly active and effective up top. The San Jose Earthquakes star was unlucky not to score his first international goal, getting robbed by an acrobatic save from Leonardo Morales. He put himself in dangerous spots and used a little veteran wisdom to create some space between himself and Venezuelan defenders in the final third. Wondo also helped set up a couple of good scoring opportunities with good movement off the ball and quick, well-placed passes. All in all, he was one of the more impressive Yanks on the night, behind the likes of Jermaine Jones and perhaps one or two others.

While many still can't forgive Wondo for his Gold Cup miss against Panama, I still see him as a valuable player in the pool (there aren't many quality finishers) that could very well work his way into the full team picture as we move into World Cup qualification. A strong follow-up performance against Panama could help keep him on Jurgen Klinsmann's radar.

Speaking of Klinsi, his tactics were good on the night, and the USMNT's issues usually were ones of execution, rather than planning. The Yanks dominated, and the 4-2-3-1 (or, at times closer to a 4-3-3) helped create a fair share of goalscoring opportunities. Really, were it not for an outstanding performance from Venezuela's keeper, the score could have been something closer to 3-0 or 4-0.

With that being said, the same thing that I said about Cameron and Parkhurst applies to Klinsi: Venezuela weren't the strongest side, so I'd like to see him replicate his success against a tougher foe on the road on Wednesday in Panama.

Before closing, it's also worth highlighting the fact that a couple of Yanks earned their first cap, a milestone moment in one's career. While CJ Sapong, Graham Zusi, AJ DeLaGarza, and Bill Hamid (who didn't have to make a single save on the night) did not have particularly remarkable debuts, it's always a cool thing when players get to wear their national colors for the first time.

Last, but not least, one of the big stars of the night was not on the field, but rather in the stands. The crowd of 22,403 in Glendale, Arizona was loud and involved throughout the match, creating a wonderful atmosphere. The numbers and enthusiasm are all the more impressive when one considers that this was a friendly between B-teams. Perhaps with the right opponent (read: not Mexico or certain Central American teams), the Phoenix area could provide a good home-field advantage during World Cup qualifiers. Hypotheticals aside, Arizona fans showed well on Saturday. Kudos, folks.

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After a 2011 that included far too many losses and underwhelming efforts, the Yanks' 1-0 win was a welcome beginning to 2012. Let's hope they're able to build upon that as they take on a much stiffer challenge on Wednesday in Panama City.

I'll have a match preview piece up tomorrow, so be sure to come by and check it out.

Yanks in Europe: Dempsey Hat Trick, Edu Equalizer, & More

2012-01-21T15:29:00.006-05:00

What a weekend for Yanks (and other MLSers) in Europe. Here are some of the highlights:

Clint Dempsey played 90+ minutes for Fulham in a 5-2 win over Newcastle. Deuce scored a second half hat trick, the first ever by an American in the EPL, giving him a career-high 15 goals across all competitions. His previous career high was 13, set last year. Considering it's only January, it's looking very possible that Dempsey could end the season with over 20 goals for Fulham. Needless to say, his recent run of form has been absolutely incredible.

Check out the goals:

<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/video?vid=b3d31c83-2e5b-4e25-bd59-6e55aefe496b" target="_new" title="">Clint Dempsey is sensational</a>

Elsewhere, Landon Donovan helped set up Everton's lone goal in 1-1 draw against Blackburn:

Donovan played all 90 minutes for the fifth time in 18 days. David Moyes is certainly making sure he gets his money's worth.

Zak Whitbread turned in a strong 90 minutes for Norwich in their 0-0 draw with Chelsea. So long as he stays healthy and in decent form, he is certainly a feasible candidate to get called up for the February friendly against Italy.

In the second tier, Jonathan Spector played the full 90 in Birmingham's 3-0 win, while Robbie Findley and George John did not feature in the West Ham's 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest.

In Scotland, meanwhile, Maurice Edu scored the tying goal in Rangers' 1-1 draw with Aberdeen (a result that pushes them further behind SPL leaders Celtic). He got a little help, with his shot deflecting off a defender before finding the back of the net. But to his credit, you can't score if you don't shoot.

In Germany, Steve Cherundolo and Danny Williams went the distance for their respective clubs as Hannover took on Hoffenheim. Williams played at center back, with both Americans helping preserve clean sheets in a 0-0 draw. Fabian Johnson came on for the final 24 minutes, while US U-20 Joseph Gyau was an unused sub after making the match day squad for the first time with Hoffenheim.

Jermaine Jones and Timmy Chandler were not in action with their respective clubs.

Sacha Kljestan played 90 minutes for Anderlecht in a 1-0 road win, while Jozy Altidore came off the bench for the second straight match, playing the final 17 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Ajax.

Last, Michael Bradley played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Chievo's 2-2 draw at Lecce. Bradley has now played all 90 minutes in 17 straight Serie A matches since making his Chievo debut. He has yet to be subbed off with the Flying Donkeys.

Not a bad weekend at the office for Americans across the pond.

2012 Africa Cup of Nations Preview

2012-01-19T14:27:00.004-05:00

With the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations set to kick off in less than 48 hours, here's your mega tournament preview post.

Before we jump into looking at the groups and each of the teams, an important point to be made is that the winner of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations will not earn a spot in the 2013 Confederations Cup. The CAF berth will instead go to the winner of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, as the tournament switches to odd years to avoid falling on the same year as the World Cup.

As such, some of the squads may reflect the fact that no Confederations Cup spot is on the line. But don't expect it to take much away from the on-field play; there is still tons of talent in this tournament and the Africa Cup of Nations never fails to bring some intense footy.

The tournament, co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, will start this Saturday with the opening match in Bata, Equatorial Guinea and will eventually wrap up with the final in Libreville, Gabon on February 12th.

Without further ado, let's dive right in with a look at the teams involved:

Group A:

Equatorial Guinea will be making their first appearance in a major international tournament, qualifying as tournament co-hosts. The nation of just under 700,000 people has a dark history of dictatorship- once being referred to as the "Dachau of Africa"- which continues to this day, with current President Teodoro Obiang proclaiming himself a god. That checkered past and the shortcomings and abuses of the nation will be pushed into the background as they attempt to put their best foot forward as tournament hosts. But it's an area that certainly merits some discussion as the tournament plays out in Bata and Malabo.

As for the national team, well, they'll have an uphill climb. Although FIFA rankings are often flawed, the triple digit (150) ranking for Equatorial Guinea is indicative of a team that has lost matches to Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and the France U-20s in the past six months. They will have the benefit of playing all three of their group stage matches in front of their home crowd, though, which could help them make up some of the gulf in talent between them and the other teams in their group.

Something interesting to note about Equatorial Guinea is that, of the 23 players in their tournament squad, just 2 were born in Equatorial Guinea. 10 were born in Spain (Equatorial Guinea was a Spanish colony until 1968), 5 were born in neighboring Cameroon, 2 were born in Cote d'Ivoire, 1 was born in Liberia, 1 was born in Colombia, and 1 was born in Brazil. Somewhere, an Equatorial Guinean equivalent of Preston Zimmerman is not too pleased about that. (I kid, I kid.)

Libya enters the tournament as one of the stories of resilience and perseverance. Due to the unrest in Libya this past year, the national team was able to play just one of its six qualifying matches at home. Nevertheless, they managed to secure qualification without a single loss.

The Libyans, who were scheduled to host next year's Africa Cup of Nations until CAF opted to move it to South Africa due to security concerns, will be playing a tournament under their new flag for the first time. With their nation still trying to gel following the upheaval of 2011, a few tournament wins certainly couldn't hurt by bringing some joy and pride to the people.

On the whole, Libya are a solid side that is more than capable of making some noise in the first round. Don't forget: unlike most teams entering this tournament, they are very familiar with and comfortable playing at neutral venues, which could work to their advantage in this tournament.

Zambia will be returning to the site of their greatest disaster. In 1993, a plane carrying the national team crashed in Gabon, killing all 30 passengers, including 18 national team players. Read this fantastic Sports Illustrated piece by Leigh Montville to learn more about the tragedy.

The Copper Bullets, as their known, managed to rebound from that dark day in amazing fashion, finishing as runners-up at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations. They will be hard-pressed to replicate that success this time around, however. While Zambia have managed to beat weaker teams consistently, they have struggled to assert themselves against stronger opposition (e.g. taking just 1 of 6 points from Libya in qualification). Nevertheless, they are tournament regulars with a good deal of experience, something that makes them a team very capable of advancing beyond the group stage.

Senegal are the strongest side in Group A, boasting an impressive forward stable that, among others, includes Newcastle teammates Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba, not to mention Mamadou Niang and Moussa Sow. Ba, 26 years old, is enjoying his finest season as a pro and is among the EPL's league leaders in goals, with 15 in 19 appearances. If he is able to carry that form to the international level, Senegal could prove to be a very dangerous team in this tournament. They've already collected one scalp: Samuel Eto'o and Cameroon will be watching the tournament from home after getting shut out twice by Senegal in 2011.

Senegal also have one of the few MLS connections in this tournament: free agent goalkeeper and former MLSer Bouna Coundoul is on the team's tournament roster.

Group A Bottom line: The hosts will struggle despite home support, while Senegal look poised to take the top spot. Zambia and Libya will renew their mini-rivalry after having battled in the same qualification group; their meeting will likely determine the second team to go through to the quarterfinals.

Group B:

Cote d'Ivoire enter the tournament as one of the favorites to win it all. With the likes of Didier Drogba (even off form, he still poses a great threat), Gervinho, and Yaya Toure in the squad, the Elephants were dominant in qualification, taking the maximum 18 points from their six matches.

Recent friendly wins over fellow qualifiers Tunisia and Libya only further confirm what he already knew: Cote d'Ivoire will be one of the toughest teams in the field and are a safe bet to move on to the knockout rounds. They'll be hoping to redeem themselves after a disappointing 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in which they fell to Algeria in the quarterfinals in an extra time thriller.

Sudan will be playing in their first international tournament since the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations and since the country was split in two with the recent independence of South Sudan. While Sudan are no pushovers- they managed to draw Ghana in qualification- they will face a tall task in Group B, and odds are they will not be able to advance.

A fun fact: Sudan are the only team in the tournament whose entire 23-man roster plays domestically. The entire squad comes from just 6 Sudanese club teams.

Burkina Faso are bit of a wildcard, having had each of their last two competitive group reduced from 4 to 3 teams, thereby creating a smaller sample size of matches for outside observers like myself to parse over. In 2010, Togo's withdrawal from the Africa Cup of Nations meant just two matches for Burkina Faso, while in 2011 the withdrawal of Mauritania from Africa Cup of Nations qualification meant Burkina Faso's path the tournament would include just four matches against the Gambia and Namibia- hardly world beaters.

They navigated qualification successfully, thanks in part to a cosmopolitan squad that includes players from 16 different leagues across Africa, Europe, and Asia. They'll be led by 31 year old forward Moumouni Dagano, one of the leading goalscorers in all of the 2010 World Cup qualification process. His 30 goals in 47 caps is an impressive strike rate, but it must be said: though Dagano has featured in four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, he has scored just one tournament goal, way back in 2002 against Morocco. If Burkina Faso are to advance, they'll likely need Dagano to buck that trend.

Angola return the Africa Cup of Nations after hosting the 2010 tournament. After a slow start to qualification, they managed to overcome an up-and-coming Uganda side and a plucky Kenya to reach their fourth straight Africa Cup of Nations.

Angola have one of the older sides in the tournament, with 8 players over the age of the 30 and several holdovers from the team that played at the 2006 World Cup. The lone Angolan goalscorer from that tournament, Flavio, will look to add to his total of 25 international goals, leading a forward corps that also includes Porto's Djalma Campos and the splendidly named World Cup veteran Love.

Angola's squad also includes Wilson. No, not this guy; but rather a back-up goalkeeper.

Expect Angola to challenge for a spot in the quarterfinals, though it's unlikely that they'll be able to progress much deeper than that.

Group B Bottom Line: Cote d'Ivoire are a good bet to move on. Angola stand a good chance of joining them in the quarterfinals.

Group C:

Whereas Group A and Group B will take place entirely in Equatorial Guinea, Group C and Group D will take place in Gabon. The co-hosts will take the field in a couple of sparkling new venues in Libreville and Franceville. The Stade d'Angondje' in Libreville opened late last year with a friendly between Gabon and Brazil, a match that wasn't without its kinks that needed to be worked out: apart from a muddy field that retained some water, the power went out early on, delaying the match.

Nevertheless, the stadiums and this opportunity to host are a point of pride for Gabon, who will be seeking to take advantage of the home field advantage and reach uncharted territory; their previous best finish in the Africa Cup of Nations is a quarterfinals berth in 1996. With three group matches in front of their home fans and (potentially) a quarterfinal match in friendly territory as well, plus a navigable (but not easy) Group C, odds are good that Gabon will at least be able to match that 1996 tournament run.

Niger enter the tournament as one of the surprise qualifiers, emerging triumphant from a qualification group that included South Africa, Egypt, and Sierra Leone thanks to head-to-head advantage over South Africa and Sierra Leone (the three teams finished with 9 points apiece). That scenario actually led to a bizarre blunder by Bafana Bafana, who began celebrating their final draw against Sierra Leone, thinking it was enough to qualify, only to be told later that they did not understand the tiebreaker procedures correctly.

This will be Niger's first ever international tournament, and they'll bring a squad that is almost entirely based in Africa, with just four players plying their trade in Europe. One player to watch is 23 year old CSKA Moscow player Ouwo Moussa Maazou, who is currently on loan in Belgium. The striker has managed to score a goal in every other game he has appeared in for his country, and could be one of the tournament's breakout players.

He'll struggle, though, if his team is unable to perform away from home, as was the case in qualification: Niger won all three of their home matches, but lost each of their away matches, failing to score a single goal in those losses. Like fellow debutantes Equatorial Guinea, it will be an uphill climb for Niger, and the chances are that their tournament will end in the group stage.

Morocco emerged from one of the most entertaining qualifying groups, beating out Algeria and the Central African Republic for a spot in the field. Their 4-0 thumping of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers paved the way for top spot in the group, and their stingy defense conceded just twice in six matches.

Arsenal forward Maroune Chamakh will be a player to watch in a Moroccan squad that is not short on talent. With that being said, in one of the more wide open groups in the field, Morocco could very well finish anywhere in the Group C table when all is said and done.

Tunisia enter the tournament after taking part in a longer qualification process, having played in the five-team Group K. Though they were unable to claim the top spot in the group, they still managed to qualify for their 10th straight Africa Cup of Nations as the second place finisher.

Questions remain about Tunisia's ability to beat good sides. While they were able to defeat a Togo side that has been out of sorts for some time, they failed to beat Malawi in two meetings and lost twice to Botswana. This has me very skeptical of their ability to advance deep into this tournament. But, with Group C being so tight and their team possessing so much tournament experience, they have a puncher's chance of at least moving on to the knockout rounds.

Group C Bottom Line: Gabon acquitted themselves well at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, and they should only fare better with the home crowd behind them. Niger will need to break their road losing streak, while Morocco seem more than capable of advancing. Tunisia's tournament experience could help them overcome a trend of disappointing performances against good sides.

Group D:

Ghana enter the tournament as one of the favorites along with Cote d'Ivoire. But this isn't the same Ghana side that nearly reach the semifinals of the 2010 World Cup. There are actually just 10 players from that team in the 23-man squad for this tournament, with players like Steven Appiah and Kevin Prince Boateng being a couple of the notable absences.

Nevertheless, the Black Stars bring a lot of quality to the table. But they'll have the tournament Group of Death to contend with, as they look to move on to the knockout rounds and win their first continental title since 1982. They eased through qualification, but will have a much tougher road to navigate this time around, as you'll see below.

Botswana are the third of the three tournament debutantes, and they look the most impressive of the three. Unfortunately for the Zebras, they first go around is in the Group of Death.

Led by a forward tandem of Dipsy Selolwane (former of the Chicago Fire, Real Salt Lake, and Saint Louis University) and Jerome Ramatlhakwane, Botswana were the first non-host team to qualify for the tournament. They were boringly efficient, scoring just 7 goals in 8 matches en route to a 5-2-1 (W-D-L) record, with Ramatlhakwane scoring 5 of those goals. Their lone loss came after qualification was secured, as they topped a group that included Togo, Tunisia, Malawi, and Chad.

Their stingy defense, which conceded just 3 times in 8 matches, will need to hold up if Botswana is to advance to the quarterfinals. But they'll face stiff tests in each of their group stage matches. Ultimately, a lack of offensive punch could keep the Zebras from progressing on.

Mali managed to beat out a decent challenge from Cape Verde in qualification to earn their 7th Africa Cup of Nations berth. While they are not the strongest team in the field, they represent another tough beat in a group filled with tough beats. A more appropriate name for Group D actually would probably the Group of Tough Beats; they might not all be world beaters, but it looks like there sure won't be any easy games.

Mali's Cheick Diabate, currently with Bordeaux, could be another breakout performer in this tournament. The 23 year old forward scored four goals in qualification and has scored 6 times in 13 appearances with his country since debuting in 2008.

Guinea could be one of the dark horses of this tournament. The West African side managed to qualify for this tournament by going through Nigeria, knocking out the Super Eagles thanks to a draw in Abuja on the final match day. They went unbeaten in six matches, including a 1-0 victory over the 2010 World Cup qualifiers at home.

The lone goalscorer in that match, Genoa forward Kevin Constant, will not be taking part in this tournament, but Guinea won't mind: their 13 goals in qualification came from 10 different players.

Guinea missed out on the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, but reached the quarterfinals of the three previous tournaments. They'll be the favorites to advance along with Ghana, but they'll need to clear a couple of tricky matches against Mali and Botswana along the way.

Group D Bottom Line: Ghana will be the team to beat, but any team in this group is capable of moving on to the quarterfinals. Botswana's stingy defense will be tested greatly by the Black Stars, as well as Guinea's diversified attack. I expect some very close games in this group.

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Some general thoughts:

Beware Pot 4: The teams that were in Pot 4 for this draw- Libya, Sudan, Botswana, and Niger- will not be pushovers and very well could make some noise early on.

The Big Boys Are Out: Some of the big names not at this edition of the Africa Cup of Nations: three-time reigning champions Egypt, South Africa (in tragicomedic fashion), Algeria, Cameroon, and Nigeria. That means a whopping 13 of the last 16 Africa Cup of Nations champs will not be present. That has me thinking that we could very well see a first time champion this time around. Speaking of which...

Champion Prediction: It'd be easy to go with Cote d'Ivoire or Ghana in this spot. But I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Senegal will win their first ever Africa Cup of Nations. Take that to the bank. (Sorry for condemning your national team to failure, all you Senegal fans.)

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The tournament begins on Saturday, as Equatorial Guinea take on Libya in Bata. Here's the full tournament schedule, for those interested.

As usual, I'll try to send along any streams that I can find.

Enjoy, folks.

USA-Italy Primer: A Starting XI of Factoids

2012-01-16T15:41:00.002-05:00

Last week, US Soccer and the Italian Football Federation confirmed what had been rumored for a little while: the USMNT will take on Italy in a friendly on February 29th. The match will take place at Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genova (Genoa, for the non-italophones).

With that news, I decided that I'd dig up some factoids surrounding the match. I went with 11 in total- a number with obvious soccer relevance- and if it's a hit, I might consider doing this prior to other USMNT matches.

So read up, and impress your friends when game day rolls around next month:

1. The USMNT has never beaten Italy: The two teams first met back at the 1934 World Cup and have played eight matches in total, but the US is still searching for its first victory after losing five times and drawing three times. The Yanks have run into the Azzurri at the World Cup, Summer Olympics (1934), Confederations Cup, and even the old US Cup, not to mention in friendlies. In those matches, the US has a goal differential of -11.

The US has played two friendlies against Italy, but was shut out in both matches.

2. The USMNT has played more World Cup matches against Italy than it has against any other national team: Of the 29 World Cup matches in USMNT history, three have been against Italy. No other opponent has played the US more than twice on the big stage (with England, Germany, and Ghana being the only teams to have even done it two times).

3. Neither the USMNT nor Italy have ever played on Leap Day: The friendly will mark the first time that either side has played a match on February 29th.

4. The USMNT has never played in Genova: The Yanks have played on Italian soil six times, but never in the port city of Genova on the Ligurian coast. Of those six matches, three took place in Rome, two took place in Firenze (Florence), and one took place in Catania.

5. No American has ever scored twice against Italy: In eight matches, the US has managed to score just four goals, with no player finding the back of the net more than once. If Landon Donovan (who scored against Italy from the penalty spot in the '09 Confederations Cup) is able to score a goal (assuming he's called up) or if another Yank is able to bag a brace, it will be a first.

6. Six USMNTers from the last USA-Italy friendly are still playing: The US and Italy last played in a friendly in 2002, a 1-0 loss for the US in Sicily. Of those in Bruce Arena's match day squad, six are still active: Landon Donovan, Josh Wolff, Brad Friedel, Pablo Mastroeni, Frankie Hejduk, and Jovan Kirovski. Unsurprisingly, Donovan is the only one of the bunch that is under 30 years old.

The lone goalscorer on that day? Alessandro Del Piero, who is still in the rotation with Juventus at 37 years old:

7. Of the matches the USMNT has played in Italy, half have come against teams other than Italy: As I mentioned earlier, the Yanks have played in Italy six times. Included in that is a friendly (2002), World Cup group stage match (1990), and World Cup knockout match (1934) against the Azzurri, as well as World Cup group stage matches against Austria and Czechoslovakia (1990) and a World Cup qualifier against Mexico (1934).

Speaking of Mexico...

8. The first USMNT v. Mexico match took place in Italy: Yes, the rivalry traces its origins to Rome, where the two played each other for the first time in a qualifier for the 1934 World Cup. Thanks to a 4-2 win, the US qualified for the World Cup and got the early upper hand in a rivalry that has become one of the best in all of soccer. It was short-lived, though: it wasn't until 1980 that the US beat Mexico again, losing 21 of 24 meetings in between.

9. Klinsmann returns to Genova: Jurgen Klinsmann's illustrious playing career included a brief stop at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, where he played for Sampdoria for half a season in 1997.

10. Since their last meeting with Italy, the USMNT is unbeaten in competitive matches against UEFA opponents: After losing 3-1 to Marcello Lippi and company in South Africa, the Yanks have managed to beat Spain and draw England and Slovenia. Okay, so it's only a three match unbeaten run, but when you consider the caliber of opponents and the stages that those matches were played on, it's nothing to scoff at.

11. Since debuting for Chievo Verona on September 18th, Michael Bradley has not missed a single minute of Serie A play: Bradley featured as a 71st minute substitute in his debut against Parma, and since then has made 16 consecutive 90-minute appearances with the Flying Donkeys in league play. He has never been taken off the field by his manager. It's just another indication of the kind of solid performance that has been earning Bradley praise and respect in Italy.

In that time, Bradley has helped Chievo rise to the top half of the Serie A table, with big results including wins over Napoli, Genoa, and Fiorentina, and draws against title contenders Juventus and Lazio.

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Well, that's enough for now. Read up to impress your friends or simply to prime yourself for another high profile USMNT friendly as the first FIFA match day of 2012 approaches.

Deuce Is On The Loose

2012-01-09T14:04:00.001-05:00

It was a pretty eventful weekend of FA Cup action for USMNTers. Brad Guzan turned in another strong performance in Aston Villa's 3-1 win over Bristol, making several stops and coming within a few minutes of a clean sheet. Even after conceding, Guzan still wowed, adding to his legacy of cup heroics by saving a stoppage time penalty to preserve Villa's two goal lead.

Landon Donovan, meanwhile, set up Everton's lone goal in a 1-0 win over Conference side Tamworth, a match in which Tim Howard kept a clean sheet.

But the biggest story of the weekend came from Craven Cottage, where Clint Dempsey continued his stellar run of form with a hat trick in a 4-0 win over Charlton:

The goals are Dempsey's 10th, 11th, and 12th of the 2011-12 season in all competitions, and the first hat trick of his already storied Fulham career. To put that in perspective, his career high for goals in a season was last season's total of 13. It's only January, and Deuce is already on the cusp of tying his career high. Needless to say, he's on pace to blow past that number in much the same fashion that Jozy Altidore looks set to do at AZ.

Just how many is Dempsey on pace for? As always, there are a number of variables at play that often make extrapolation like this highly inaccurate. For instance, will Fulham make a deep run in the FA Cup? Will Dempsey stay healthy? Will he be at Fulham after the window closes? (For this interested, I think he stays at least until summer). But let's look at the numbers nonetheless, just for fun:

To date, Dempsey has played in all 20 of Fulham's league matches, scoring 6 times. Assuming he is able to match his total of 37 league appearances from last year, Dempsey would be on pace for 11 league goals.

Fulham's European run is over, so Dempsey will not add to the 3 goals he has scored in continental competition.

Fulham are now in the fourth round of the FA Cup, having drawn Everton (setting up a mouth-watering match-up of Yanks, with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard)- for the sake of this quick exercise, we'll say that Dempsey scores once more in cup competition. So that's 4 total cup goals.

All told, that would give Deuce 18 total goals for 2011-12. 18. With interest in his services from other clubs already at an all-time high, a season like that would only boost his stock further ahead of the summer window.

While those numbers likely won't exactly mirror reality when all is said and done, this point remains: Dempsey is playing some stellar soccer right now that is commanding respect and drawing a lot of attention from clubs in Europe. With World Cup qualifying set to begin in June (with one of the two matches being away to Guatemala, arguably the US' stiffest test due to the hostile environment), Jurgen Klinsmann will be hoping Dempsey can keep that form up.

Speaking of the USMNT, let's take a look and see what Dempsey has managed to do since June of last year with both club and country. With 5 goals in 11 international appearances (3 goals in the Gold Cup), Dempsey's totals since last June come to 17 goals in 39 appearances, a damn impressive strike rate that's all the more impressive when one considers how much of that time was spent in the midfield.

Last year, prior to the Gold Cup, I hailed the upcoming season as "the Summer of Deuce", anticipating big things from the Texan. But perhaps I was a little short-sighted, as Dempsey seems determined to make this the Year of Deuce instead. He'll be 29 years old in a few months and has stated time and time again that he wants to play in the Champions League. With his continuous upward rise to the top tier of Premiership players (you read that right), there might not be a better time for him to take the leap to a top tier club.

But all of that is in the background. For now, Dempsey seems content simply bagging goal after goal with the Cottagers.

The Year of Deuce marches on.

VIDEO: Howard's Goal & Revisiting Friedel's Finish

2012-01-05T16:05:00.000-05:00

For those who didn't get a chance to see Everton take on Bolton yesterday, you missed an American scoring a remarkable goal. No, it wasn't Landon Donovan in the first match of his second tour of duty with the Toffees.

It was Tim Howard.

Howard hoofed a back-pass forward and got plenty of help from the wind, with his clearance taking one big bounce before sailing over Bolton keeper Adam Bogdan's head and into the back of the net. The goal is the first of Howard's career; check it out:

And don't mistake that non-reaction to the goal as an "act-like-you've-been-there-before" coolness; rather, it was out of empathy for the opposing keeper in an embarrassing moment that he himself has experienced:

Unfortunately for Howard, Donovan (who played a solid 90 minutes in his first Everton appearance of 2012), and the rest of the Toffees, the goal did not hold up, with Bolton eventually winning 2-1 despite some fantastic stops from the USMNT keeper.

The goal, though, does bring back memories of another Yank goalie finding the back of the net, albeit in a more conventional, celebration-worthy fashion. I'm talking about none other than Brad Friedel, of course, who ventured forward into the opposing box in the dying moments of a 2004 EPL match against Charlton, finishing a loose ball with one touch to dramatically level the score:

Like Howard, though, Friedel ended up on the losing end that day, as Charlton scored soon after, giving them a 3-2 victory.

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With the USMNT's struggles at striker, maybe Jurgen Klinsmann will give Timmy his chance up top (I kid, I kid).

Everton will look to rebound this Saturday when they take on Tamworth (who play in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football) at Goodison Park (10 AM ET). We'll be on Twitter with Donovan-watch updates...and perhaps with news about another Howard goal.

The Defining Moment of 2011: The Dagger

2012-01-04T14:22:00.001-05:00

(Before we truly embrace 2012, I'd like to take one last look back at what I believe was the defining moment of the past year and discuss in a less conventional manner- think some prose/analysis hybrid not unlike my piece on Landon Donovan's goal from last December. Enjoy.)

"Dagger."

It's a word used time and time again in sports conversations and broadcasts across the country. It signifies the final nail in the coffin, the final push that sends the boulder of momentum careening unstoppably down into the opponent. It quite literally inflicts pain to those on the receiving end, be they fans, players, or coaches.

Never in recent memory has that description been more apt than June 25, 2011, when Giovanni dos Santos, he of the punchable face, embarked on a mazy endeavor to shatter American hearts.

The moment was not simply momentous; it was tectonic. With one goal, one could feel the earth of CONCACAF shifting with one last violent jolt, ending 90 minutes of slow but evident movement in the North American soccer landscape.

It was a bildungsroman in the form of a football match. A hungry, talented, young bunch took their lumps, responded to adversity, grew together, and ultimately achieved great success as a result, all over the course of two halves. Mexico's Golden Generation came of age, and after years of American dominance, the stage for that true emergence could not have been better for El Tri.

While the phrase "dagger" might understate the massive nature of the shift that that one play represented, it couldn't be more appropriate to describe the feeling that it instilled to those supporting the USMNT on that fateful day.

The play built from fairly innocuous origins. With four defenders and Tim Howard accounting for just three Mexican attackers around the box, the situation seemed to be under control, albeit with the perpetual air of stress that comes with trailing in a final.

But then the pass. A slow, agonizing opening slit that left us all squirming. Tim Howard seemed to be out and capable of closing dos Santos out, snuffing out the play in its nascent stage. But each delicate touch from the former Barcelona midfielder left Howard (and those supporting him, vicariously) reaching in vain for a dangling carrot. It was as if dos Santos, in the heat of the moment with 90,000 fans around him and millions of others watching, made some conscious decision to make the moment as torturous as possible. Some great retribution for years of gut-punching moments from those gringos to the north.

And with each touch and each bit of ineffective American defending (close him down, Jermaine!), a crescendo of discomfort and worry built for USMNT fans.

Then, in a manner that truly did maximize the pain inflicted, dos Santos' coup de gras was not a thunderous blast, emphatically making a statement. Instead, it was a tormentingly world class chip that- naturally- was just out of the reach of a leaping Eric Lichaj. It was the final twist of a knife that had been thrust into the collective American soccer gut, killing an era (that of Bob Bradley, and one of sustained American dominance) in the process.

Friedrich Nietzsche once said, "To see others suffer does one good; to make others suffer even more: this is a hard saying but an ancient, mighty, human, all-too-human principle...Without cruelty there is no festival."

You would think Gio dos Santos read that before taking the field at the Rose Bowl last summer.

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A Look Back at Some of 2011's Most Heartwarming Moments

2011-12-30T14:15:00.005-05:00

With 2011 coming to a close, I figured it might be a good time to revisit the year that was (I know, quite original). But for the sake of keeping with the whole "holiday cheer" thing, this post will solely focus on the most heartwarming moments of the past 12 months (with another non-traditional review post coming in the next day or two a la this USSD favorite from 2010).

Before I begin, let me say that it's very likely I missed something in putting this together, so feel free to add to the discussion either in the comments section or on Twitter. With that being said, let's jump right in.

Japan's World Cup Triumph

Even though it came at the expense of the USWNT (who, by the way, made us feel all warm and fuzzy as well with their ball-don't-lie, there-is-justice-in-the-universe, never-say-die win over Brazil), it was hard not to feel good about Japan's Women's World Cup title. Their tournament triumph was truly a special sporting moment not without its fair share of drama, stellar play, and subplots. While it's hard for an outsider like myself to pinpoint what exactly it meant to the people of Japan, I feel safe in saying that it certainly brought joy and pride (and perhaps most importantly, renewed attention) to a country that was still reeling from the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

It was a remarkable run in the face of much adversity, providing a moment that everyone could feel good about on a human level.

Rongen's Pacific Glory

USSD made it a point to get ahead of the curve and stay on top of things when it came to Thomas Rongen's journey to the South Pacific to coach the American Samoa national team. And the boys from Pago Pago certainly did not disappoint.

While Rongen and company ultimately fell short of the big prize- a spot in the 2012 OFC Nations Cup, which also served as the next round of World Cup qualifying- they won many fans, and, as I said then, for one night we were all reminded that sometimes soccer's best stories don't happen in multi-million dollar stadiums with global superstars on the field, but rather off the grid in front of just a couple dozen fans.

American Samoa's historic win over Tonga was their first ever, with their subsequent tie against Cook Islands producing their first ever unbeaten streak; these results allowed them to move away from the foot of the FIFA rankings, and brought an unmistakable sense of pride and happiness to the players who had suffered through so many lopsided losses in years prior. Rongen is now something of a hero, and American Samoans footy fans were given a moment that they'll never forget.

The Jay DeMerit Story

Rise and Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story was a story of one athlete's determination to chase and achieve his dream against the odds, and it has inspired many in the months since its release. But perhaps just as inspiring is the story of the men behind the film, led by Nick Lewis and Ranko Tutulugdzija, who managed to produce their documentary with plenty of dedication and effort to make up for a modest budget. Just like Jay, they chased a dream knowing full well the challenges that laid in front of them. But they never shied away from those obstacles, instead tackling them head on with creativity and persistence.

That budget itself is also another heartwarming element of this story, as soccer fans from the US and abroad came together to help fund this project. The galvanization of the soccer community was quite special to see, and the final product surely did not disappoint those who supported the cause.

To give a Hollywood ending to the movie that already has its own Hollywood ending, Rise and Shine was picked up by movie theaters across the US, as well as in the UK. A couple of guys set out with a lofty goal in mind and went after it, and it gave us one of the more heartwarming stories of 2011, both on the screen and off.

CD9's Return

For a moment, put aside the discussion of Charlie Davies' MLS season or his future. Instead, think back to that March night when he made his first appearance in 18 months, stepping back onto the playing field after nearly losing his life. Words aren't necessary to express just how incredible a moment that was for Charlie and for all those watching.

Add in the fact that he managed to score twice in his return, and it made for a pretty unbelievable script. Davies' post-game interview communicates best the mixture of emotions that came on that memorable evening at RFK:

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As I said, if I missed something, feel free to chime in.

And here's hoping that 2012 brings the soccer community some more magical moments.

Thoughts on the January Camp Roster: Another Klinsmann Deviation From the Bradley Era

2011-12-23T19:15:00.003-05:00

Jurgen Klinsmann announced a 20-man roster for January's USMNT camp and friendlies against Venezuela and at Panama. Here is the list:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (7): Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), A.J. DeLaGarza (LA Galaxy), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), George John (FC Dallas), Zach Loyd (FC Dallas), Michael Parkhurst (FC Nordsjaelland), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt), Benny Feilhaber (New England Revolution), Jeff Larentowicz (Colorado Rapids), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

FORWARDS (4): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City), C.J. Sapong (Sporting Kansas City), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

The roster marks another deviation from the Bob Bradley regime, with Klinsmann opting for a smaller group after Bradley had brought in groups of 24, 30, 24, and 26 in the past four years respectively.

Opting for quality over quantity (in terms of observation opportunities next month), Klinsmann brings in a group that will placate most. Omar Gonzalez finally gets his shot to impress the national team staff, though it must be said that transfer rumors swirling around him could very well mean that this opportunity goes unused if he does in fact switch sides this winter. Geoff Cameron, meanwhile, also gets brought in for a look; after a strong 2011 season, he's a player that could provide the type of possession-oriented center back that Klinsmann has been seeking.

It's also good to see Klinsmann reward good form by calling in Michael Parkhurst, who has been a mainstay in an FC Nordsjaelland defense that is statistically the most dominant in Denmark. George John and AJ DeLaGarza will also get their chance to wow after strong MLS seasons with their respective clubs. All told, there will be several quality center back prospects in this camp that could very well parlay this opportunity into a more regular role (whether on-field or as depth) with the senior side.

In the midfield, there aren't many surprises, as Shea, Beckerman, and Larentowicz get called back after having already earned several caps in the Klinsmann era. The Ricardo Clark selection is the one real surprise on this roster, as players based outside of Scandinavia and MLS rarely get released for these non-FIFA match days. But his presence is just indicative of the struggles he has had since Eintracht Frankfurt was relegated to the 2. Bundesliga, as he's been on the outside looking in for months. Oddly enough, he managed to impress in the Bundesliga, but has fallen by the wayside since the drop and looks in dire need of a new club situation.

In that regard, this call-in could very well indicate that a move for Ricardo Clark (back to MLS) is in fact on the way. A move to somewhere outside MLS or Scandinavia would make less sense, as Rico's camp presence would keep him away from his new club mid-season. Then again, perhaps there is no move in the works (I'd be surprised if this were the case, though), and Klinsmann simply wants to get Rico some minutes knowing that there's really nothing for him to lose by leaving his club for a couple of weeks.

It's good to see Sporting KC's Graham Zusi get called into camp after a strong 2011 campaign. He'll be joined by teammate and MLS Rookie of the Year CJ Sapong, who opened some eyes with his power and ability this year. With the striker depth chart still far from settled, Sapong- along with Teal Bunbury, Juan Agudelo, and Chris Wondolowski- will have a legitimate chance to work their way into the full team with a strong camp.

There aren't many snubs, and those that are absent probably can be explained away at least in part. Tim Ream is getting married in January, which is why he's not included (insert snarky remark about his 2011 form here). Meanwhile, Mix Diskerud and Josh Gatt got no love in Norway, but I wonder if there might be possible transfers in the works. I think at least one of them would have been a valuable edition to this group, particularly with the lack of outside mids, but alas their left on the outside. As always, I wonder what Klinsmann's level of communication with that duo is like, particularly Diskerud as the ever-present possibility of a Norwegian defection looms in the background. But given his presence at the U-23 Olympic camp, I think those fears are diminished (which, by the way, could also help explain his absence from this camp, with Klinsmann preferring not to overwork Diskerud in the offseason).

[EDIT: Caleb Porter has said he wants to do another 10-day U-23 camp in January, another possible explanation for the absence of Mix, Gatt, and other youngsters you might be wondering about. Thanks to the guys at Soccer Over There for the reminder.]

At the end of the day, there is little to complain about with the roster. It's actually the first Klinsmann roster that hasn't been met with great consternation and/or displeasure.

The two friendlies and camp will give Klinsmann and his staff a good opportunity to log some serious observations. It will be interesting to see who impresses, and if they are able to work their way into the February national team camp and the World Cup qualifying picture.

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On a side note, it's been a rough December for yours truly, with tons of obligations away from USSD keeping me occupied, but I appreciate all of your continued support and engagement. Enjoy the holiday season.

Weekend Highlights: Dempsey, Bocanegra, & Barcelona

2011-12-19T14:48:00.000-05:00

Some weekend highlights:

First up, Barcelona won the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup with a comprehensive 4-0 drubbing of Santos. The result only confirms what we already knew: Barcelona have been the best club team in the world in 2011.

Next up, highlights from the UK. Clint Dempsey found the back of the net with a fantastic header and then set up another a minute later with a lovely through-ball, helping Fulham on to a 2-0 win over Bolton:

<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/video?vid=c0d88026-0f43-4cf8-9031-47cac44e03a7" target="_new" title="">PL Highlights: Fulham/Bolton</a>

In Scotland, meanwhile, Carlos Bocanegra scored for Rangers in a 2-1 home win over Inverness:

On Donovan to Everton, Friedel, and Happiness

2011-12-16T17:12:00.003-05:00

For those who missed it yesterday, the big news in US Soccer was that Landon Donovan will be heading back to Everton for a two-month loan (January and February). This comes nearly two years since he suited up for the Toffees in a memorable (and very successful) three-month loan spell that included a Player of the Month honor and several big results over top teams.

The reactions to this news have been varied; while on the whole, everyone seems receptive of this idea, many wonder what exactly the impetus was behind this move. The juxtaposition to Brad Friedel's less-than-flattering comments about Donovan a week ago is something many have pointed to, wondering if this move was born out of a desire to prove Friedel and other haters wrong.

In the same line of thinking, there are some who wonder if Donovan feels his still has something to prove. Might his spell of middling form in the middle matches of the Gold Cup and the onslaught of scrutiny and debate that came after the Friedel comments have opened up some old wounds, despite his success at the club level this season?

There are also some who have postulated that this may have been prodded along by Jurgen Klinsmann, who hasn't had Donovan on the field since September 2nd and has been pushing his MLS-based players to stay active during the offseason with training or loans. With the US attack finally finding its feet for a bit against Slovenia, might Klinsmann be pushing Donovan, implying that he needs to win his spot on the roster?

Those are all theories, but personally I don't subscribe to any of them.

While the timing of this move following the Friedel comments might lend itself to an easy claim of causation, I'm inclined to say that's not the case. While the fact that this deal really came together in the last couple of days doesn't do much to help that perspective, I just can't really get behind the idea that Donovan did anything to initiate this move, and that insecurities contributed.

Let's not forget what happened two winters ago, and in the months that followed: Landon Donovan shut everyone up. He put together a stellar run of form at Everton, kept things going in MLS, and then had a couple of massive performances in South Africa. He showed up when it mattered most and showed that he can rise to the occasion on the big stage and against top talent.

His loan at Everton in particular was the perfect response in the face of the doubt and hate that dogged him since his less-than-ideals forays in Germany in previous years. His gorgeous volley against Hull City in his last match was an emphatic final stroke, a thunderous conclusion that was a figurative bullet through the chest of the monkey that he ripped off his back in the preceding weeks. (See the goal at 9:50 of the video below. Apologies for the ads, it was the only video I could find.)

All things considered, it was a perfect loan spell. The questions were answered. Having proven himself against the best, he could be more secure in himself and his game (if that were a problem in the first place).

Sure, 2011 was not his finest with the national team, and many will point to his benching in the Gold Cup as evidence that perhaps those old insecurities that may have plagued Landon in the past might be creeping back in. But again I have a hard time believing that, particularly when Donovan went on to reassert himself quite well within the Gold Cup itself, playing a pivotal role in the semifinal and final.

With another MLS Cup on his mantle after another strong club season and all of the above considered, I really don't think Friedel's comments (or any similar) had much impact on Donovan's decision. There's no way of truly knowing this, but I'm inclined to think that Donovan isn't so insecure to take those words to heart and feel the need to prove himself once more.

As for Klinsmann, I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted Donovan to stay active, but not out of some quasi-threat that Donovan's spot in the starting XI or squad would be at stake. Rather, it would be because Klinsmann understands all too well Donovan's value- still- to the USMNT, having seen the Yanks sputter without Donovan over the past couple of months. It's a theory that I've outlined before and one that I think didn't get enough play during the whole November call-up/decline fiasco.

With World Cup qualifiers next year and just one more official friendly date to restore some of the confidence that was lost over the past couple of months, perhaps Klinsmann just wants one of his best players to hit the ground running when the USMNT reconvenes for a friendly on February 29th.

That may be the case, but ultimately I don't see it as the main reason for this.

Ultimately- and what far too many seem to be overlooking as a possible motivation- I see this move as someone doing something simply because they want to. It's about utility, happiness; not competition and proving self-worth. Donovan has stated time and time again how much he thoroughly enjoyed his time under David Moyes at Goodison Park. Could it be that, conspiracy theories aside, he actually just really wants to reconnect with old teammates at a club that he loved being at, in front of fans that he appreciated?

Donovan himself said, "The opportunity to return to Everton and play for such a well-respected club and a manager that I hold in such high regard was something that was simply too good to pass up."

I don't see that as just lip service covering up an ulterior motive. I see that as a player who genuinely wanted to take advantage of an opportunity to do something that would make him really happy.

What about him declining a loan last winter, you might say; doesn't that invalidate my theory? Eh, it's not exactly the same situation; circumstances are different, and Donovan isn't coming off of nearly two straight years of continuous soccer. So to compare the two straight up is a little misguided, in my opinion.

As pundits and fans, we love to hyper-analyze these situations and consider all of the possible motivations: Does he want to prove Friedel wrong? Does he feel like he still needs to? Does he feel like his legacy is incomplete? But sometimes the most likely answer comes when we just look at the player as a normal human: maybe he's just a guy doing something that makes him happy while he still has the chance.

Do I think he'll have a chip on his shoulder in light of Friedel's comments, particularly when Everton play Tottenham on January 11th? Absolutely, I do. I don't that was the impetus behind this move, though, but rather simply a post facto motivation that still pales in comparison to his desire to perform for a team and fans that he loves.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there are insecurities that are eating at Landon. Maybe he wonders what might have been had he gone down a different path. But if I had to say, I don't think that's particularly likely, or strong enough to be the biggest factor in this move.

Sometimes, punditry just needs to keep it simple, and in this case I find myself looking past Friedel's comments and instead seeing a player who is eager to rekindle an old relationship with some fond memories.

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Motivations aside, the bottom line is that Donovan is headed back to Goodison Park in the prime of his career. And while this loan will be a little shorter than his last one, he'll still get his fair share of chances to strut his stuff against the big boys. Here's what Everton's schedule looks like between January 4th (the first match for which Donovan will be eligible) and February 25th (the final match day of his loan):

January:
4th: v. Bolton
7th: v. Tamworth (FA Cup)
11th: @ Tottenham
14th: @ Aston Villa
21st: v. Blackburn
28th: [Possible FA Cup Fourth Round match]

February:
1st: v. Manchester City
4th: @ Wigan
11th: v. Chelsea
18th: [Possible FA Cup Fifth Round match]
25th: @ Liverpool

All told, he'll be eligible for 8 Premier League matches, at least 9 total, and possibly 11 if Everton advances in the FA Cup.

He'll get a chance to take on Chelsea once again, having already turned a strong and confident performance two years ago that featured one my favorite moments of his loan spell, along with a couple of other high profile matches. While the hype won't be quite the same this time around thanks to his success in 2010 (the "is he good enough?" factor that had us all very eager and curious isn't there anymore), there will undoubtedly be plenty to look forward to in this short stretch abroad.

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Let's hope Donovan is able to rekindle the form that made him a fan favorite at Goodison in 2010, reminding everyone (Mr. Friedel included) that he can get it done against the best.

FIFA Club World Cup Highlights: Playoff & Quarterfinals

2011-12-12T19:14:00.001-05:00

As promised, highlights from the first three matches of the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup:

Playoff round: Kashiwa Reysol 2, Auckland City 0

Quarterfinal: Kashiwa Reysol 1 (4), Monterrey 1 (3)

Kas - Mon GOALS + PENALTIES www.rojadirecta.es by kehl3

Quarterfinal: Al-Sadd 2, Esperance 1

Esperance Sportive de Tunis - Al Sadd 1:2 by FootballKing1892

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Just a reminder, the first semifinal match (Santos v. Kashiwa Reysol) and the fifth place match (Esperance v. Monterrey) will be played on Wednesday (early in the morning for those of us in the US), while the second semifinal (Barcelona v. Al-Sadd) will be played on Thursday. All matches are being shown on Fox Soccer.

As always, if any of the above videos stop working, just let me know in the comments section or on Twitter, and I'll fix it as soon as I can.

Weekend Highlights: Gooch, Dempsey, Johnson, and More

2011-12-11T14:08:00.001-05:00

Some video highlights from yesterday's Yanks-in-Europe action:

First, Oguchi Onyewu went the full 90 for Sporting Lisbon in a 1-0 victory over Nacional, scoring the game-winning goal with this header:

Next, the Hoffenheim-Nurnberg match featured three Yanks (Fabian Johnson, Timmy Chandler, and Danny Williams); check out the highlights, which includes two gorgeous assists from Johnson and a straight red for Chandler:

In England, Brad Guzan got the start and the win for Aston Villa, with Shay Given sidelined by injury. Guzan made six stops en route to a 2-1 victory. Extended match highlights below:

Last, it wasn't such a great day for Clint Dempsey, who scored an own goal and missed a penalty in Fulham's 2-0 loss to Swansea:

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Highlights from the FIFA Club World Cup will be coming later today as well, barring any unforeseen complications.

A Look at the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup

2011-12-09T22:41:00.001-05:00

It's a day late, but hopefully not a dollar short: here's a quick look at the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, which kicked off yesterday in Japan.

Seeing as how this is a site focused on international soccer, it's rare that I dedicate coverage specifically to a club level tournament. But since this is the lone senior-level club tournament administered by FIFA, I figured I'd make an exception.

For those who aren't familiar, the FIFA Club World is a 7-team, single elimination tournament not unlike the Confederations Cup in that it brings together the continental champions from each of the 6 confederations and a host team to duke it out for the title of Club World Champion.

Since its reincarnation in 2005, the tournament has been held in Japan for all but two years, with the 2009 and 2010 editions taking place in the United Arab Emirates. The competition will stay in Japan through 2012, at which point it will move to uncharted territory: Morocco. After the UAE, Iran, and South Africa dropped out of the bidding process, Morocco was the only candidate left standing, and thus won the right to be the first African nation to host the Club World Cup. That will be a welcome change, though, for whichever European club is obligated to make the trip, as it will be far less cumbersome than, say, a jaunt to Japan or the Middle East.

But enough of that; that's a few years away. For now, our attention is on this year's tournament, which is taking place in the cities of Toyota and Yokohama despite some initial concern following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami last April.

Let's take a look at the 7 participants and how they managed to get to this point:

Host Team: Kashiwa Reysol (Japan)

As the host nation, Japan was guaranteed at least one representative in the tournament, with the 2011 J. League champions earning a spot in the playoff round. Kashiwa Reysol won its first J. League title just a year after being promoted to the top flight, clinching that host berth in the process. They managed to hold Nagoya Grampus and Gamba Osaka on the final match day of the season, with first and third place being separated by just two points.

As the host representative, Kashiwa Reysol was put in the playoff round against the OFC representative for a spot in the quarterfinals.

OFC Representative: Auckland City (New Zealand)

Auckland City earned their third trip to the FIFA Club World Cup by winning the 2010-11 OFC Champions League. After winning their group, they managed to outclass Vanuatu's Amicale in the two-legged final, earning a 6-1 aggregate win thanks to a second leg blowout.

While some overlook the OFC representative, Auckland City can pride themselves on being a team that has actually made a dent in the tournament (though that wasn't the case this year, which I'll get to later on): in 2009, they managed to secure fifth place thanks to wins over host representatives Al-Ahli and African champs TP Mazembe, who you might recall ended up losing to Inter Milan in last year's final. Not too shabby, all things considered.

AFC Representative: Al-Sadd (Qatar)

Al-Sadd managed to win the 2011 AFC Champions League, but it wasn't without some serious controversy along the way. (What? Qatar and soccer controversy?! I would have never guessed...) Read all about it here, and see video of the highly contentious victory over South Korea's Suwon Bluewings in the semifinals.

Ultimately, though, it doesn't quite matter how they got here, but rather simply that they did in fact reach this point at all. Now in the field, they'll face a tall task to advance any further. I'm sure plenty of Koreans will be hoping that their campaign is a short one.

CONCACAF Representative: Monterrey (Mexico)

It will surely pain a lot of MLS fans to revisit last spring's CONCACAF Champions League final, in which Real Salt Lake couldn't close things out at home and earn the league's first ever FIFA Club World Cup berth.

Instead, Humberto Suazo scored a goal that stunned the raucous crowd at Rio Tinto Stadium, securing a 1-0 win for the visitors and a 3-2 aggregate triumph.

CAF Representative: Esperance (Tunisia)

After losing in last year's CAF Champions League final to eventual FIFA Club World Cup finalists TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Esperance managed to redeem themselves by doing one better this time around.

They managed to knock off Morocco's Wydad AC Casablanca over two legs to claim their second continental crown and their first trip to FIFA's premier club tournament.

CONMEBOL Representative: Santos (Brazil)

With Brazilian starlets Neymar and Ganso lighting up opposing defenses, Santos managed to win their first Copa Libertadores title since a young forward named Pele was playing for the club way back in 1963. As such, this is their first trip to the FIFA Club World Cup.

Tune in to see Santos if for no other reason than to see the aforementioned pair of youngsters. You'll be seeing plenty of them as Brazil 2014 approaches.

UEFA Representative: Barcelona (Spain)

And last, but not least, Barcelona, who earned their spot with a spectacular 3-1 win over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final. The victory capped off another stunning season under Pep Guardiola in which three more pieces of silverware were added to an already crowded trophy case.

Barcelona will head to Japan after playing a crucial edition of El Clasico, as Real Madrid currently lead them in the La Liga table by three points. Messi, Iniesta, and company will be looking to repeat their 2009 performance in which they won the club's first ever world title.

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So how does the tournament bracket look? Glad you asked.

The tournament- single elimination, as I mentioned earlier- starts with a playoff match between the host representative and the OFC representative.

As the CONMEBOL and UEFA representatives, respectively, Santos and Barcelona get byes to the semifinal round. So the winner of the playoff will join the CONCACAF, AFC, and CAF representatives for the quarterfinal round. This year's draw pits the playoff winner against Monterrey for a shot at Santos, while Esperance and Al-Sadd will play for the right to take on Barcelona in the semifinal round. The semifinal winners, naturally, will then play in the final at International Stadium Yokohama. There will also be consolation matches held to determine fifth place and third place.

As I alluded to earlier, the tournament has gotten underway, with the playoff round taking place yesterday. Kashiwa Reysol managed to top Auckland City by a score of 2-0, eliminating the Kiwis from the tournament. Here's what the remaining schedule looks like:

December 11: Kashiwa Reysol v. Monterrey; Esperance v. Al-Sadd
December 14: (Kashiwa Reysol/Monterrey winner) v. Santos; Fifth place match
December 15: (Esperance/Al-Sadd winner) v. Barcelona
December 18: Final; Third place match

It's hard to track down official numbers on prize money this time around, but I haven't heard much indicating that things have changed a great deal since last year. In 2010, the champions took home $5 million, second place won $4 million, third place won $2.5 million, fourth place won $2 million, fifth place won $1.5 million, sixth place won $1 million, and seventh place received $500k. Needless to say, not a bad chunk of change for a week's work.

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To wrap up, we'll do what we do best: make predictions that are sure to go wrong.

I'll say that Monterrey and Esperance will move on to the semifinals, with Barcelona and Santos moving on to the final. Twitter explodes as Messi and Neymar duke it out, but Barca ultimately prevails to take home their second Club World Cup title.

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Enjoy the tournament, folks. Impress your friends with some of the knowledge you picked up in this post. We'll have updates on Twitter and a wrap-up following the final.

Camp Cupcake Gets More Yeast: the Method to the Madness?

2011-12-08T23:02:00.002-05:00

(Apologies for the lack of activity this week. Things have been pretty brutal for yours truly, so USSD had to take a back seat. But the dust has finally settled, and I've got plenty to catch up on.)

For those who missed it last week, what has been rumored for a couple of weeks was finally confirmed: the USMNT will play not one, but two friendlies next month as a part of the annual January camp. They will take on Venezuela in Glendale, Arizona on the 21st before heading south to take on Panama on the 25th.

"USSD is back? YESSSSSS!"

It will be the first time since 2006, the final year of the Bruce Arena era, that the Yanks will play two January friendlies, with Bob Bradley opting for just one in each year of his tenure. So it's a not insignificant deviation for Jurgen Klinsmann, whose decision making has left USSD and many others scratching their heads more than a few times thus far.

But in this case, I find myself wondering if this was part of the method that was behind the madness all along. Maybe Klinsmann just wanted to wait for an opportunity to call in somebody like Omar Gonzalez or Mikkel Diskerud when he had not only the chance to see them in camp, but also a few matches in which he could test and evaluate them with extended minutes as well. Had either player (who aren't the only snubs of recent months, mind you, but just two of the more notable examples; don't think we forgot about you, Herc.) gotten called in to the senior team camps in October or November, minutes likely would have been hard to come by (for a variety of reasons). But in January, those two (and a couple of others based in MLS and Scandinavia) will get an extended look both in camp and, most importantly, in actual matches.

Why is having two friendlies a big deal, as opposed to the norm of just one? For starters, it never hurts to get a bigger sample size for observations (which I'll touch on later on). It's also a little bit of risk aversion; it takes just one play for a January friendly with an objective to turn into a wash. (I'm looking at you, 2010 January friendly v. Honduras. We went in hoping to see Robbie Findley's impact over a full 90, but a Jimmy Conrad red card early on derailed that.)

So maybe, just maybe, Klinsmann wanted to wait until January when he could give young, up-and-comers like Gonzalez and Diskerud both camp time and meaningful minutes for evaluation purposes.

Do I believe that? Eh, maybe to an extent. It hardly explains away plenty of the past decisions that were tough to understand (Sacha Kljestan is still wondering if Jurgen is even watching, while Robbie Rogers continues what must be a successful blackmail or bribery campaign to keep his spot in the squad, and Herculez Gomez still can't get any love in Mexico), and it flies in the face of some other actions (like calling Ream in). But hey, it would fit right in with some of the doublespeak and contradictory decisions we've seen to date, so maybe it is just par for the course.

I did say the method was for madness, after all. (Tongue-in-cheek, I promise)

Of course, I say a lot of this without being fully convinced myself, but it's certainly something to consider as we still search for an explanation as to why certain seemingly deserving players were not given an opportunity to strut their stuff during the most opportune time for experimentation, while others, seemingly part of what Klinsmann himself referred to as his "core group", were given multiple chances despite lackluster outings. Imperfect logic doesn't necessarily need a perfect explanation.

Past player selection snafus aside, it's again a commendable decision by Klinsmann and his staff to schedule two games this January. This- creating and utilizing opportunities to evaluate lots of talent within the player pool- is exactly the kind of thing that they should be doing ahead of World Cup qualifying and the true meat of the cycle.

Let's just hope that the players we've all been waiting to see actually get called in.

Euro 2012 Draw Results

2011-12-02T13:23:00.002-05:00

Here are the results of the Euro 2012 draw, held today in Poland:

Group A
Poland
Greece
Russia
Czech Republic

Note: Poland will take on Greece in the tournament opener on June 8th in Warsaw.

Group B
Netherlands
Denmark
Germany
Portugal

Group C
Spain
Italy
Ireland
Croatia

Group D
Ukraine
Sweden
France
England

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Some quick thoughts:

Group B is certainly this tournament's Group of Death, with Portugal, Denmark, and Germany joining the Netherlands.

After snapping their 24 year Euro qualification drought, Ireland get rewarded with a pretty rough group, with Spain, Italy, and Croatia.

England fans will be pretty pleased, all things considered, with how the draw turned out, as their team was placed in a manageable Group D with France, Ukraine, and Sweden. Some will point out the following to go against that: the Three Lions have never beaten Sweden, France is far from the team it was during the disastrous 2010 World Cup campaign, and Ukraine will have the home crowd behind them. All valid points. It's not that England's group is easy per say, but rather that things could have been a lot worse for them, hence perhaps a little relief.

Group A is the antithesis of Group B, with Poland, Greece, Russia, and the Czech Republic forming the weakest of the four groups. Poland- who will be making just their second Euro appearance- have a legitimate chance to advance, having avoided some of the heavier hitters, but they'll still have some tough teams to grapple with. As is the case with Ukraine, they'll have the home crowd behind them, which never hurts.

When Russia was drawn into Group A, there was laughter in the crowd, perhaps because of the historical ties between them and Poland, setting up an interesting eastern European battle in Group A.

In the end, the groups are decently balanced, which was to be expected with a field so deep.

After three group stage match days, the top two teams from each group move on to the quarterfinals.

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Some of the high profiles group stages matches, just to name a few:

Germany v. Portugal, June 9th
Italy v. Spain, June 10th
France v. England, June 11th
Poland v. Russia, June 12th
Netherlands v. Germany, June 13th

For the full tournament schedule, click here.
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Just 189 days until things kick off in Poland. Get your popcorn ready.

Euro 2012 Draw Primer & Simulations

2011-12-01T13:20:00.000-05:00

USSD emerges from a week-long, post-American Samoa-bonanza slumber to bring you some info on tomorrow's Euro 2012 draw.

The festivities will take place at 12 PM ET and will be aired on ESPNews, ESPN3.com, and ESPN Deportes. The 16 team field has been sorted into four pots and will be split up into four groups when all is said and done, with each group having one team from each pot.

Here are what the pots look like:

Pot 1:
Poland (co-host)
Ukraine (co-host)
Spain
Netherlands

Pot 2:
Italy
Germany
England
Russia

Pot 3:
Croatia
Sweden
Greece
Portugal

Pot 4:
Ireland
Czech Republic
France
Denmark

As co-hosts, Poland and Ukraine get placed in Pot 1 with the two finalists from the 2010 World Cup. Poland is already guaranteed the position of A1 (the placement within the group determines the match schedules), while Ukraine will occupy the position of D1. As such, the tournament opener will feature Poland and will take place on June 8th in Warsaw (the trade-off between the co-hosts being that the final will take place in Kiev).

With all of that in mind, I decided to fire up the USSD Mega Draw Simulator (read: a simple VBA macro to randomly sort in line with the rules; if I knew how to embed it so you all could use it, I would) to produce a mock draw (and another, and another, and another...). Here's what got spit out:

Draw Simulation #1

Group A
Poland
Italy
Croatia
Ireland

Group B
Spain
Germany
Sweden
Czech Republic

Group C
Netherlands
England
Greece
France

Group D
Ukraine
Russia
Portugal
Denmark

Tournament Opener: Poland v. Italy

Some pretty balanced groups all around. Just for fun, here are two more simulations:

Draw Simulation #2

Group A
Poland
Russia
Sweden
Denmark

Group B
Netherlands
England
Greece
Czech Republic

Group C
Spain
Germany
Croatia
France

Group D
Ukraine
Italy
Portugal
Ireland

Tournament Opener: Poland v. Russia (the ol' eastern European rivalry renewed on the big stage)

That sure be an entertaining (and tough) Group C.

Draw Simulation #3

Group A
Poland
Russia
Greece
Denmark

Group B
Spain
England
Portugal
France

Group C
Netherlands
Italy
Sweden
Czech Republic

Group D
Ukraine
Germany
Croatia
Ireland

Tournament Opener: Poland v. Russia

...I'm pretty sure this draw would every England fan's worst nightmare, putting the Three Lions in the Group of Death with Spain, Portugal, and France.

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As you know, there a ton of possibilities, but these should give you an idea of a) just how strong and deep the field is, b) just how hard it will be for both co-hosts to make deep runs in this tournament, and c) just how entertaining Euro 2012 promises to be.

As I said earlier, the draw takes place tomorrow at noon ET. If you can't watch, I'll be sure to post the outcome here soon thereafter, with some live tweeting to go with it.

In the meantime, expect a couple more mock draws to pop up on Twitter. There's no stopping the USSD Mega Draw Simulator!

American Samoa's Historic Win: Thoughts & Highlights

2011-11-23T20:13:00.005-05:00

For those who missed all the commotion on Twitter, American Samoa made history last night, earning their first ever win as a FIFA nation in a match against Tonga that doubled as a OFC Nations Cup and World Cup qualifier. Here are the highlights of the 2-1 victory:

Very few coaches get the opportunity to coach at the international level, and even fewer are able to say that they were able to make history once there. Just one game into his tenure at the helm of American Samoa, former US U-20 coach Thomas Rongen can now say he has done both.

Prior to the match, as USSD has discussed in the past, American Samoa was the picture of futility, with a record of 0-0-28 since joining FIFA in 1998. They hadn't even scored a goal since 2007. Needless to say, expectations were low going into yesterday's match. But now- thanks to their monumental win- what once seemed impossible is now a very real possibility: American Samoa might actually be able to win the preliminary round group and earn the eighth and final berth in the 2012 OFC Nations Cup.

Now, a lot remains to be done, don't get me wrong, but like Lloyd Christmas, I'm just saying there's a chance.

Appropriately, Rongen focused on simply enjoying the win following the match, and it's really fantastic to see just how happy the players and staff were after securing this historic result.

Really, this is a prime example of why international soccer is so incredible. A national team from a tiny island with no legitimate shot of qualifying for the World Cup takes the field with great pride all the same, searching for that moment of glory, however small and fleeting it may be. People in Pago Pago likely will never see their team reach the pinnacle of international soccer, but for at least one night, they are on top of the world. For players like Ramin Ott- who scored the opener for American Samoa- this is winning the World Cup. My words don't do justice in describing just how cool of a moment this is (I'd actually love to dedicate some time to writing a book with stories of minnow triumphs like this one; maybe someday...unless a USSD reader happens to also be a generous benefactor and/or publisher!).

There were other great subplots, as well: Nicky Salapu, who was on the wrong end of that historic 31-0 drubbing by Australia a decade ago and ten other World Cup qualifying beat downs, exorcised some demons with a strong performance in goal. Following the match, Salapu said: "I feel like a champ right now. Finally I’m going to put the past behind me."

Meanwhile, Johnny Saelua, a transgender center back (read here on the Samoan sexual identity known as fa'afafine), started and was by all accounts one of the best players on the field. And with the result, American Samoa (along with Samoa, who won their match in dramatic fashion) will move up from dead last in the FIFA rankings, distancing themselves from Andorra, San Marino, and Montserrat.

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If you're looking for some American football Thanksgiving, American Samoa will take on the Cook Islands tomorrow in another pivotal match. The Cook Islands fell to Samoa 3-2 after a stoppage time winner from the hosts. If Rongen and company are able to continue their success, it could set up a very interesting Samoan derby on Saturday to determine the group winner.

USSD will keep an eye on the result and may send out a tweet or two while taking a break between feast courses. @JamesPiotr is on the ground in Samoa tweeting updates, so be sure to check his Twitter feed if you'd like to follow along (read his great post-match New York Times piece here). You can also simply track the score using this site.

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American Samoa's success may be short-lived. But for one night, we were all reminded that sometime's soccer's best stories don't happen in multi-million dollar stadiums with global superstars on the field, but rather off the grid in front of just a couple dozen fans.

Just another reason why this is such an amazing sport.

Top 10 USMNT Goals of 2011

2011-11-22T12:47:00.013-05:00

It's that time of year of again. With the Yanks all done for 2011, USSD presents you with the Top 10 USMNT goals of the year.

This is always an enjoyable and well-received post and one of the few traditions we have around these parts; feel free to check out the corresponding lists from 2009 and 2010, as well (a little maintenance may be needed to fix broken links here and there; I'll do my best).

The 2011 list was a little easier to do given the relatively low level of scoring (just 16 goals total, two of which came from the penalty spot), but fun nonetheless and not without some tough decisions to make. The ranking criteria was some arbitrary mix of aesthetics and importance, as usual.

As always, I encourage you to voice your opinion in the comments section below or on Twitter, whether you agree, disagree, or simply want to relive some of the highlights of 2011.

Enjoy!

Honorable Mentions

Jermaine Jones v. Jamaica
Jozy Altidore v. Canada

Both of these goals had some nice elements to them- the quick turn and release from Jozy, and the sweetly timed volley from Jones- but they both also got a lot of help from the opposition. With some better goalkeeping from Canada and without a fortunate deflection from a Jamaican defender, both of these goals probably wouldn't have happened, and so they got knocked down a few pegs in the rankings.

10. Michael Bradley v. Mexico: Bradley opened the scoring in the Gold Cup final with this lovely glancing header at the near post off of a quality corner kick from Freddy Adu.

9. Robbie Rogers v. Mexico: The first goal of the Klinsmann era was a pretty one, with Juan Agudelo's one-touch pass off a throw-in finding Brek Shea, who managed to elude a defender and thread a pass right to the foot of Robbie Rogers at the back post of the open goal. This tally also gave us the Klinsmann triple fist pump.

8. Clarence Goodson v. Panama: The Yanks came up a goal short v. Panama in the group stage of the Gold Cup, but their lone goal was a nice one, with Michael Bradley's flick finding Clarence Goodson for a diving header.

7. Clint Dempsey v. Canada: Dempsey's sliding finish off of a quality final pass from Jozy Altidore sealed a 2-0 win. What many will also remember from Dempsey in this match is the spectacular goal that he almost scored.

6. Clint Dempsey v. Jamaica: Following a nice give-and-go with Landon Donovan, Juan Agudelo found Clint Dempsey alone at the back post with a first time ball across the box. Deuce then showed great poise, waiting for Donovan Ricketts to commit before rounding him and finishing.

5. Clint Dempsey v. Panama: Against a stubborn Panamanian defense, the US needed something special to break through. They got just that thanks to a great long ball from Freddy Adu and a pinpoint pass from Landon Donovan to Clint Dempsey at the back post. You have to love Dempsey's reaction as well, pointing and giving all the credit to Donovan for his perfect service.

4. Edson Buddle v. Slovenia: Edson Buddle didn't take long to make his mark against Slovenia. Capitalizing on a turnover, he settled the ball calmly with his thigh before smashing a lovely volley off the inside of the post from about 25 yards out.

3. Clint Dempsey v. Honduras: A soft touch, a quick cut, and a gorgeous lefty finish into the upper corner helped the US earn their first win of the Klinsmann era. Take a look at Maurice Edu at the top of the box, raising his arms as he screams for a drop pass only to leave them up in celebration just a second later- a moment the two seem to share a laugh about later.

2. Landon Donovan v. Mexico: By now you should all know that USSD has a soft spot for great team goals, and the Yanks put together a beauty against Mexico in the Gold Cup final. After regaining possession, the US strung together several one- and two-touch passes, culminating with a perfectly-weighted through-ball from Clint Dempsey and a poised finish from Landon Donovan. A beautiful sight that had many of us believing the Gold Cup would soon be in American hands.

1. Jozy Altidore v. Guadeloupe: Jozy takes the top spot for this absolute bomb against Guadeloupe. Guadeloupe GK Franck Grandel had a great game in the group stage finale at Livestrong Sporting Park, but all he could was watch as this strike zipped past him in an instant. The pace behind the shot was so great that it actually lifted the back part of the net up off the ground.

Take a look at the golazo, this year's winner of Top USMNT Goal:

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Once again, feel free to share your thoughts below.

Let's hope 2012 brings us plenty more goals.

Think Senior International Footy Is Over in '11? Think Again. Minnow Lovers Rejoice: USSD's OFC Nations Cup Prelim Round Preview

2011-11-21T22:15:00.009-05:00

Last week, the last FIFA match days of 2011 played out, with matches played across the globe. As the dust settled, international footy fans resigned themselves to a couple months of winter dormancy, with the next official match day not coming until the end of February.

But what some might not realize is that there is some senior international footy still to be played this year, starting tomorrow actually. It may not be the most high profile competition, but minnow lovers will surely want to follow along nonetheless.

The games will be taking place in the South Pacific- Apia, Samoa, to be exact- between four teams: Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, and the Cook Islands. The teams will play a round robin, which serves as the preliminary round of the 2012 OFC Nations Cup.

Let's back track a second and take a look at OFC World Cup qualification, the newly-formatted OFC Nations Cup, where the two intersect, and how it relates to the upcoming matches.

The OFC Nations Cup will be an 8-team tournament held next June in Fiji. Two groups of four will be played, with the top two from each moving on to the single elimination knockout rounds. The winner will represent OFC at the 2013 Confederations Cup.

The significant change that occurred this year is that the OFC Nations Cup will no longer also double as the final phase of OFC World Cup qualifying. Instead, the semifinalists from the tournament will advance to a separate four-team double round robin group stage to be held from September '12 to March '13. The winner of that will then advance on to a playoff against the fourth place finisher in CONCACAF qualifying.

What this will mean is 1) the potential for different OFC representatives in the Confederations Cup and World Cup, 2) more matches for some OFC minnows, which we've seen to be quite a good thing thus far in CONCACAF's new qualifying format, and 3) a true confederation tournament that is (at least partially) distinct from World Cup qualification, all of which are good for the growth of the OFC in my opinion.

So how does this all relate to the matches coming this week? Glad you asked. The OFC Nations Cup is almost set, with seven teams already in the tournament: New Zealand, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji. Where will that eighth team come from? The aforementioned preliminary round taking place this week. It's hard to say who emerge triumphant, but we do know that the final tournament's groups will be the following:

Group A:
New Caledonia
Vanuatu
Tahiti
(Preliminary Round Winner)

Group B:
Solomon Islands
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Fiji

The preliminary round matches will take place on Nov. 22, 24, and 26, with the following schedule:

Nov. 22: American Samoa v. Tonga; 8pm ET
Samoa v. Cook Islands; 10:30pm ET

Nov. 24: American Samoa v. Cook Islands; 8pm ET
Samoa v. Tonga; 10:30pm ET

Nov. 26: Samoa v. American Samoa; 8pm ET
Cook Islands v. Tonga; 10:30pm ET

All matches will be played in Samoa's national soccer stadium, which is named after- get this- none other than Sepp "just shake hands to racism" Blatter. Wonderful.

USMNT fans might be interested in monitoring the tournament to see how former US U-20 national team head coach Thomas Rongen fares in his first gig at the helm of a senior international team. In case you missed it, check out USSD's fun, informative profile of his new team, American Samoa, here. He'll have his work cut out for him, as American Samoa look for their first ever win or draw (currently 0-0-28 all-time) and their first goal since 2007. They'll also renew their (extremely lopsided) rivalry against neighbors Samoa, who sit just a little over 40 miles away in the Pacific Ocean.

Minnows fans will simply enjoying following four teams who are at the foot of the FIFA rankings, two of which are literally on the bottom rung. If American Samoa or Samoa are able to earn a positive result in any of their matches, they'll eke ahead of Andorra, Montserrat, and San Marino, lifting themselves out of dead last. It might not mean much in the long run, but for pride's sake I'm sure they'll both be hoping to achieve that.

So get your last fix of senior international soccer before we endure the long winter wait until the USMNT's January camp and friendlies and the first FIFA match day in late February.

I'll will be following along and, if by some stroke of luck, a stream becomes available at any point during the week, it will be passed along on the USSD Twitter feed.

On MLS Cup & LA's International Experience

2011-11-21T13:13:00.001-05:00

I'm just getting back into the swing of things after almost a week of R&R out west, so bear with me while I get the USSD machine back up and running. A new post will be coming this afternoon, but in the meantime, here are the highlights from last night's MLS Cup final between LA and Houston:

Seeing as how this is an international footy-centric site, it should come as no surprise that I can't help but shift the focus to the next level.

As fate would have it, the triumphant Galaxy have a distinct USMNT flavor. There are 8 players on the Galaxy roster who have been capped by a senior team, combining for a sizable total of 335 appearances. But almost all of those appearances are accounted for by a vintage quartet: Frankie Hejduk (85 caps), Gregg Berhalter (44 caps), Jovan Korovski (62 caps, the first of which came way back in 1994), and of course Landon Donovan (138 caps and counting). Throw in Bruce Arena, who coached the Yanks for eight years from '98 to the summer of '06, and the Galaxy are even more of a snapshot of USMNTs past.

The group, in a way, also represents the present and future of the USMNT. While three of the aforementioned quartet are in the twilight of their respective careers (Berhalter, in fact, is retiring, going out on top) after having helped the US in World Cups, qualification, and other tournaments, Landon Donovan continues to be a focal point of the side at present. Looking forward, Omar Gonzalez, Sean Franklin, AJ DeLaGarza and some other young prospects like Jack McBean have the potential to work their way into the national team picture in the future (while Donovan will undoubtedly maintain a role in years to come as well).

The American presence is just part of an even greater level of international football experience present in the Galaxy squad, with five other players earning caps with their respective national teams. Obviously, David Beckham is one of them, having earned 115 caps with England (the record for a field player) and played in World Cups '98, '02, and '06 and Euro 2000 and 2004. Robbie Keane, meanwhile, has 114 caps and 53 international goals to his name. Keane helped Ireland to qualify for the 2002 World Cup and achieve some success once there, while also playing a part in their successful qualification for Euro 2012. He also has served as captain of the national team.

The Galaxy also have some significant Caribbean international experience. Donovan Ricketts was one of Jamaica's goalkeepers at the 1998 World Cup and has helped backstop the island nation in numerous qualifiers and tournaments since, compiling 85 caps to date. Chris Birchall, meanwhile, has appeared 38 times for Trinidad and Tobago, three of which came during the 2006 World Cup. And we'd be remiss if we failed to acknowledge Josh Saunders, who kept a clean sheet last night and has been strong in goal throughout the postseason for the Galaxy. The Oregon native has made two appearances for the Puerto Rico national team after having spent a year of his club career on the island.

That copious amount of international experience surely didn't hurt the Galaxy as they drove deep into the postseason, managing to overcome the pressure and come out on top when all was said and done.

2014 World Cup Qualifying: CONCACAF Third Round Groups Set; Schedule Released

2011-11-16T13:14:00.003-05:00

For those who missed it, the second round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers wrapped up yesterday with little fanfare, as the 6 tickets to the third round had already been punched over the weekend.

Guyana surprised some by beating out Trinidad and Tobago, who continue a sad decline following their run to the World Cup in 2006, while USSD faves Antigua and Barbuda found a late winner to eliminate Haiti and advance. Both teams showed well in the Caribbean Cup last winter and have managed to continue that momentum with solid qualifying campaigns. Though the next round will undoubtedly be a whole different animal, these two minnows are a couple of the best stories of CONCACAF qualification thus far.

Elsewhere, it was the big boys moving on rather comfortably, as El Salvador, Panama, Guatemala, and Canada cruised to the next round.

The third round groups are now set (where the second winners would advance to was determined in the qualifying draw in July), with CONCACAF announcing today the match schedules to go with them.

Take a look below, and start planning your trips:

Group A
USA
Jamaica
Guatemala
Antigua and Barbuda

Match Schedule (home team listed first)
June 8: USMNT v. Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica v. Guatemala
June 12: Guatemala v. USMNT, Antigua and Barbuda v. Jamaica
Sept 7: Jamaica v. USMNT, Guatemala v. Antigua and Barbuda
Sept 11: USMNT v. Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda v. Guatemala
Oct 12: Guatemala v. Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda v. USMNT
Oct 16: USMNT v. Guatemala, Jamaica v. Antigua and Barbuda

Group B
Mexico
Guyana
El Salvador
Costa Rica

Match Schedule (home team listed first)
June 8: Mexico v. Guyana, Costa Rica v. El Salvador
June 12: El Salvador v. Mexico, Guyana v. Costa Rica
Sept 7: Costa Rica v. Mexico, El Salvador v. Guyana
Sept 11: Mexico v. Costa Rica, Guyana v. El Salvador
Oct 12: El Salvador v. Costa Rica, Guyana v. Mexico
Oct 16: Mexico v. El Salvador, Costa Rica v. Guyana

Group C
Honduras
Panama
Canada
Cuba

Match Schedule (home team listed first)
June 8: Honduras v. Panama, Cuba v. Canada
June 12: Canada v. Honduras, Panama v. Cuba
Sept 7: Cuba v. Honduras, Canada v. Panama
Sept 11: Honduras v. Cuba, Panama v. Canada
Oct 12: Canada v. Cuba, Panama v. Honduras
Oct 16: Honduras v. Canada, Cuba v. Panama

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So the USMNT will kick things off with what will almost certainly be its easiest match of the third round: at home against Antigua and Barbuda. The stretch that follows that will be the critical one, though, with back-to-back road games against Guatemala and Jamaica, respectively. While neither team quite has the quality that the US does, both have been tricky road opponents in qualifying in the past and are more than capable of causing some problems with home field advantage.

Also of note, the Yanks will play on September 11th, which should make for quite the spectacle as they represent the country on the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Appropriately enough, it comes against Jamaica, who were the team that the US defeated to clinch a spot in the 2002 World Cup just weeks following 9/11 and on the same day that the US began the bombing of Afghanistan. Brian Straus of the Sporting News recounts that fateful match and all the emotion that surrounded it in this fantastic piece.

Venues for the US qualifiers are still not known and will presumably be announced at a later date.

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Get pumped for qualifiers, folks; they're just around the corner. And start booking those trips; I have a feeling Antigua would be pretty nice in October...

USA 3, Slovenia 2: The Highlights

2011-11-15T22:46:00.000-05:00

The highlights from the USMNT's 3-2 win today over Slovenia:

My post-match thoughts and analysis will be up tomorrow morning; be sure to come by.

USA-France Post-Match Thoughts & Highlights

2011-11-14T13:12:00.003-05:00

Another friendly, another underwhelming performance from the USMNT. Let's take a look back at the Yanks' 1-0 loss in Paris.

But before we dive into that, let's revisit some numbers that have been popping up around these parts fairly frequently:

For starters, the loss now guarantees that the US will finish 2011 with a losing record, the first time that this has happened since 1997.
Second, the US have now scored just 2 goals in a whopping 540 minutes under Jurgen Klinsmann. Hardly the attractive, offensive play that many hoped for when the German was hired.
Third, the Yanks have now been held scoreless in 7 of their 10 total matches on French soil.

The first two of those numbers underscore a general frustration right about now that we'll get to later, but regardless of whether or not one is displeased with the way things have been going, there's no denying that we have been forced to sit through some unbelievably drab soccer over the past couple of months.

Against France, it was no different. The Yanks came out in a defensive shell and never really emerged from it, with their attack never really threatening a French back line that was missing some of its bigger names.

Klinsmann's initial deployment was a defensive one, understandable given the opponent and location. But there's a legitimate claim to be made that it was overly defensive to the point of being detrimental to squad performance as a whole. Maurice Edu and Kyle Beckerman sat deeper in the midfield, playing more or less side-by-side for much of the match in defensive roles, while Danny Williams was a much more defensive option on the right side of the midfield compared to, say, DaMarcus Beasley or Robbie Rogers.

And with that deployment, it became immediately apparent that the US would be playing bend-don't-break soccer for much of the 90 minutes. Under Bob Bradley, this was not an uncommon approach against a top tier opponent (see: Spain, 2009 for the most obvious example), with the Yanks focusing on shape and defensive discipline to set up counterattacking opportunities. Against France, the US lacked that key latter component, as their defensive posture and personnel were not really conducive to producing the counterattacks that would have helped balance the flow of play some.

Instead, Edu and Beckerman added little in the way of forward thrust and substantial possession, with plenty of square balls and some poor touches that nearly cost the US dearly. As a result, the midfield and back line were often put right back on their heels after winning possession, or simply unable to get forward quickly enough from their defensive positions to support Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore. The lack of extended possession and the isolation of the front two meant that the majority of the game was spent in the American half, with no real scoring opportunities produced at the other end.

French coach Laurent Blanc said following the match that he was never really worried about the outcome of the match, an understandable (albeit I'm sure slightly inflated given France's own offensive struggles for long stretches) air of confidence given the toothless-ness of the US attack.

Was it the proper approach from Klinsmann? In a sense, yes; this was the type of match where defending and counterattacking would probably best suit the US. But the personnel selections didn't quite set the squad up for success, with an overemphasis on defensive presence to the point of severely limiting the attack. But substitutions did little to change that, with Jermaine Jones coming on in the midfield over Michael Bradley, who adds a little more attacking verve to the mix, a puzzling decision given Bradley's playing time in Serie A, his skillset, and the pitiful offensive flow from the US to that point that left us all believing that a French goal was inevitable.

"Bend, don't break" is okay so long as there is a mechanism by which to relieve pressure for a little bit, namely quality counterattacking play. It's very rare that a team can manage to withstand constant pressure for a full 90 minutes without that. Defending higher up the field and pressing attackers in deeper positions are both made extraordinarily difficult when sustained possession is nonexistent. And the US were an example of that on Friday.

Defensively, some have heaped criticism on the center backs, stating that their lack of pace ultimately cost the US a goal. While this may be true in part, there's much more to the matter. For starters, even with the defensive-minded midfield, French attackers still were finding space to operate. But most importantly- and I apologize if I sound like a broken record- the Yanks just couldn't possess at all. It was really just a matter of time until they got caught against a talented opponent.

Is Clarence Goodson the answer at center back? I don't think so. But would another center back have kept that goal from coming? Given the run of play, it's really hard to convince me that that would be the case. Ultimately, the truly disconcerting thing is that the US created absolutely nothing in the final third, continuing a pattern of underwhelming play. There is little improvement, despite a decent bit of consistency in the squads selected. That is fairly worrying, particularly when you consider that there are just two more friendlies before World Cup qualifying- where there is very little margin for error- begins.

And that, rightly, has been the most common criticism of the Klinsmann era. It would be one thing if the US were losing but creating chances; but they aren't even doing that much. As I said over the weekend, there are theories as to why that may be, with most of them circling back to Klinsmann. I offer an alternative theory here centered around the absence of Landon Donovan that I think is very relevant to the discussion.

Back to the France friendly, though. Individually, there were few bright spots. Brek Shea and Steve Cherundolo seem have suffered from not playing with their respective clubs over the past two weeks (because FC Dallas' season ended, in Shea's case), looking a little out of sync and a step slow at times (most visibly when Cherundolo struggled to keep up with some attackers on his side).

The midfield did not do much of note (positively, that is), while Carlos Bocanegra and Clarence Goodson made some good plays but were also fortunate to not get burned on a couple of other situations. As a unit, though, the defense was decent, coming close to keeping France off the board despite the run of play. Playing a huge part in that was Tim Howard, who showed his world class ability, namely with his stunning stop on a second half free kick that kept the match level. Without Howard, 2-0 or 3-0 would have likely been the score. He kept things respectable with his strong play.

Clint Dempsey saw the ball a decent bit and drew free kick after free kick, but he was rarely in threatening positions because of the lack of support going forward. It appeared France were simply content to take him down, perhaps believing (probably correctly) that taking Dempsey out of the attack would more or less derail US offensive efforts.

Jozy Altidore's play, it must be said, was cause for some degree of optimism, as he made several solid contributions in a target role despite being very isolated for much of the match. Once again, though, we are left with the same refrain, lamenting the lack of service and support for the front man.

To be perfectly frank, it was pretty dreadful match to sit through as an American fan. And coming on the heels of several other underwhelming performances, the result only further fuels some of the discontent that has been bubbling up within the USMNT fan base. Do friendly results matter? No, not really. But there has been a significant lack of visible improvement in the side's performance that is unsettling.

Some have opined that Klinsmann should get the opportunity to prove himself over time, preferring to wait until qualifiers begin to give their ultimate judgement. While this is appropriate, it also cannot neglect what's going on right before our eyes and Klinsmann's experience to date (remember, he was far from a proven entity when he took this job, despite what many will have you believe). The Yanks may have a manageable third round group and will almost surely move on to the Hex, but the lackluster outings suddenly make us wonder about what happens beyond that and whether or not Klinsmann is capable of earning his big bucks at that stage.

Sunil Gulati sunk a lot of money and political capital into getting his guy after years of courtship. But you have to wonder if the trained economist isn't also taking into account the concept of sunk costs as the US approaches its pivotal fixtures in a funk unseen since the late '90s. Has the US regressed since Bob Bradley left? Is Klinsmann unfit for this job? Those kind of questions will surely be asked in the long layoff between tomorrow's match and the January camp. I won't take a stand just yet, as Klinsmann still has opportunities to show his stuff, but it's a valuable mental exercise to at least put yourself in Sunil Gulati's shoes and consider what is going on (and associated investments, what is to come, and the potential risks involved for the national team, the federation as a whole, and Gulati personally.

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Against Slovenia, the Yanks will have yet another opportunity to right the ship and restore confidence. Oguchi Onyewu is back to full training and presumably available for selection after missing the France match with a minor groin injury. And the Slovenians present a lesser threat than the French going forward as a second tier team more on the USMNT's level at this point in time.

But success will by no means come easily, as Slovenia defense is stingy in its own right and more than capable of causing an already sputtering attack some problems. Will we see adjustments given past performance and the new opponent? Only time will tell, but we'll delve into this in USSD's preview coming later this afternoon.

Whether the goals come or not, though, most will simply be hoping to see some kind of improvement from the USMNT in Ljubljana.

USA-France: 4 Things to Watch For

2011-11-10T20:52:00.000-05:00

Well, another international break is upon us. And with it comes another opportunity for the Yanks to finally get things moving in the Jurgen Klinsmann era, having underwhelmed us to date.

The match against France tomorrow will be just the third time in which the US and Les Bleus have met; they played two friendlies (each hosting one) in 1979 with France winning by a combined score of 9-0. The Yanks have been back in France since, albeit with a similar lack of success, crashing out of the 1998 World Cup in dead last and getting knocked out of the 2003 Confederations Cup after scoring just 1 goal in three group stage matches.

Let's actually take a quick rundown of the Yanks' ineptitude on French soil:

In nine matches, the US has been shutout six times, never scoring more than a single goal in the other games. Two of those matches came in the '98 World Cup, while another two came in '03 Confederations Cup.
Only Brian McBride ('98 World Cup v. Iran), DaMarcus Beasley ('03 Confederations Cup v. Turkey), and Andy Straden (Who? '24 Summer Olympics v. Estonia) have scored goals for the USMNT on French soil.
The US went 0-0-3 at the '98 World Cup, scoring just one goal, only to follow that up with one goal and a record of 0-1-2 at the '03 Confederations Cup.
Their one match against France in France ended 3-0 in favor of the hosts.

Needless to say, history- the little that there is- will not be in the Yanks' favor tomorrow as they take the field at Stade de France. Recent form isn't exactly going their way either, with just two goals scored in the five matches of the Klinsmann era thus far and plenty of middling play.

Will they buck both trends tomorrow and put together a strong performance, perhaps even coming away with a positive result? Only time will tell. But I'll be watching for the following things tomorrow, and I have a feeling they very well may determine the final result.

The Center Back Pairing:

Will Klinsmann trot out Michael Orozco Fiscal again, throwing him in the deep end against an opponent far superior to the ones he's faced in his recent appearances? If so, will he be able to handle the challenge, or will he be overwhelmed and ineffective? With some very talented attackers (Benzema, Ribery, etc.) getting thrown forward, Orozco Fiscal wouldn't have room for error.

While I'm sure a fair share of USMNT fans hope Orozco Fiscal isn't in the starting XI, I'm not convinced it's an impossibility. Oguchi Onyewu missed Sporting's last match due to a minor groin issue, and though I haven't heard anything out of USMNT camp to suggest that he's unavailable, there's always the chance that that problem flairs up once again. At that point, does Klinsmann favor a like-for-like substitution, bringing in Clarence Goodson, or does he go with Orozco Fiscal in hopes of improving distribution out of the back?

Ultimately, having seen the success that Onyewu and Bocanegra had as a tandem during the last break, I think Klinsmann will go back to that veteran pairing tomorrow (assuming Gooch is healthy). They both might not be the most fleet of foot, but both showed during the last break that they can make up for that with wise positioning, strong tackling, and great reading of the game (and let's not kid ourselves, Gooch can still cover some ground, even if it's not quite as fast as someone like Orozco Fiscal). Will that experience and ability be enough to keep France at bay?

If Orozco Fiscal starts (which, given the speed that France can put forward and Klinsmann's affinity for MOF's game, would not come as a huge surprise), expect Laurent Blanc's men to go after him early and often. It will be interesting to see, particularly in light of his struggles against Honduras in which he made several near-costly mistakes (pun intended) in the defensive half, if Orozco Fiscal can manage the situation, or if his shortcomings get exposed by a talented opponent.

The Defensive Midfielder(s?):

Perhaps most important to the center back discussion is what's happening in front of the back four, namely at the defensive midfielder role. Against Belgium, the best of the USMNT's opponents during the Klinsmann era, the Yanks were taken advantage of time and time again in the midfield, as Maurice Edu was tasked with covering a substantial area by himself. Would France do as Belgium did and wreak havoc in their attacking half by exploiting the gaps left in front of the back four by the lack of two deeper sitting center mids?

If Beckerman starts, will he be able to rekindle the form that made him so effective v. Mexico, or will he get caught defensively and be forced to foul as he did against Honduras? Would Maurice Edu be able to turn in a stronger performance going both ways than what he did against Belgium? Could Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, or Danny Williams be played deeper instead, giving the Yanks a new look?

And, the thing I'm most curious to see: will Klinsmann play with two defensive midfielders to ease the defensive burden on the back four and the defensive mids both defensively and in distribution? Against Belgium, the Yanks found success once Kyle Beckerman was brought on to shoulder some of the load next to Maurice Edu, settling things down offensively and closing spaces defensively. Though Klinsmann favored the 4-1-3-2 during the last break, could we see some tactical flexibility that sees him instead employ something closer to a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-2-1-1 given the opponent?

Regardless of who the center backs are, the defensive midfielder (or midfielders) will have to be sharp to help balance possession and stifle French attacks before they reach the final third. I would guess that Beckerman will get the start, but I wouldn't be surprised to see one of several other names there instead.

The Final Third:

Let's face it: the US attack has been more or less abysmal under Jurgen Klinsmann, save for maybe 80 combined minutes. With just two goals in 450 minutes of play, we've had to endure our fair share of frustrating and/or yawn-inducing jaunts forward, as the Yanks seem to be lacking a little bit of everything in the final third.

Clint Dempsey added some life against Honduras, but poor finishing meant just a single goal. But then things regressed against Ecuador, with little bite or creativity in the attacking end. Is it tactical? Is it just players not executing well enough? Is it simply an indication of our lack of forward depth (paging Herculez Gomez...)? Or could it be that the US need a certain LA Galaxy star to run most effectively? In reality, the answer isn't limited to just one of those things.

But the Yanks can quiet some grumbling and renew the faith with an offensive performance much more stirring than anything we've seen since the final 30 minutes against Mexico in August. Klinsmann was brought in to bring attacking soccer, right? Let's see it. The Yanks don't necessarily have to produce a ton of goals, but let's see a marked improvement.

A big factor will be the play of the forwards, naturally. Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey got a good run together during the last break, so perhaps they'll have improved chemistry in their third go-around. They'll need quality service, though, meaning strong flank play from Timmy Chandler, Brek Shea, Steve Cherundolo, and whoever lines up wide right.

France will be missing Patrice Evra and Eric Abidal, so their back line may be a little more vulnerable than normal. We'll see if the Yanks can take advantage.

Absorb Pressure or Go at Them?

We've all heard the old cliche before: the best defense is a good offense. One might theorize that heavy pressure down the wings from Brek Shea and Timmy Chandler would help pin back one side of the French attack, for instance. Will Klinsmann try to stay on the front foot and thus help his defense, playing a higher back line and pressuring high up the field with the forwards? Or will he play things more conservatively and keep Chandler and Cherundolo a little closer to home, knowing full well how dangerous France can be going forward?

If the Yanks do opt for a bend-don't-break strategy, the above discussion of the defensive midfielder and center backs will be all the more relevant. Is there a right way to approach this? For Klinsmann, it may simply be a matter of philosophy, with the desire to go forward trumping a more reserved approach.

But sometimes the opponent dictates the execution of tactics. As Mike Tyson once said, "Everyone has a plan 'til they get punched in the mouth."

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To wrap up, my previous point about improvement in the final third can be expanded into a broader statement: in general, US fans will want to see improvement, and a fairly substantial one at that, in all facets. It's understood that friendly results are not hugely important (though one must not forget that FIFA rankings do come into play from time to time for tournament seeding); people simply want to see that the US is moving in the right direction as World Cup qualification draws near.

To date, that has not happened. And it's a bit disconcerting for many (using social media as a rough judge of popular sentiment). But a strong outing against France followed by a good showing against Slovenia would go a long way towards quelling some of those fears as we head into 2012.

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The match kicks off at 3 PM ET and will be shown on ESPN2, ESPN3.com, and Univision.

Dates, Venues Set for CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying

2011-11-10T12:38:00.001-05:00

The dates and locations for next spring's CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers were announced this afternoon.

The eight-team tournament will be broken up into two groups of four. One group will play matches on March 22, 24, and 26 at LP Field in Nashville. The other group will play its games on March 23, 25, and 27 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. The top two teams from each group will then move on to the semifinals, which will be held at Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City on March 31. The final, also to be played in Kansas City, will then be held on April 2.

The two finalists will qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Currently, six teams have secured their spot in the field: the US, Mexico, Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Panama. The final two teams will come out of the final Caribbean qualifying group, which consists of Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Cuba. Those matches will be played at the end of this month.

Akron University head coach Caleb Porter will lead the US U-23 national team as they look to earn an Olympic bid for the seventh time in the last eight tournaments.

The Donovan Effect

2011-11-10T11:53:00.000-05:00

Over the past year or so, one might get the impression that the USMNT has been transitioning away from its reliance on Landon Donovan as an engine of the attack.

In the previous cycle, the differences with and without Donovan in the lineup were glaring; you need not look further than the November friendlies against Slovakia and Denmark in 2009 as an example of that, as the US absolutely sputtered without their talisman helping dictate the tempo and direction of the attack. But the months following the World Cup seemed to indicate that things were moving away from that dependence. It's not that Donovan was no longer important (on the contrary, he's still a vital part of the team), but rather that the team's success did not seem so reliant on his play.

Consider the following example. In the Gold Cup quarterfinals, Bob Bradley opted to leave Donovan, now 29 and then in the midst of a middling run of form, on the bench to start. Not long before that, the idea of leaving Landon Donovan, the most decorated American international of all-time, on the bench in an elimination game would have been thought of as ludicrous. Yet Bradley's decision was only met with an initial level of surprise in that it actually happened, not so much because fans and pundits alike thought such a move would be to the detriment of the squad.

And what happened? A stellar 2-0 win in which the US dominated play and generated numerous quality scoring opportunities despite Donovan only playing the final 24 minutes. Was that a sign that the Yanks were finally ready to move on in the sense of having a unit capable of succeeding- not just function- without Donovan in the lineup or with him as simply peripheral support rather than the lone pillar?

Those conversations happened, and the recent performances of Clint Dempsey with club and country have more than a few people believing that this is now Deuce's team, not Donovan's. But having had to sit through a couple of painfully drab performances over the past couple of months, I can't help but think back and wonder: is the USMNT still largely reliant on Donovan to drive the attack?

Against Belgium and Ecuador, the Yanks struggled to produce much of anything in the final third. Against Honduras, they managed to find the back of the net and create some opportunities, though offensively they seem to have underachieved nonetheless against a less-than-full strength opponent. The two matches that Donovan has played under Klinsmann? After some tactical adjustments, the Yanks put together a stellar second half against Mexico, generating a number of quality opportunities with Donovan pushing in the midfield. They then turned in a disappointing performance against Costa Rica, albeit one in which there were still many more scoring opportunities created than we've seen in some subsequent matches.

Look back to the Gold Cup, even. Sure, the Yanks were fantastic against Jamaica, as Bob Bradley put together one of the best tactical plans of his tenure. But was that just an exception to the norm? Consider the match that followed, in which Donovan once again started on the bench: it wasn't until he entered the match that the US was finally able to break down the Panamanian defense. And against Mexico, they were dangerous early on and managed to create quality chances throughout the match with Donovan back in the starting XI.

My question is this: could the Yanks' recent struggles have absolutely nothing to do with any shortcomings of Klinsmann or the players he has selected, or a lack of execution, but rather everything to do with the absence of Landon Donovan? Might Klinsmann have recently called up Donovan, knowing full well that MLS Cup would likely present a conflict, out of a tiny bit of desperation after the slow start to his tenure, understanding that Donovan makes the team tick, particularly against high quality opponents?

The other possible question: is it really Donovan, or is it the Donovan/Dempsey combination that drives things, a subtle but significant deviation from the days of Donovan-dependence? After all, those aforementioned successes v. Panama and Mexico in the Gold Cup were with both on the field, linking up going to goal.

There's no real way to answer those questions without some measure of subjectivity. As much as data analysis would provide some kind of message, it would be hard to attach much value to it given the small sample size caused by the sparse international calendar and the impact of multiple variables and their interactions on the team's success.

But all of this is certainly something to consider going into the international break. If the Yanks flounder in Paris and Ljubljana, will it be because of poor tactics or execution? Or will it be because the USMNT still isn't quite weaned off of its Donovan dependence, and that his absence is the largest factor in the team's underwhelming performance over the past couple of months?

2011 genuinely seemed like a new chapter in US Soccer, with Dempsey and others rising to take some of the burden from Donovan's shoulders. But it's hard not to wonder if the Yanks are still, in a way, that same team that went to Aarhus and Bratislava back in 2009 and stumbled without the Galaxy star.

Jurgen Klinsmann may believe that, and his call-up of Donovan despite the MLS Cup playoffs may serve as indication of that belief.

If the Yanks, sans Donovan, fail to produce much of anything during this next international break, more than a few people will be believing the same thing. If they are finally able to break through, though, it may help confirm that a change in the tides is indeed taking place.

But, having observed this team closely for years now, I'll have to see that to believe it.

Weekend Rewind: Jozy's Goal, Gooch's Groin, Bradley's Win, & More

2011-11-07T13:13:00.001-05:00

Another weekend of footy in the books, another USSD weekend rewind. Here's a recap of the big news items from the last couple of days:

Altidore Scores Again

In league play yesterday, Jozy Altidore scored his first goal since a September 29th tally v. Metalist Kharkiv in the Europa League. The goal, AZ's third in a 3-0 win over ADO Den Haag, is Jozy's 8th on the season in all competitions, putting him just one short of his career high for output (he scored 9 goals for New York in 2007). Considering it's still just November, it's a safe bet that he'll blow past that mark in the months to come.

Check out the goal below, which comes as the result of some gorgeous off the ball movement from Jozy. After making a quick pass, he broke towards goal, showing good composure on the end of the combination as he rounded the keeper and finished:

The goal also happened to come on Jozy's 22nd birthday, as AZ maintained a six point advantage atop the Eredivisie table.

Apertura Ends; No Liguilla for Beasley, Gomez

The initial round of the Mexican Apertura ended over the weekend, as the eight-team playoffs took shape. DaMarcus Beasley and Puebla needed a miracle to advance, but it didn't come, with a 1-0 loss to Tigres sealing their fate.

Herculez Gomez and Tecos, meanwhile, knew going into the final weekend that they had no shot at advancing. Ultimately, they fell to Queretaro, with Gomez starting and playing 63 minutes.

Despite the lack of team success, both Beasley and Gomez had positive campaigns individually. Gomez ended the Apertura as Tecos' leading scorer, with seven goals, while Beasley revived his career thanks to a smooth transition and strong play south of the border.

A neat stat worth noting (and one that reflects his fine form since moving to Mexico): Herculez Gomez has finished as the leading or joint-leading scorer for his team in three of the four torneos that he has played (2010 Clausura with Puebla, 2011 Clausura with Pachuca, 2011 Apertura with Tecos). Not too shabby, especially considering a lot of his appearances have come as a substitute.

MLS Cup Playoffs; No Donovan v. Slovenia

In a fantastic match last night, the LA Galaxy beat Real Salt Lake 3-1 to advance to the MLS Cup Final. The result means that Landon Donovan will return to the Galaxy following the France friendly to prepare for the final.

What does that mean, in turn? Well, just another game in which we won't get to see Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey on the field together, something that has yet to happen during the Klinsmann era. Barring any freak setback or tactical decision, we should at least get to see that tandem take the field against France. USSD will have something later in the week on what I'm calling the "Donovan effect"; stay tuned for that.

On a related note, the result means that Kyle Beckerman will be available for both friendlies. RSL's loss and Sporting Kansas City's defeat at the hands of Houston also means that there will be two more guys headed to the U-23 camp in Germany, as Caleb Porter added Luis Gil and Teal Bunbury to the mix.

Gooch's Groin?

Oguchi Onyewu, who was included in Jurgen Klinsmann's 22-man roster for the upcoming friendlies, was not in the match day squad for Sporting Lisbon this past weekend, with reports indicating that he was dealing with some groin issues. This is something to keep an eye on during the international break, as it very well could limit Onyewu's availability if the problem flairs up again.

Bradley, Chievo Snap Winless Skid

Michael Bradley played the full 90 for Chievo Verona, as they knocked off Fiorentina at home by the score of 1-0. The win (and the lead, for that matter) was Chievo's first since September 25th, snapping a five match drought.

The result pushes the Flying Donkeys, who have scored just 8 goals in 10 games, four points clear of the relegation zone.

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USMNT Roster Breakdown: France, Slovenia Friendlies

2011-11-04T19:09:00.007-04:00

Well, the dust has settled some after Jurgen Klinsmann's latest roster came out yesterday, filled with what is becoming the usual number of head-scratching selections and snubs. Time to kick it all back up with my breakdown of the 22-man group.

"Alright, a USSD roster breakdown!"

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Bill Hamid

At least we can say this about the Klinsmann era: his goalkeeping selections have been spot on. (That's something, right?) Bill Hamid will be joining the squad after a short training stint with West Brom, a good offseason experience for the young keeper who is still in search of his first cap.

Defenders: Clarence Goodson, Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, Alfredo Morales, Timmy Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Michael Orozco Fiscal

Here's where things get a little more dicey. Once again, Michael Orozco Fiscal gets called into camp despite showing on several occasions that he is not an adequate defender at the international level. As some have said on Twitter, Klinsmann's repeated selection of Orozco Fiscal raises serious doubts about his abilities to judge talent. It also begs the question, once more: if Orozco Fiscal is the guy that best possesses the skill set for Klinsmann's desired system, isn't that a huge red flag that he's trying to smash a square peg through a round hole? Other players (which I'll get to below) deserve a call-up much more than Orozco Fiscal, who has done little to merit this kind of support.

We'll discuss that later; for now, back to the rest of the group. The only other surprise in the bunch is Alfredo Morales, a 21 year old who plays with Hertha Berlin and has been heavily linked to the Peruvian national team of late (Morales is eligible for Peru, Germany, and the US). It seems Klinsmann has brought him in an effort to keep him from choosing another team, a wise move considering Morales was likely very close to heading elsewhere soon. We'll see what he is capable of; while hopes are high, his actual first team minutes have been scarce, so it's hard to say where he stands right now.

Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman, Clint Dempsey, Maurice Edu, Jermaine Jones, Fabian Johnson, Danny Williams, Brek Shea, Robbie Rogers, Michael Bradley

Beckerman is a guy that Klinsmann likes, so he gets the nod once more despite a middling pair of matches in October. It's good to see Jermaine Jones back into the mix, having worked his way back into the Schalke starting XI in recent weeks. He's joined by Fabian Johnson, giving Klinsmann a pair of solid players to get his first look at during camp (you know, for that whole pool evaluation thing that hasn't quite been taken advantage of to the fullest; more on that later). It comes as no surprise that Bradley, Edu, and Dempsey are included, but it was quite shocking to see Robbie Rogers' name. Quite simply, Rogers has done little to convince anyone that he is an international caliber player. Yet he finds his way back into the squad over others. Baffling. Once again, this is making many fans (and some pundits, though many are diplomatically avoiding the matter) question the ability of Klinsmann and his staff to judge talent.

Forwards: Jozy Altidore, Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, Edson Buddle

The players in this group are not what is being discussed. All of them merit a call-up; Beasley has arguably been Puebla's MVP as they push for a playoff spot, while Edson Buddle has been on form with Ingolstadt. Jozy is earning regular minutes and Landon Donovan is Landon Donovan, although his selection is somewhat surprising given his recent injury layoff and the possibility of him being involved in the MLS Cup Final. (Some have speculated that part of the agreement between the US and France was that the US would bring a strong roster; i.e. include Donovan. Perhaps.) But Donovan showed that he's healthy last night and will be able to contribute.

The real issue, though, is the names (well, particularly one name) that are not included. Which brings us to...

The Snubs: Herculez Gomez, Omar Gonzalez, George John, Sacha Kljestan

What the heck does Herculez Gomez have to do to get a spot in USMNT camp? He's been scoring goals regularly at the club level (both in his final months with Pachuca and now with Tecos), something that few US strikers can say. It's really hard to rationalize his repeated exclusion from the squad, particularly when we're at a juncture in the cycle that should be used to examine viable alternatives. Robbie Rogers is a surplus wing midfielder that should not come close to seeing the field. Why is he involved, but Gomez is not, with just two true forwards on the roster instead? Once again: Baffling.

In the back, meanwhile, two quality MLS center backs were head-scratchingly passed over in favor of Michael Orozco Fiscal, in George John and Omar Gonzalez. And it's not as if Klinsmann can point to the MLS playoffs as his reason for excluding Gonzalez, as he had no qualms about selecting Donovan and Beckerman as well. Gonzalez is a favorite for MLS Defender of the Year. What the hell am I missing here? Once again, Klinsmann's (and his staff's) ability to judge talent is brought into question.

In the midfield, Sacha Kljestan is also a notable omission. He's been playing well with Anderlecht and would be much more deserving of a call-up than Robbie Rogers, although to be fair the midfield is crowded as is (which makes me wonder once more: why only call in two true forwards?).

Hopefully we'll see John, Gonzalez, and Gomez get their first look under Klinsmann sooner rather than later.

The "What?!?!" Picks: Michael Orozco Fiscal, Robbie Rogers

As I've said above, these two have gotten multiple opportunities, but it's quite difficult to say that they are deserved. Neither has proven themselves to be adequate, let alone effective, at this level, yet they have taken up a spot in camp on several occasions, leaving other much more deserving candidates out in the cold.

If these two are in the picture heading into World Cup qualification, it will be troubling to say the least. Maybe they'll prove me wrong, but at this point that doesn't seem too likely.

The Sidenotes: Klinsmann has said that any player whose team reaches the MLS Cup final (which will be either Beckerman or Donovan) will be allowed to return to their club following the France friendly.

I found it a little odd to pull players from clubs with the potential to reach the final (assuming bringing Donovan wasn't some sort of contract stipulation from the FFF). But Jason Kreis said last night on The Best Soccer Show (check it out; from the guys who used to bring you the American Soccer Show, Jason Davis of Match Fit USA and Jared DuBois) that communication with the USSF has improved during the Klinsmann era, which seems to indicate that he's okay with Beckerman being picked. I find the statement itself quite interesting on several levels, particularly with regards to what it says about the Bob Bradley era. But that conversation is for another time.

It's also worth noting that some of the younger guys that were not selected, namely Teal Bunbury and Juan Agudelo, are joining Caleb Porter's U-23 camp in Germany (though Bunbury may not be available if Sporting KC continue on in the playoffs), which will certainly be a good experience as they look to position themselves for a spot on the 2012 Olympic roster. They are joined by a trio of Philadelphia Union players: Jack McInerney, Amobi Okugo, and USSD fave Sheanon Williams.

Some more positive news: Brek Shea will head to train with Arsenal for a month after the international break. That's another exciting step for the 21 year old FC Dallas winger, who continues to impress with club and country.

But back to roster talk...

The Verdict: It's hard not to look back at the second half of 2011 as a series of wasted opportunities. This should have been a time in which Jurgen Klinsmann familiarized himself with as many of the quality options in his pool as possible so as to build a better picture of the squad moving towards 2012 and beyond. Instead, guys like Gomez, Gonzalez, John, and several others that have featured in the past or have made strong positive impacts with their respective clubs have been overlooked time and time again, while the Orozco Fiscals of the world are brought in. Klinsmann's repeated claims that his rosters represent the best players and top challengers are disconcerting. Either his desired system supersedes meritocracy, or he genuinely believes this to be a meritocracy at this point, neither of which are comforting.

I will say this, though; I'm glad to see Jones and Johnson brought in. And in the end, we mustn't overlook the fact that there is still a strong starting XI and subs that can be put forward from this group. The last couple of spots on the roster are ultimately the talking points (and not without good reason, as giving someone a foot in the door like Herc could reveal a player that is actually a capable starter, for instance), but the top 17 or so guys are picks that few people will be arguing against.

I know, that sounds like a rather abrupt turn from the tone of much of this post, but at the end of the day this is still a learning process for Klinsmann and his staff, who hopefully (fingers crossed) will learn from any missteps going forward. In the end, what happens on the field will trump all.

While these results are not hugely important, a pair of losses or even two non-wins would continue to sow the seeds of discontent within the American fan base. And it's also hard not to wonder at what point some players would begin to question the system if the sputtering outings continue.

Ultimately, the bottom line is that this roster is the culmination of three months in which stones were left unturned during what should have been a fairly comprehensive evaluation process, while words out of Klinsmann's camp seem to indicate a bizarre belief in several underachievers. All of this, coupled with ugly performances on the field, isn't the most settling way to head into 2012, when there will be just one official match day prior to World Cup qualification with which to experiment some more.

As I said, though, winning heals all. Victories against France and Slovenia would quell many grumblings and renew faith heading into the new year despite the apparent blemishes thus far.

We'll see if Klinsmann is able to achieve just that.

USMNT Roster for France, Slovenia Friendlies Released

2011-11-03T14:01:00.000-04:00

The roster for the upcoming friendlies was announced today. Check it out:

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Bill Hamid

Defenders: Tim Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Clarence Goodson, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Alfredo Morales, Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu

Midfielders: Fabian Johnson, Jermaine Jones, Robbie Rogers, Kyle Beckerman, Maurice Edu, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Brek Shea, Danny Williams

Forwards: Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, Jozy Altidore, Edson Buddle

As always, some really interesting selections, for better or for worse. I will post full thoughts on all of this tonight or tomorrow. I need a little bit of time to digest it all first.

2012 Africa Cup of Nations Draw Held

2011-11-01T11:57:00.003-04:00

With qualification for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations all wrapped up, the group stage draw was held over the weekend to determine the layout of the 16-team field.

Here's how things shook out in Malabo:

Group A:

Equatorial Guinea
Libya
Senegal
Zambia

Group B:

Cote d'Ivoire
Sudan
Angola
Burkina Faso

Group C:

Gabon
Niger
Morocco
Tunisia

Group D:

Ghana
Botswana
Mali
Guinea

Some quick thoughts on the draw:

Equatorial Guinea fans likely won't get to see the home team past the group stage; odds are they will finish at the foot of Group A, with Libya, Zambia, and Senegal battling it out for two spots in the quarterfinals. Senegal were impressive in qualification, going undefeated and knocking out Cameroon along the way, so they are more than capable of making some serious noise early on.

Cote d'Ivoire are the class of Group B and will be favorites to win the whole thing.

Group C, meanwhile, is a tighter cluster of teams without much between them. Co-hosts Gabon will have the crowd behind them, with all of the group's matches taking place in Libreville and Franceville. Debutantes Niger put together a very respectable qualifying campaign, navigating a group that included Egypt, South Africa, and Sierra Leone. But they did so without a single positive result away from home. We'll see if they're able to overcome that with two of there three matches on neutral turf.

Group D is the toughest of the four, in my opinion, with Ghana (another tournament favorite) joined by Guinea, who knocked off Nigeria for a spot in the field. First timers Botswana, meanwhile, are putting forth arguably their strongest side ever after finishing on top of a qualifying group that included Tunisia, Togo, and Malawi. Something to note is that none of the Zebras' qualifying matches were decided by more than a single goal; they'll be hoping that that run of success in close games carries on into January.

--

For the heck of it, my predictions for the eight quarterfinalists:

Group A: Senegal, Libya

Group B: Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso

Group C: Gabon, Morocco

Group D: Ghana, Guinea

--

The tournament will kick off on January 21st in Bata, Equatorial Guinea with a match between Libya and Equatorial Guinea. The final will take place on February 12th, in Libreville, Gabon. Stay tuned for more coverage as the tournament draws near.

Weekend Rewind: Silverware, Win at Azteca, Goals, Assists, & More

2011-10-31T15:42:00.003-04:00

Here's your weekend review of big news items regarding USMNTers:

Gatt, Molde Clinch League Title

It's not everyday that a Yank wins silverware, but that was the case yesterday in Norway. For the first time in the club's 100 year history, Molde FK are league champions, clinching the top spot thanks to a Rosenborg loss. The title also earns Molde a spot in the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round, the club's first appearance since 1999-2000.

Josh Gatt was not in the match day squad once again, still hampered by a hamstring injury, but he'll celebrate the title all the same, having contributed consistently throughout the course of the season. The 20 year old Michigan native has made big strides in his first full season as a pro and is capping it off with a league title, something that many players go their entire careers without achieving.

It will be interesting to see what the winter brings for Gatt once he's healthy. I expect that we'll see him with the USMNT in January. Assuming he's still with Molde next summer, Gatt should also get the chance to impress in European competition as well, with his first taste of Champions League play.

Beasley, Puebla Win at Azteca

Another "not everyday" news item came from south of the border, as a Yank was victorious at Estadio Azteca. DaMarcus Beasley played the full 90 minutes for Puebla, as they came away with a big 3-2 win over Club America.

The result pushes Puebla to 9th place in the Apertura table, just one point out of a spot in the eight team liguilla (playoffs) with one round of matches remaining. They'll take on Tigres at home on Sunday with hopes of advancing.

Dempsey Scores Game-Winner

Clint Dempsey scored the opening goal in Fulham's 2-0 win at Wigan, making a charging run forward to get on the end of a square ball from Bobby Zamora:

The goal is Dempsey's third of the Premier League season and fifth in all competitions.

Kljestan Scores in Anderlecht Rout

Sacha Kljestan got in on the action as well, scoring the third goal in a 4-0 win for Anderlecht and setting up the second with a gorgeous through-ball:

Les Mauves currently sit three points clear at the top of the Belgian table with a game in hand.

Onyewu Returns to Starting XI

After a minor injury kept him out of the last couple of matches, Oguchi Onyewu returned to the starting lineup for Sporting Lisbon. Gooch played all 90 minutes and helped Sporting keep a clean sheet en route to a 2-0 road win over Feirense. The result pushes them into third in the Portuguese table, three points behind league leaders Porto.

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Union-Dynamo: 3 Things to Watch

2011-10-30T15:36:00.000-04:00

A quick post to end the brief hiatus focused on this afternoon's playoff match between the Philadelphia Union and the Houston Dynamo. Here are three USMNT-centric things I'll be watching for at PPL Park:

1. Davis v. Williams:

For much of the year, Sheanon Williams has flown under the radar. But that hasn't stopped the 21 year old from turning in strong performance after strong performance in his first full season in MLS. I've consistently said that his play merits a call into USMNT camp in the near future, and I think an MLS Best XI selection could be on the horizon as well.

He's been one of the key cogs of a re-tooled and much more effective Union defense, but he'll have a handful today when he matches up with Brad Davis on the flank. Davis has put together an MVP campaign, wracking up the assists with stellar service. If Houston are to have success on the road, they'll likely need Davis to drive the attack, so expect plenty of passes into his feet on the win.

The last time these two teams played, Williams handled Davis pretty well with some help from Michael Farfan in the midfield. I wouldn't be surprised to see Davis switched to the right from time to time to get away from Williams and into a much more favorable match-up against Gabriel Farfan.

I expect both of these players to get called into USMNT camp in January (perhaps even sooner, who knows), but tonight they'll both be key figures in setting the tone of this aggregate tie.

2. Geoff Cameron:

Jurgen Klinsmann has been looking for a center back with the right mix of physicality, aerial ability, and ball skills. To date, he hasn't really been successful in unearthing a competent possession-oriented center back, while Oguchi Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra have stepped up to claim starting roles.

But might he find that desired center back option (and more depth) in Cameron, whose move from the midfield to the back has helped Houston put together a strong stretch run? I don't know if Cameron has enough to overtake a healthy, in-form Onyewu, but as we've learned over the past couple of years, the top options aren't always healthy and/or in form, so it never hurts to find quality depth (or a potential heir apparent). (With that in mind, though, the center back in the playoffs that will draw most of my attention is Omar Gonzalez, who in my opinion is long overdue for a call into camp.)

Against Philadelphia, Cameron will be tested, with Sebastian Le Toux riding a fine run of form over the past couple of months.

3. Farfan, Farfan, and Adu:

The young American trio will be key to the Union's success. The Farfan twins have turned in solid debut seasons, but most USMNT fans will want to see what Freddy Adu is capable of. Adu hasn't been particularly remarkable in his stint with Philly thus far, with some big plays but some middling outings as well. I expect we'll see Freddy as an attacking sub in the second half, at which point he can make a big difference running at tired defenders.

Adu has been playing a little too pensively of late, in my opinion, looking for that perfect pass or dribbling opportunity. If he's able to play a little more simply and quickly on the ball, he'll be much more effective, as he was during the last two matches of the Gold Cup. This would also open up the opportunities for him later on to take on a defender or go for that cutting ball with confidence.

We'll see if and how he's deployed, and if he's able to leave a positive mark on the match.

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I'm heading out to PPL Park in just a few minutes. Tune into the match at 5 PM ET on ESPN2. Enjoy, everybody.

Meet a Minnow: American Samoa, the Land of 31-0

2011-10-25T14:13:00.002-04:00

Over the past couple of months, international footy nerds in the US have been treated to fun story of the sort-of-USMNT that has been making waves in World Cup qualifying. Of course, I'm talking about none other than the might US Virgin Islands, whose early success over their rivals was one of the great early stories on the road to Brazil 2014.

While they don't get nearly the same amount of coverage in the grand scheme of things, minnows across the globe have interesting stories to tell, characters to meet, and often crazy stats to discuss. So I figured why not give some attention to the little guys here, with a (hopefully) regular series called "Meet a Minnow." Hopefully you enjoy this deviation from the usual heavyweight focus and learn a thing or two about the lesser known teams of the world.

We'll kick it off with another sort-of-USMNT: American Samoa. I have several other teams in the pipeline, but if there are any you'd like me to feature, feel free to reach out via the comments section, Twitter, or email.

Off we go...

Team: American Samoa
Confederation: OFC
Joined FIFA: 1998
Current FIFA Rank: 203 (tied for last)

Big Picture: American football reigns supreme in American Samoa, with many of the territory's best athletes moving on to college football and the NFL. There hasn't quite been that same success with soccer.

In their 28 matches since joining FIFA in 1998, American Samoa have compiled a record of 0-0-28 (I don't think I need to elaborate, but that's W-D-L). In that time, they have grown accustomed to being on the wrong end of a blowout. they have conceded an average of 8.3 goals per game, scoring just 0.3 goals per game. They have been shut out 75% of the time and have allowed double digit goals on eight different occasions (more on this below).

Only three times has American Samoa gone into the locker room at halftime without trailing; they have never held a halftime lead.

Having gone goalless at this summer's Pacific Games, it has now been over four years (?!) since American Samoa has scored a single goal (with that lone tally coming in the second half of a 12-1 loss to the Solomon Islands). They haven't scored more than one goal in a game since way back in 2002, when they lost 7-2 to Tonga.

They have come close to pulling off a result, though. One-goal losses to the Cook Islands (4-3, 1998) and Tonga (2-1, 2000) were the closest they have come to draw, while they played Guam tough this past summer before eventually falling 2-0.

All of American Samoa's matches have been in regional tournaments or tournament qualifiers; they have never played a friendly. In fact, American Samoa has never even played a match on home soil, with their World Cup qualifiers held in Samoa or elsewhere.

What about the composition of this not-quite-titan of international football? A large number of the players have come from teams in American Samoa, but there has also been a smattering that ply their trade in the lower (read: much lower) divisions of Europe, South America, and Oceania. There have also been a few players from the American college system.

Needless to say, it's slim pickings for this territory of about 56,000 people. But, like many other teams around the globe, they still take the field with pride all the same, looking for that brief moment of international glory, however small it may be.

Notable Moment: No matter how small they are and how unimpressive their record is, American Samoa is known all throughout in the international football community. Sure, it's for all the wrong reasons, but it's notoriety nonetheless!

The source of that infamy is a 2001 World Cup qualifier against Australia in which American Samoa lost by a whopping 31-0. That's no typo. 31 goals. Current Melbourne Victory striker Archie Thompson alone scored 13 times (an international record) in that match. This blowout led to some changes in OFC's 2006 World Cup qualifying process, namely a preliminary round to weed out weaker teams early on. This blowout also helped contribute to Australia's ultimate decision to leave the OFC for the AFC, another stark indicator of the gulf between the OFC's top two sides (New Zealand being the other) and everyone else.

Check out the highlights:

Famous Faces: Nicky Salapu is the most capped player in American Samoa national team history. His 13 caps (a number that is difficult to confirm, indicative of the obscurity of all this) are a far cry from the triple-digit totals that we see in other nations across the globe, but they give him the top spot nonetheless.

Salapu is best known around the world, however, for being the guy that was on the wrong end of that aforementioned Australia beat-down. That's right: the Pago Pago-born goalkeeper conceded 31 times in one game. Talk about taking your licks.

American Samoa now has another famous face in the mix, though- former MLS and US U-20 head coach Thomas Rongen, who has taken over as the head coach of American Samoa ahead of their World Cup/OFC Nations Cup qualifiers in November. This will be Rongen's first gig as the head coach of a senior national team, and he'll certainly have his work cut out for him.

At least there's nowhere to go but up.

The Future: American Samoa, with Rongen at the helm, are now looking ahead to the end of November, when they'll take part in the preliminary round of the 2012 OFC Nations Cup.

For those not familiar, the tournament will also double as part of the World Cup qualification process, with the four semifinalists qualifying for the OFC World Cup qualifying final group stage, a separate competition to be held from September 2012 to early 2013.

American Samoa will play in the four team preliminary round with Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands, a single round-robin in Samoa with the first place finisher earning the eighth and final spot in the OFC Nations Cup field. Should they advance, they would play in a group with Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tahiti for a spot in the semis.

So a lot is riding on these matches, which will played on November 22nd, 24th, and 26th, though expectations will be realistically low.

Rongen's squad will be long shots to advance, but a successful preliminary campaign and a spot in the 2012 OFC Nations Cup would certainly be the greatest success in the island's soccer history. Maybe they'll be able to follow in the footsteps of another sort-of-USMNT (the USVI) and secure a monumental result or two next month.

Or at least their first ever draw.

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Review: "Rise and Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story"

2011-10-21T17:29:00.002-04:00

From living in a friend's attic and making £40 a week to defending the likes of Fernando Torres and Wayne Rooney, Jay DeMerit's story is one that has been told many times in the American soccer community over the past couple of years. Fans and pundits alike have spoken glowingly of his rise from anonymity to the bright lights of professional soccer. But that tale was never told quite like it has been by Nick Lewis and Ranko Tutulugdzija, the two guiding forces behind "Rise and Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story."

The documentary, which in and of itself is a remarkable story not unlike Jay's (something we'll get to later on), takes us on the up and down path from Green Bay, Wisconsin all the way to last summer's World Cup in South Africa, with all of the highs and unglamorous lows in between. Supplemented by game footage and photos, the narrative gives fans a deeper look into each step of DeMerit's rise at the club level, a crescendo that culminates with a climactic Man of the Match performance in the final of the Championship promotion playoffs and the subsequent Premier League season.

Even the most knowledgeable USMNT fan will find themselves learning more about DeMerit as a player and person thanks to interviews with family, friends, fans, coaches, and teammates, a comprehensive collection that provides unique perspectives and more depth to an already rich story. Non-soccer fans, meanwhile, will be captivated all the same by an inspirational journey of determination, friendship, perseverance, and dream-chasing.

"Rise and Shine" reminds us that the path to glory isn't always conventional, whether you are a player looking to reach the USMNT or just someone going after a personal goal. And not just in the story itself, either, but also in the story behind the story. With a small production team, modest budget, crowd-sourced funding, and a big dream, Nick, Ranko, and their staff have managed to produce a work that has been picked up by theaters all across the country, taking an unorthodox route to a quite remarkable achievement.

Whether thinking about that unlikely path to nationwide distribution or the unlikely story of DeMerit himself, viewers everywhere will surely be inspired to chase a dream of their own by the end of the film.

I highly suggest "Rise and Shine" to everyone, and I encourage you to help spread the word about it, as word-of-mouth marketing and grassroots support have been huge in helping this hopeful project become a reality.

If you'd like to learn more about the film or would like to find a screening near you, check out JayDeMeritStory.com for more information.

Fox Win US Broadcast Rights to '18, '22 World Cup Finals

2011-10-21T12:49:00.003-04:00

A bombshell of an announcement came out of Switzerland this morning: Fox has beat out ESPN and NBC for the US English-language broadcasting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals.

The decision comes a day after the three heavy hitters were asked to resubmit bids by FIFA, presumably because they weren't up to snuff.

The outcome means that ESPN's run of World Cup rights will end after the 2014 tournament in Brazil. The Worldwide Leader in Sports was absolutely stellar in South Africa, providing pristine coverage across multiple platforms and the appropriate level of surrounding marketing and studio shows to supplement their coverage. To say it was a home run wouldn't do it justice. It was a home run of Ruthian proportions.

But that will be no more come 2018, when Fox will take over. This victory for Fox comes a little over two years after they also beat out ESPN for Champions League rights. That deal was in large part due to ESPN's desire not to overpay for a property that had less than ideal broadcast slots (weekday afternoons, primarily), and thus was understandable from a business perspective. But ESPN clearly sees the World Cup as an extraordinarily valuable property, pouring in a great deal of investment to deliver a fantastic final product. So what happened? Did they try to get it on the cheap and it backfired? This statement from ESPN seems to indicate that that wasn't the case, but that the ultimate asking price was a little too rich for their tastes.

How can that be? After all, ESPN has a ton of money at its disposal and has been using it in recent years to launch some pretty big projects. I highly doubt they did all that without the foresight to keep some money set aside for a proper World Cup bid, so the answer would seem to be that Fox turned in a stratospheric bid that essentially over-paid by a significant amount for the rights. ESPN, while committed to getting the best properties, is still a business, and so they might not have been able to justify an exorbitant expense above the anticipated market rate despite the high-profile nature of the event.

But where does that leave us? Is this good or bad?

ESPN's coverage in the past has been spectacular. Fox's? Eh...not so much. There has been a noticeable drop-off in broadcast quality of Champions League matches, and there remains a sizable gulf in the quality of USMNT and MLS broadcasts between the two channels. Fox's online media player is also suspect in comparison to ESPN3.com, which is provided free of charge (something Fox cannot say). There's also the simple matter of exposure; ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC are three of the biggest channels around. What will Fox's answer to that trifecta be? Fox, FX, and Fox Soccer? Once again, that's a step down, particularly with the latter.

And that brings me to the next point: is Fox using this as a manner in which to increase the number of subscribers to Fox Soccer, a channel that many viewers in the US currently do not have? Were they overbidding in hopes that added subscriptions (plus the advertising income) would offset the costs? From a non-business perspective, I have always enjoyed the accessibility of the World Cup, which helps bring in more and more casual viewers. Throwing games up on Fox Soccer and expecting folks to buy in has the potential to leave more than a few people in the dark.

In the end, Fox has seven years to seriously step its game up with regards to soccer broadcasting. The World Cup is an event that deserves the best and appropriate investment (which I hope Fox can make; it does no good if they overpay for the rights but don't have the follow-up cash to actually put on a good show from top to bottom).

Ultimately, this whole situation sort of reminds me of the 2022 World Cup bidding process, with Qatar surprising the US to nip the final prize. To be honest, I'm actually more surprised with this. But in either case, I think serious doubts (justifiably) remain as to whether or not these hosts can actually pull off such an enormous role.

Does this mean anything for US Soccer? Specifically, will this loss lead ESPN to back off of its recently augmented attention to soccer as whole? It's hard to say. The higher-ups at ESPN like the game (contrary to popular belief), but in the end, they'll look to do what helps their bottom line. The English Premier League will likely be something they seek to invest in, as will the European Championship. They'll also likely continue to have a sizable footy presence on ESPN3.com, with coverage of leagues and competitions across the globe.

But what about MLS? Could MLS be the one that draws the short straw in all of this, getting relegated to the backseat (or worse?) once more after a recent boost in the quality of coverage? Once again, a lot will come down to a business decision, and MLS might be viewed as a relatively low cost property with good potential for growth. Thus, ESPN has an incentive to push that coverage if they feel it will help the bottom line down the road. But will that be a strong enough incentive without the World Cup in tow? Obviously, we don't know what conversations are going on in Bristol, but I don't that's an unreasonable fear to have.

This has the potential to be a momentous step back if ESPN scales back its own efforts to promote the domestic game and the sport as a whole. But that's an "if"- we wouldn't see the impact of that until after 2014, most likely, at which point MLS (and ESPN, for that matter) may be in a very different position that helps (or hurts) its cause. It also depends on whether ESPN is able to retain rights to the European Championship (and perhaps get other marquee tournaments like Copa America, the Confederations Cup, or the UEFA Champions League), giving them a major property to build around during a cycle's worth of footy coverage. That could help maintain ESPN's interest in building soccer interest wherever it can, as tournaments like the European Championship can provide a similar (albeit, admittedly, smaller) ratings boon for a month during the summer.

But, again, that's up in the air at this point.

I hate to be so wishy washy, but it's the truth: no matter how much we try to look into the crystal ball, there are so many variables in play and unforeseen changes in the environment. It's really hard to say what will happen, in the end.

But the bottom line is that this has injected a sense of uncertainty that has been absent for a little while. After securing deals with ESPN and NBC for the next couple of years, MLS now seems to be in a much less comfortable spot, with both of those deals expiring in 2014 (which, clearly, will be an even bigger moment now that ESPN's soccer pipeline has changed in a fairly substantial way). Who knows where MLS (and ESPN) will be then? We'll just have to wait and see how it plays out, as the league looks to continue to grow and command more attention from mainstream sports outlets. But uncertainty is never particularly settling, and so it's no surprise that there's some overt hand-wringing over this outcome within the media and the American soccer fan base.

I've enjoyed ESPN's coverage and have never been too enamored with Fox's efforts, but I'll reserve my ultimate judgement for tournament time. But with two very suspect hosts (Russia and Qatar) and some justifiable doubts about the broadcaster (not to mention some about Telemundo, who won the Spanish-language rights over Univision), 2018 and 2022 could very well end up being regression for World Cup coverage.

Only time will tell, though.

USMNT Schedule Tidbits: Now With More Slovenia!

2011-10-18T11:49:00.002-04:00

In a post yesterday in which I mentioned that the USMNT will play France in a November friendly, as well as Guatemala in 2014 World Cup qualifying next year, I also speculated on who the Yanks might play in the second November match day. It turns out, it didn't take long for my questions to be answered.

US Soccer announced today that the USMNT will take on Slovenia in Ljubljana on November 15th in a rematch of the 2010 World Cup group stage classic. The match, which will be the final one of 2011 for the USMNT, will air on ESPN2, ESPN3.com, and Galavision, with the kickoff time still to be determined.

Slovenia just wrapped up an unsuccessful Euro qualifying campaign, finishing two points behind second place Estonia in Group C. They finished on a high note, though, with a win over Serbia that allowed Estonia to move on to the playoff round. They'll provide another solid test for the Yanks, a second-tier opponent that provides a nice balance with the friendly against first-tier France.

This match, for obvious reasons, will evoke a lot of reminiscing from myself and others, so prepare to be deluged with images of Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, and Koman Coulibaly's glazed stare in the weeks leading up to the match. To jump right into it, here is a great look back at that match and all of its stomach-turning moments:

And, for the heck of it, here's a blast from the past from the USSD vault: my reaction to the USA-Slovenia draw (a.k.a. the Koman Couli-folly), entitled "The 5 Stages of USA Grief", posted just an hour or so after the conclusion of the match. Ah, memories...

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Back to this November, though. For all you kit nerds out there, there's this little tidbit: the USMNT-Slovenia friendly may be the last match in which Slovenia wears their green and white kits, with a switch to a white, red, and blue look coming in 2012.

Why did Slovenia- a country whose flag is white, red, and blue- wear green and white in the first place? And why are they switching? You can find those answers in this post from earlier in the year, in which I address those questions and several other international kit oddities.

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There will be the usual preview when this match gets closer, but for now, just enjoy reliving that memorable June day where the paths of these two teams last crossed.

USMNT Schedule Tidbits: France, Guatemala, & More

2011-10-17T18:02:00.001-04:00

It's been quiet around here for the last couple days, but for good reason. Instead of typing about soccer, I was out playing, heading up the east coast for a weekend tournament that kept me away from USSD. Naturally, there was news to discuss as soon as I left, so let's catch up with some of the big USMNT-related items from the weekend:

USMNT v. France, Paris; November 11th

Jurgen Klinsmann and company will face their stiffest test yet during the next international break, as they head to Stade de France for a meeting with Les Bleus. The match was officially announced on Friday after speculation that the friendly would happen so long as France managed to win their Euro qualification group and avoid the November playoff round. A draw over Bosnia and Herzegovina did the trick, and now we've got that rumored match.

A loss or draw against France would mean that the Yanks would finish a calendar year with a losing record for the first time since 1997. [Note: I had previously been saying 1995, but upon further review- with a point in the right direction from the Sporting News' Brian Straus, it seems that I erred amidst all the data, miscounting what was actually a losing record in 1997.] Take that as you'd like; remember, 11 of the Yanks' 17* results this year will come from friendlies, not competitive matches. I just think it's an interesting statistic to note.

(*This assumes a second friendly will be added in November)

The match is set to be broadcast on ESPN2, ESPN3.com, Univision, and Univision.com, with a 3 PM ET kickoff.

Yanks Get Guatemala

As expected, Guatemala has had no trouble in rising to the top of its CONCACAF second round World Cup qualifying group. Thanks to their 3-1 win last week and a 1-1 draw between Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Saturday, los Chapines have clinched first place in the group and a spot in the third round with two matches remaining (both against Grenada, for those curious).

As a result, the USMNT will now have a third round group that includes Jamaica and Guatemala, plus either Haiti or Antigua and Barbuda (more on that below). This means that the Yanks will have to make another trip down to Guatemala City, as well, the last of which gave us this memorable (and ugly) match:

I still cringe every time I see Eddie Lewis get rocked by that flying elbow, and I still get worked up when I see Carlos Ruiz catch Tim Howard with a kick to the head. That was one hell of a game from an emotional perspective, with a roller coaster ride featuring a foolish Steve Cherundolo red, the Lewis incident, Carlos Bocanegra's goal, some big stops from Howard, and plenty of chipiness. If that's any indication, we're in store for another heated match come 2012.

The final team in Group A of the third round of CONCACAF qualification will come down to Haiti or Antigua and Barbuda, as mentioned above, with Curacao and the mighty US Virgin Islands already eliminated. Antigua hold a two point lead (Haiti dropped points at home to Curacao in a surprising result last week) heading into the final pair of matches, which pit the top two sides against one another. I've said multiple times that Antigua are capable of knocking off Haiti, and the help from Curacao makes that an even more real possibility. We'll see if Haiti are able to regroup or if Antigua can secure a couple of historic results to advance even deeper into World Cup qualifying.

Third round matches will begin next June and wrap up in October, with the top two sides advancing to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying.

France Booked; Who's Next?

There are two FIFA match days in November. Right now, the USMNT only has one friendly scheduled. Conventional wisdom would suggest that they will soon announce a second match (which will be played in Europe, per various reports).

That begs the question: who's it going to be?

8 UEFA sides will be unvaialable because of Euro 2012 qualifying playoffs. Per FIFA.com, the only already-qualified teams who do have an opening for a November 15th friendly are Russia, Greece, and Denmark, while third place finishers like Romania, Scotland, and Norway also seem to be available (I say "seem" because FIFA can sometimes miss a thing or two in updating schedules, and I'm not on top of the individual UEFA sides to know if something is missing).

There's also the possibility of playing an African side on neutral turf, with teams like Nigeria Cote d'Ivoire, and Ghana seemingly available. (Sorry, but Bob Bradley's Egypt is not one of the teams free; they'll be in Doha, Qatar on the 14th to take on Brazil.)

Ultimately, I think we'll see two Euro sides, and if I had to guess, I'd say Russia, who originally scheduled a friendly with Poland on the 15th only to have it fall through after they asked for the match to be moved to the 11th. Sound kind of like a team who may have been trying to accommodate another opponent? I guess we'll soon find out.

Whether it ends up being Russia, Greece, Denmark, or someone else, it seems that the USMNT will have two more good tests in November as they try to put all the pieces together under Jurgen Klinsmann.

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After a busy week or so, things have finally calmed down some, so be sure to come by this week for plenty of new material.

USA-Ecuador Post-Match Thoughts

2011-10-13T22:02:00.001-04:00

Better late than never, here are some haphazardly thrown together thoughts on the USMNT's 1-0 loss to Ecuador Tuesday night.

There's no two ways around it: the Yanks have scored just twice in 450 minutes of play under Jurgen Klinsmann. For all the talk of free-flowing, attacking soccer, there just hasn't been much to show for it to this point.

Is it the formation? Is there too little structure in the Klinsmann "do what comes natural" strategy? Or is this simply reflective of the fact that Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey, two pillars of the US attack for years, have yet to take the field together since the Gold Cup final? I'm inclined to say the latter is the most important thing, but I do wonder if and how Klinsmann's staff will tactically adjust going forward. The Yanks fell into long stretches of stagnancy in the attacking half, with few dangerous runs and, consequently, few scoring opportunities produced.

Fatigue may have played a factor, as Jozy Altidore got the start just a couple of days after an industrious and effective outing in Miami. Selections could have also played a part, particularly in the central midfield, where the Yanks lacked the kind of offensive thrust or vision they got out of Jose Torres.

Ultimately, I think the jury is still out on Klinsmann attack, despite it's low returns to date, as we have yet to see Donovan and Dempsey take the field together. If and when Donovan returns, I expect to see him as the right mid, adding width and a vertical threat that Daniel Williams didn't quite bring to the table (and, in turn, freeing up Williams to challenge for a central role). A front four of Brek Shea, Dempsey, Altidore, and Donovan would a potent one, with support from the outside backs and (ideally) a steady center mid pairing that isn't afraid to get involved in the attack.

That center mid pairing is crucial, though: who does that include right now? Maurice Edu didn't have the greatest performance against Ecuador, playing too slow on the ball at times and getting caught in possession, while Kyle Beckerman- while not poor- did not quite distinguish himself either, a relevant distinction given the competition he faces at his position. Klinsmann is high on Beckerman, but ultimately he needs to find the proper mix of defensive bite and offensive support.

Will that come with a healthy Jose Torres paired with Michael Bradley? Or will it come with Daniel Williams or possibly even a resurgent Jermaine Jones sliding into the defensive mid role? As has been the case over the last couple of years, there is no shortage of options, but Klinsmann will have to sift through and find the optimal pairing and arrangement. Until then, the Yanks will suffer in possession and in pressing into the final third.

The biggest bright spot of the night came on the defensive side of the ball, as Oguchi Onyewu turned in a Man of the Match type performance (and even brought back the awesomely intimidating "Gooch stare" when an opponent dared to raise an elbow when leaping for a 50/50 ball). Gooch looked like his pre-injury self, breaking up attack after attack with strong tackles, aerial challenges, and savvy positioning. Perhaps most encouraging of all, though, was his eagerness- and effectiveness- in getting forward with the attack and pressing the issue. I jokingly said on Twitter that Gooch was our best playmaker on the night, but there was some truth behind the hyperbole: Onyewu, not known for his on ball skills, did a pretty decent job offensively, even in some spots that we're not accustomed to seeing him.

Ultimately, that is the big feather that Klinsmann can put in his cap going into November and beyond: Oguchi Onyewu is sharp, healthy, and a clear starter at center back, giving the Yanks a steady veteran pairing with Carlos Bocanegra playing alongside him.

On the outside, Timmy Chandler was solid once again and looks like the left back of the foreseeable future, particularly with Eric Lichaj sidelined by a hip injury. Don't look now, but he's quietly held his own against Eden Hazard and Antonio Valencia; that's pretty darn impressive for someone who is just being converted to left back. Steve Cherundolo, despite some struggles, still managed to hold the fort down at right back as well, contributing to a good performance from the starting back four. When healthy, expect this to be the go-to back line for Jurgen Klinsmann.

The substitutes...well, they weren't so sharp. Jonathan Spector was put in at right back, a curious decision in my opinion because of his lack of minutes there in the past 18 months or so (he's been almost exclusively a center mid at the club level), and one that did not work particularly well. While Spector has some ability, he just doesn't seem to cut it as an international level outside back, unsurprising given his lack of reps there. I'd be curious to see if Klinsmann looks at Spector as a center mid instead in the future or if he seeks another outside back option for depth (e.g. Todd Dunivant, Sheanon Williams (Philly bias, but he has been very good this year in MLS), etc.) instead of shoehorning Spector back into an increasingly unfamiliar role.

But Spector was not largely responsible for the lone goal conceded in the match, so he has escaped much criticism. The same can't be said of Tim Ream, whose poor marking allowed the header that beat Tim Howard. There are a couple elements to this that I have thought about. For starters, it doesn't come as a huge surprise, as Ream's form has been middling at best for long stretches of 2011 with both club and country. At this point he just doesn't have the ability or confidence to tangle with international forwards, something he'll have to develop over time. It also raises the question once again, though: why bring Ream, someone who hasn't been playing particularly well for months now, into camp over someone like Omar Gonzalez, who is a top defender in all of MLS? Still a bit of a head-scratcher for me, which hopefully gets sorted out in the November camp.

The final piece, though, is why bring Ream on in that spot? The defense was stout, and replacing a center back at that stage of the match is a difficult situation for the substitute to be thrown into. Okay, Carlos Bocanegra was likely feeling some fatigue at that stage of the match, having played plenty of minutes with the quick turnaround between matches, but surely he could have legged out the final chunk. And if he couldn't, that again goes back to the issue of initial roster selection: was Ream really the best choice as center back depth, when players like Omar Gonzalez, Clarence Goodson, George John, and even Geoff Cameron were left out?

At this point, at least Klinsmann and his staff have something in the way of an answer (I hope) with regards to Ream's readiness for the international stage, which should allow them to move on to other prospects in their search for center back depth.

And ultimately, as drab as it sounds, that's what these matches are about: learning more about the player pool. Looking back on just this short two match break, we saw plenty that will likely influence things going forward, namely Gooch's resurgence, the struggles of Ream and Michael Orozco Fiscal (and, to a lesser extent, Spector at outside back), and the effectiveness of Timmy Chandler and Brek Shea down the left wing. As other players get healthy and new ones come in, we'll see the full squad start to really take shape, even if the results lag behind them.

It's hard not to acknowledge the results, though, which have left the USMNT at 5-3-7 (W-D-L) in 2011, on the brink of the team's first losing year since 1995. Many have reiterated what has been said here time and time again, that friendly results are not important, but rather playing well is. But there seems to be some serious questions as to whether the US is in fact playing well, with the conversation often swinging back to the glaring stat of just two goals in 10 halves of play. Defensively, there's a good deal to be happy about. Offensively, there's still plenty of work to be done.

It'll take tactical adjustments, the return of old faces, and the injection of new ones, but the Yanks must begin to sort out the offensive side of the ball soon. With European friendlies to be scheduled for November, one has to wonder what a couple of non-threatening losses to top European sides would to instill confidence in a system already struggling to turn its wheels. Might that lead to the USSF scheduling second tier teams to get closer games? I kind of doubt it, especially if someone like France or Germany is looking for a game. But it's hard not to consider the players' perspective in all of this and wonder what goes on behind close doors and between their ears as the Klinsmann era has hit the ground stumbling, for lack of a better phrase.

I don't mean to imply anything with that last sentence, good or bad, but rather just that I wonder how the players are feeling and how that might change for better or worse with the friendlies to come.

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I had the better part of two days to digest Tuesday's performance, and while uninspiring at the offensive end, it's hard to be entirely critical just yet given the fact that we have yet to see all of the best players take the field at once under Klinsmann. As we've seen in years past, just having Landon Donovan in the squad can provide a huge boost, so we'll have to wait and see what that and other lineup adjustments are able to produce.

Do I still have questions about tactics or roster selection? Absolutely. But those can be answered in a significant way when the November rosters are announced, and those friendlies are played. Until then, we just have another tough pill to swallow as the Yanks look very much like a side going through a significant remodeling process.

I plan on taking a big picture look at what we've learned thus far under Klinsmann in the coming days, but as far as Tuesday night goes, it was just more of the same: a learning experience, and another lump for the Yanks to take on the road to World Cup qualifying next June.

Euro 2012 Qualification Group Stage Ends; 12 Spots Filled, Playoff Teams Set

2011-10-11T17:05:00.004-04:00

The group stage of Euro 2012 qualification came to an end today. All told, 12 of the 16 spots for next summer's tournament are now filled, while eight other teams have secured a spot in the playoff round to be played in November.

Here are the 12 teams that have qualified:

Poland, co-host (2nd appearance)
Ukraine, co-host (1st)
Germany (11th)
Russia (10th)
Italy (8th)
France (8th)
Netherlands (9th)
Greece (4th)
England (8th)
Denmark (8th)
Spain (9th)
Sweden (5th)

Sweden qualified as the best second place finisher, while the other teams (apart from co-hosts Ukraine and Poland) qualified as group winners. France secured an automatic berth thanks to a late draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina today, while Denmark nabbed the top spot in their group by defeating previous leaders Portugal.

The results of the final day saw the following eight teams qualify for the playoff round:

Portugal
Croatia
Ireland
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Czech Republic
Turkey
Montenegro
Estonia

The draw, to be held on Thursday in Poland, will be seeded, with the eight teams split up into two pots of four based on UEFA coefficients. It will put teams from Pot 1 against teams from Pot 2 in a two-legged aggregate series to be played during the November international break.

The only teams in the playoff round that have never reached the Euro finals before are Estonia (who are in the midst of a remarkable turnaround, having bottomed out at a FIFA ranking of 137 in 2008), Bosnia and Herzegovina (who were a solid, dangerous team throughout 2010 World Cup qualification, and continued that form through this campaign), and Montenegro (who continue to punch above their weight in their first Euro qualification process).

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Stay tuned for an update after the draw is held on Thursday.

USA-Ecuador: 4 Things to Watch For

2011-10-10T18:46:00.005-04:00

The Yanks wrap up their October international break tomorrow with the first ever USMNT match held at Red Bull Arena. They'll take on Ecuador, who are coming off a 2-0 home win over Venezuela last Friday in their first World Cup qualifier (not to mention a 3,000 mile flight from Quito to New York over the weekend). The CONMEBOL side will present the US with a good test, with solid players at both ends of the field.

Here are four things I'll be watching for when the two sides square off in Harrison, New Jersey:

1. Antonio Valencia: Some have wondered if Timmy Chandler might get the nod at right mid, with Jonathan Spector playing at left back. But with Manchester United's Antonio Valencia likely lining up on the right wing, I expect Klinsmann to go defense first and give Chandler another run out at left back.

The match-up will be another challenge for Chandler, who held his own against Eden Hazard during the Belgium friendly and continues to learn the ropes at an unfamiliar position. Valencia has pace and skill and is a focal point of the Ecuador attack, having created both of his team's goals against Venezuela last Friday:

Chandler will have to be wary of Valencia when wandering forward from his left back spot, as he was guilty of not tracking back quickly enough at times v. Honduras. If he's able to prevent or limit Valencia's service from the wing, it will remove a dangerous aspect of Ecuador's attack and make things that much simpler for the rest of the defense.

With the tough assignment, Chandler may feel less inclined to venture into the attack, a bright spot of Satruday's friendly. If and when he does, the defense- and the defensive center mid, in particular- will need to help provide cover so that he can add width down the flank.

This a match-up that I'm sure Jurgen Klinsmann and his staff have been looking at, and you'll want to keep an eye on it as well if it does in fact come to fruition. No matter who ends up with the assignment, be it Chandler or Spector or someone else, Valencia will likely be a key figure in the match who will command respect.

2. Center Backs: The Michael Orozco Fiscal experiment shouldn't get another trial tomorrow night, so who will Jurgen Klinsmann pair with Carlos Bocanegra in the middle? If he's looking to promote possession, Tim Ream might be an option to start in his home stadium, but I don't expect that for a variety of reasons. Ultimately, I think we will see Oguchi Onyewu line up next to Bocanegra in the middle after a solid 45 minute spell against Honduras.

The defense as a whole was much steadier with Onyewu on, including Bocanegra, who looked more comfortable with a familiar partner. Gooch is once again an imposing physical and aerial presence and would be deserving of a start after his good form at the club level, despite not being the most possession-oriented center back. But based on Klinsmann's comments today, it seems he may have come to the realization that USSD has been pushing since Day 1, namely that he has to play the cards he's been dealt when trying to implement a successful strategy:

"The style we want to develop is one that fits the strengths of this group of players we have"

Again, this goes along with what I have been preaching about not shoehorning a desired style when the player pool doesn't fit what's needed. It would seem that Klinsmann is now keen to look to a more hybrid approach, relying on steady defending and structure out of the back and the defensive mid, but giving players a lot of freedom when going forward. This is an approach that I find much more palatable given our current crop of players and one that could prove to be successful with some tweaking.

Back on topic, though, I think that all of this could mean an Onyewu-Bocanegra pairing in the middle tomorrow night, as Klinsmann looks for stability out of the back.

3. Front Six Reshuffling?: There are no shortage of options in moving around personnel in front of the back four. Klinsmann could look to keep some continuity in the midfield and keep everything the same from Miami. Or he might replace Daniel Williams with another winger, like DaMarcus Beasley, keeping the dangerous Shea-Chandler combo together on the left and freeing Williams up for a central role. Similarly, he could shift Brek Shea to the right side (from which he set up Dempsey's goal on Saturday) and put Beasley on the left.

There's also questions as to what will happen in the middle. Might Williams or Michael Bradley get the start in the middle ahead of Kyle Beckerman after the latter turned in a sub-par performance against Honduras? If so, which of Bradley, Williams, or Edu would assume the defensive role, or would a flatter arrangement be used? Williams has some defensive bite to his game, so I'd be eager to see how he'd fare in the middle, but would that come from the start or as a sub?

And what about up top? The 4-1-3-2 was effective in creating a number of quality scoring opportunities against Honduras, so I expect to see something close to it once again. But who are the front "2"? Jozy Altidore had a strong game, while Clint Dempsey was stellar in a withdrawn role, but Juan Agudelo continues to make the case for more minutes. Will Klinsmann consider putting Deuce on the wing in place of Williams or as a central attacking mid, or will he keep him in the same role? And if he does the latter, will Agudelo once again be the first choice attacker off the bench, or might he get a start ahead of Jozy Altidore?

There are a ton of permutations, but ultimately I'm expecting to see something like this:

While my first thought was to put Shea on the right, I suspect Klinsmann might want to keep the Shea-Chandler tandem going, as he seemed very pleased with their chemistry and effectiveness over the weekend. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if Shea and Beasley swapped spots initially or during the course of the match.

It will be interesting to see how things shake out.

4. Finishing: This one is pretty straight forward. Ever since Chris Wondolowski (who, by the way, is having another great year in MLS) managed to volley over the bar from two yards out against Panama in the second match of the Gold Cup, the USMNT has had some horrid displays of finishing, including that miserable 1-0 win over Guadeloupe days later and Saturday's misses from Shea and Onyewu. There's not too much a coach can do about it; it's a matter of execution from the players. And if the players can't execute, it could cost the team dearly.

At this point, it just seems like a funk hanging over the team. Hopefully they can shake it off and execute better against Ecuador and going forward. The Yanks have figured out how to create the scoring opportunities; now they just have to finish them off.

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The match begins at 7 PM tomorrow night on ESPN2, Univision, and ESPN3.com. Be sure to come by Twitter to chat during the match.

Euro 2012 Qualification: Big Games to Watch For

2011-10-10T15:40:00.001-04:00

The group stage of Euro 2012 qualification will wrap up tomorrow. 5 teams will earn a spot in the 16 field, while 8 others will book a spot in the playoff round to be played in November.

Here's a rundown of the biggest games to watch for tomorrow, with some background and viewing information:

Group A

Belgium at Germany- 1 PM ET, ESPN2 and ESPN3.com: Belgium (15 points) can clinch a spot in the playoff round with a win tomorrow, but it's a tall task to do so on the road against Germany, who have a perfect 9-0-0 record in qualification. At their heels in the table are Turkey (14 points), who will be favorites to come away with a win in their final home match against Azerbaijan (despite a surprising 1-0 loss to Azerbaijan earlier in qualification).

Group B

Aremnia at Ireland- 1:45 PM ET, ESPN3.com: Russia will clinch the top spot in Group B barring the biggest upset in UEFA history, so the match between Armenia (17 points) and Ireland (18 points) in Dublin will determine who finishes in second. One-time USMNT prospect Yura Movsisyan will try to help his team on to the road win and put Armenia one step closer to their first ever Euro berth, while Ireland will look to secure at least a draw.

Group C

Serbia at Slovenia- 2:45 PM ET, foxsoccer.tv: Estonia (16 points) will be keeping an eye on this one, as they've already finished group play and currently sit just a point ahead of Serbia for second place. Serbia (15 points) will need a win at Slovenia in their final match to jump ahead of Estonia, who own the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Group D

Bosnia and Herzegovina at France- 3 PM ET, ESPN3.com: These teams have already assured themselves of the top two spots in Group D, but either can finish out on top. France (20 points) will need just a draw, while Bosnia (19 points) will have nothing to lose in pushing for a win at Stade de France, which should make for an entertaining game.

Group F

Greece at Georgia- 1 PM ET, ESPN3.com: After a huge win against Croatia on Friday, Greece can clinch a spot in Euro 2012 with a draw at Georgia tomorrow. A loss would the leave the door open for Croatia to nab the automatic berth with a win at home v. Latvia.

Group H

Portugal at Denmark- 2 PM ET, ESPN3.com: Portugal can take the top spot in the group with a win or a draw, while Denmark will do so only with a win at home. There's also a pretty good chance that the second place team in this group will still earn an automatic berth as the best second place team in qualification, though for the sake of brevity I won't go into all the scenarios.

Group I

Scotland at Spain- 2:45 PM ET, ESPN3.com: The only thing standing between Scotland and a spot in the playoff round is an away match at defending Euro and World Cup champs Spain. Piece of cake, right? A win would clinch second place for the Scots, while a draw would only be enough if Lithuania defeat third place Czech Republic (trailing Scotland by 1 point) at home. Scotland could also squeak through despite a loss if Lithuania are able to beat the Czechs, something they already did on the road earlier in qualification by the score of 1-0.

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Once all the games are played tomorrow, we'll know 12 of the 16 teams that will play in Euro 2012, as well as the 8 teams who will take part in the four two-legged playoffs next month.

The draw for the playoff round will then be held on Thursday in Poland, with the teams being seeded according to their UEFA coefficients.

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Enjoy the games, everyone.

2012 Africa Cup of Nations Field Set

2011-10-09T18:11:00.001-04:00

Qualifying for 2012 Africa Cup of Nations wrapped up today, finalizing the 16-team field.

Here's a rundown of who's in:

Gabon, co-host (5th appearance)
Equatorial Guinea, co-host (1st)
Botswana (1st)
Niger (1st)
Senegal (12th)
Mali (7th)
Guinea (11th)
Morocco (14th)
Sudan (8th)
Libya (3rd)
Zambia (15th)
Cote d'Ivoire (19th)
Tunisia (15th)
Angola (6th)
Burkina Faso (8th)
Ghana (18th)

The draw will be held on October 29th to determine the four groups, two of which will be played exclusively in Gabon, while the other two will be played entirely in Equatorial Guinea.

Missing out on the tournament are some of the big boys of African football, namely Egypt, Cameroon, Algeria, South Africa, and Nigeria. Just two of the last 12 tournament champions will be participating (Tunisia and Cote d'Ivoire), with just five of the sixteen teams having won an African title in the past (Morocco, Ghana, and Sudan being the others).

Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire will be the favorites, but there's a lot of variability behind that, with several teams capable of punching above their weight. It should make for another exciting Africa Cup of Nations, which USSD will cover in more depth as the January 21st opener gets closer.

USA-Honduras Post-Match Thoughts

2011-10-09T16:56:00.002-04:00

It wasn't always pretty, but Jurgen Klinsmann finally got his first win of his tenure, as the USMNT beat Honduras 1-0 last night in rainy Miami. Here are the highlights:

The match was a step forward from the last international break, with significant improvement in several areas. With that being said, though, there is still plenty of room for improvement, as the Yanks struggled at times to control the match and, later on, kill it off.

Defensively, there were far too many turnovers out of the back and some missed marking assignments that nearly cost the US dearly. Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo, among others, were not at their sharpest, but Tim Howard was stellar in goal, producing several quality stops in both halves.

Offensively, it's a new coach, but the same old story: poor finishing. The Yanks created opportunities in the final third, but just couldn't put them away, a lack of execution that could have robbed Klinsmann of his first win had Honduras finished better themselves.

Before we delve into those negatives, though, we'll focus on the positives. And the biggest bright spot of the night was none other than Clint Dempsey, who showed his class and confidence time and time again as the engine of the attack. Beyond just the goal (which was a skillful, composed display), Dempsey was spectacular, reading the game well with his passing, off-ball movement, and connections with teammates. He was denied a brace by a suspect call, but it didn't take much away from what was still a Man of the Match performance.

In a free role behind Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey thrived, and I'd like to see him utilized there again. Ultimately, it's hard to argue against this being his team in the offensive end. He is the top player and should be a focal point of the attack. And I think Klinsmann recognizes that and will continue to seek to get him close to goal with more offensive liberties.

The other star of the night was Tim Howard, who bailed out his defense on a couple of occasions. Sometimes it's easy to take him for granted, but a match like last night reminded us all just how nice it is to have a world class keeper between the posts as the last line of defense.

Elsewhere, Jozy Altidore surely placated some fans by carrying his club level form to the international level. While he didn't score a goal, Jozy turned in a strong performance up top, making smart, probing runs off the ball that opened up the attack. He also held up the ball well when needed and made several good passes, most notably the lovely ball across the box that Brek Shea scuffed in front of goal. After some lackluster outings (with minimal service), Jozy was confident, involved, and effective, a very encouraging sign going forward.

While the aforementioned Shea did bungle a sitter that should have put the game away, it was just one blemish in an otherwise solid outing. He and Timmy Chandler combined well down the left side, with Shea providing dangerous service from the wings, including the pass that eventually found Clint Dempsey on the lone goal of the match. Shea has taken his opportunity with the USMNT and run with it, impressing during his time on and staking a serious claim to a regular starting role going forward.

Timmy Chandler, meanwhile, looked much more comfortable getting forward from his left back spot this time around after sitting back a decent bit against Belgium. Perhaps it was because Honduras' attackers weren't quite as threatening, or perhaps he just had a better understanding of his new position; either way, he added an extra dimension to the attack, using both his left and right foot to link up with Shea and provide service.

On the other wing, Daniel Williams' debut was solid, though not particularly remarkable. He showed flashes of his ability and looks like a worthwhile project who could have a bright future with the squad going forward.

A project that isn't quite so worthwhile, though, is the Michael Orozco Fiscal experiment, which added another dud to the sample space last night. Orozco Fiscal struggled in marking (most obviously when he was beaten by Carlo Costly's god awful fake-back heel move that he has done every single time I have watched him) and wasn't particularly effective distributing the ball either, which was supposed to be the skill that he brought to the table. Instead, he simply looked a significant step below the necessary game speed, getting caught in bad spots and turning the ball over.

In the end, Orozco Fiscal just isn't an international quality center back. And if Klinsmann and his staff cannot see that yet, I am at a loss. His distribution is middling at best, and his defensive play is inadequate; at some point, the realization must be made that shoehorning a style into this player pool is sacrificing a significant defensive improvement for no real gain in attacking ability.

Orozco Fiscal came off at half, which I initially believed to be because of his poor performance, but Klinsmann said post-game that the substitution was related to Orozco Fiscal taking a knock in the first half, a statement I couldn't help but dissect in search for its meaning. Was Klinsmann simply trying to protect a player who was in over his head by attributing his substitution to something like an injury? Or does he really believe that injury may have hampered Orozco Fiscal's performance, and that he is still a worthwhile project? I sincerely hope it's not the latter, as there are several superior alternatives that should not be benched or ignored in favor of someone who has not done enough to merit another call-in in the near future.

One of those superior alternatives is Oguchi Onyewu, whose good form with Sporting earned him 45 minutes last night. Yes, Onyewu missed a wide open net with a volley, but really, that's not what he's here for (as frustrating as it may have been). In the end, he was solid defensively, dominating in the air and making a couple of good tackles. Gooch might not be the ideal possession center back, but if healthy and on form, he a worthy national team starter, something Klinsmann may need to concede in adopting more of a hybrid approach to his attacking strategy. It's notable, as well, that Carlos Bocanegra seemed to be more effective in the second half with a more experienced and familiar center back partner, creating a more capable defense on the whole.

In the center of the midfield, it was more or less a mixed bag. Maurice Edu was serviceable, as was Michael Bradley in his time on, making a couple of good defensive reads to break up Honduran attacks. Edu also gave us a moment of unintentional comedy on Dempsey's goal, raising his arms in frustration when Deuce had the ball at his feet and failed to lay it off, only to keep them up in celebration when Dempsey buried his half-chance. Check it out in the highlights above, with Dempsey and Edu laughing about it afterwards.

Kyle Beckerman, meanwhile, was not at his sharpest. A lot was being asked of him as the lone defensive mid, but even with that in mind it was far from Beckerman's best performance. Now, contrary to what some believe, Beckerman has been decent with the Yanks under Klinsmann, but he didn't do his case much good last night after getting the start ahead of Michael Bradley.

Some have suggested that a lack of familiarity with those around him could have played a factor, along with the weather. But my issues with Beckerman's game weren't so much his offensive play, but rather his 1 v. 1 defense and positioning. Too often, he was turned by an attacker or forced to foul, something which afforded Honduras space and set piece opportunities in the attacking half. I wouldn't be surprised to see Michael Bradley assume Beckerman's role against Ecuador, as he's played primarily as a deep-sitting center mid with Chievo over the past couple of weeks (effectively, I might add), with Edu and Williams also capable of sliding back.

As far as the other substitutes go, Juan Agudelo was lively once again and did well to help create the opportunity that led to Clint Dempsey's disallowed goal. He would be deserving of a start, particularly if Klinsmann is looking to give Altidore or Dempsey a break, but for now it seems that he will fill the super-sub role, and he's done it pretty well thus far.

Jonathan Spector, meanwhile, wasn't too busy defensively, but reminded us that he can serve in a quality ball with the cross that found Dempsey's head on the goal that was taken back. DaMarcus Beasley added some pace and veteran guile on the wing, as well, with some satisfactory defensive hustle and attacking aggression.

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Overall, there were some bright spots, and the match was a step forward. But Honduras was able to get a few too many scoring opportunities for any US fan's liking, while the Yanks failed to kill off the game, two things that will need to improve in the coming friendlies.

But the monkey is off the group's back, as they finally found a win after several months of drought, which certainly doesn't hurt.

Looking forward to the Ecuador match, I expect a Onyewu-Bocanegra partnership from the start, which should help tighten things up at the back. I also wonder if Klinsmann will shuffle things in the midfield and how that might impact both sides of the ball. Offensively, I think the Dempsey-Altidore pairing will deservedly get another run, as the Yanks look to just put the finishing touches on the quality scoring opportunities that they have been able to create, with an even greater emphasis on flank play.

Ecuador is coming off a 2-0 win over Venezuela last Friday in their first World Cup qualifier, making the 3,000 mile trip from Quito to New York over the weekend. They'll provide another solid test in the first USMNT match played at Red Bull Arena, the preview for which will be posted tomorrow.

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Enjoy the win, folks, as ugly as it may have been; it's the first we've experienced since June 22nd v. Panama in the Gold Cup semifinals.

USA-Honduras: 7 Things To Watch For

2011-10-08T12:21:00.003-04:00

The USMNT will take on Honduras tonight at 6 PM ET in Miami. The Yanks enter the match on a four match winless skid, with zero wins, two losses, and a draw coming during Jurgen Klinsmann's brief tenure. Since Klinsmann's debut against Mexico, the US has managed to score just one goal in 270 minutes, playing a lot of lackluster, disjointed soccer along the way.

Will they be able to right the ship in the next week? Matches on home soil against Honduras and Ecuador would seem to be a good opportunity to do so, but we probably would have said the same about the Costa Rica friendly as well. While, as always, results aren't crucial in friendlies, it has come to the point that a failure to win a game would start to raise some serious questions about the merits of Klinsmann's methods and strategy to this point. There's also a bit of history that the Yanks will want to avoid:

The USMNT has not finished a calendar year with more losses than wins since 1995 (5-3-6, W-D-L). This year, the Yanks have a record of 4-3-6, with likely four more matches remaining in 2011 (Honduras and Ecuador this week, and probably two UEFA teams in November). If they'd like to avoid making some unfortunate history, the US will need to take home the first wins of the Klinsmann era soon.

With that in mind, here's what I'll be watching for tonight:

1. Formation/Tactics Changes?

I've already expressed a little frustration that Klinsmann has not fully utilized his opportunities to experiment with personnel. Along the same lines, these friendlies present an opportunity to tinker with the formation and tactics as well, which the USMNT coaching staff should not overlook.

Against Belgium, the Yanks were deployed in what essentially amounted to a 4-1-4-1 (regardless of what it was announced as), which left far too much of a burden on the defensive midfielder going both ways. Maurice Edu had too much ground to cover while breaking up attacks and was the sole link between the back line and the more advanced mids, a combination that often led to space for Belgian attackers and slow, disjointed attacks for the Yanks. Once a second defensive mid was put in, however, things settled down, as the Yanks were able to both defend and possess more comfortably.

With that in mind, I would like to see Klinsmann try out a 4-2-3-1 this evening, with Michael Bradley (newly accustomed to a deeper role thanks to his minutes with Chievo Verona) sitting alongside Maurice Edu or Kyle Beckerman behind a trio of more advanced midfielders.

Formation is not the only area to experiment, either; there's also the matter of tactics. In the last couple of games, the Yanks have tried- with minimal success- to possess the ball and play the kind of free-flowing attacking soccer that Klinsmann sought to implement. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the reality, as attack after attack have fizzled in the final third, not to mention the significant amount of time that Yanks have spent on their heels defending after turning over the ball. Why is this happening?

One explanation would be that the slower build-up is allowing opposing defenses to organize behind the ball, specifically in marking up Jozy Altidore up top. So perhaps the proper prescription would be to focus more on a high-tempo attack that emphasizes finding the wings early and allowing them to attack with pace so as to keep the back line unsettled, creating space for the striker and trailing midfielders. Without Jose Torres in the middle, this would seem to be fitting as well, as he was the most adept at the slower possession game that was utilized in the last couple of friendlies.

2. The Wings

I'm curious to see how the starting XI shakes out now that Landon Donovan is unavailable. Will Clint Dempsey slide central into the attacking center mid role, or will Klinsmann simply push Michael Bradley forward and put Maurice Edu and Kyle Beckerman behind him? Or will he instead really look to push the tempo on the wings and put DaMarcus Beasley and Brek Shea on the outside? Neither is a natural righty, but they both add pace and are capable of getting behind the defense or cutting centrally. There's also the possibility of putting Juan Agudelo on the right wing to get him and Jozy Altidore on the field at the same time. It would sacrifice something defensively, but it would free up substitute minutes for guys like Teal Bunbury and Edson Buddle. I don't think it's particularly likely, but it's a thought.

What I'd be very eager to see, though, is Timmy Chandler pressed up as a right mid, adding pace and crossing ability as well as good defensive understanding out wide. This would leave a gap at left back that would need to be filled, though, with the only alternatives being Jonathan Spector, DaMarcus Beasley, or Steve Cherundolo (whose right back spot would then have to be filled by someone else). It's a little too much to ask of this current crop of players, I think, but it's something to consider in the future if Cherundolo and Chandler continue to merit space in the starting XI.

Regardless of who starts out wide, it will be critical that they get involved early and often to keep the Honduran outside backs on their heels, something that has both an offensive and defensive value. It will also be on the center mids and back four to find the outside mids after breaking up an attack. As previously mentioned, good service from the outside will also be crucial to get Jozy Altidore appropriately involved in the match.

3. Jozy and Juan

Will Jozy Altidore be able to career his club level form to the national team? I think a large part of that may depend on the tactics used, as I said earlier, and what kind of service and support Jozy is able to get.

Juan Agudelo, meanwhile, has been a spark off the bench; will he continue to perform well, and might that parlay itself into a start tonight or on Tuesday?

4. Left Back

Timmy Chandler, all things considered, acquitted himself pretty well at left back against Belgium, managing to get the job done defensively against a pretty talented array of attackers. He didn't get forward as much as he normally does, though, which may have been partly because of his defensive responsibilities and partly because he was still trying to find his feet in a new position.

After reminding us all of his attacking prowess with some strong Bundesliga performances in the last week, though, might Klinsmann be inclined to try him out on his natural right side, switching Cherundolo over to the left side. In the end, though, I expect Chandler to stay on the left side next to Carlos Bocanegra, who does a pretty good job of managing young defenders alongside him.

Once again, though, reviving the Beasley at LB experiment and allowing Chandler to play right mid is an extremely intriguing possibility. It wouldn't be without justification, either: with Puebla, Beasley has played at times as a deep outside mid, effectively serving as an outside back in a five man back line. Most will have sour memories of the game at Saprissa a couple of years ago, but I would be curious to see this happen at some point. With that being said, I don't expect to see it utilized.

5. Center Back Pairing

Will Oguchi Onyewu, riding a strong run of form with Sporting Lisbon, slide into the starting XI alongside Carlos Bocanegra? Or will Klinsmann try out Michael Orozco Fiscal once again, or try Tim Ream out? I'd be surprised if it's the latter given it would mean two lefties at center back, so Ream might be more likely as a late sub for Bocanegra if the US manage to get a safe lead.

While Onyewu doesn't play the kind of possession game that Klinsmann might want, he's a better center back than Orozco Fiscal. And if Klinsmann is keen to maximize his on-field ability, he'll play the cards that he's been dealt, which at this point in time means sacrificing a little in the way of passing out of the back in favor of a more veteran pairing with better positioning.

I think a lot of people will be surprised if and when Onyewu sees the field this break. He's finally healthy and has been displaying the old aerial explosiveness that we had grown accustomed to before his knee injury.

6. The Scoreboard

This might seem to fly in the face of what I've said time and time again: that the results in friendlies don't really matter, and that it's instead more important just to see a progression in the squad. But at this point, progression means wins against inferior opponents. If the USMNT fails to come away with a win tonight, expect the grumbling from fans and the pressure on the team to continue to build.

7. Miami Weather

The weather might play a huge factor tonight, as there are apparently torrential downpours making their way through southern Florida at the moment. Hopefully the field holds up and the weather cooperates, though.

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That's it for now. Check in to Twitter tonight, where I'll tweet some in-game thoughts, and be sure to come by tomorrow to check out some post-match thoughts and assessments.

The game will be aired on Fox Soccer and Univision at 6 PM ET. Enjoy the game, folks.

Mega International Preview: WCQs, Euro '12, Africa Cup of Nations, & More

2011-10-06T19:33:00.004-04:00

This is the kind of week that USSD lives for: a full slate of international action, with World Cup qualifiers, continental qualifiers, and marquee friendlies across the globe. There's plenty of good stuff on tap this weekend, so let's not waste anytime and just jump right in to one big preview of the upcoming international break.

Euro 2012 Qualifiers

To date, six of the 16 slots for Euro 2012 have been filled, with Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany joining co-hosts Ukraine and Poland. By the end of next Tuesday, six more tickets will be punched for UEFA's quadrennial championship, with eight other teams securing a place in the playoff round.

In Group A, Germany will play a big role in determining which team- Belgium or Turkey- finishes second in the group, as both teams will take on Jogi Low and company in the next week. Germany's match at Turkey tomorrow should be particularly entertaining and tense thanks to the ties between the countries and Mesut Ozil's Turkish heritage, which Turkish fans surely will not ignore.

Group B is setting up for a tight finish, with the top four teams separated by just three points. Russia (17 points) looks like a safe bet to go through at the top of the table, but they'll likely have to take at least a point at Slovakia (14 points) to control their own destiny headed into the final match day. Ireland (15 points) and Armenia (14 points), meanwhile, could be in store for a dramatic final match in Dublin if the two are able to get by foot-of-the-table Andorra and Macedonia, respectively. In the event Russia is unable to take a point from their road match at Slovakia, there's also a chance that Ireland could be playing for the top spot in the table. If Slovakia is able to beat Russia, they too will have a shot at the top of the table, likely needing a win at Macedonia and for Ireland and Armenia to drop points at some point in the final match days. Needless to say, Group B is going to have a fantastic finish, with just two of these four teams living on past next week.

Group C has a tight race for second place behind group winners Italy, with Serbia seemingly in pole position. But a match at home against Italy and at Slovenia will be tough obstacles that could trip them up, potentially leaving the door open for Slovenia or Estonia to squeak through to the playoff round.

Group D is more or less a two horse race, with Bosnia and Herzegovina and France, separated by a single point, looking poised to finish in the top two slots. But the automatic berth will likely come down to their showdown next Tuesday in Paris, a game in which Bosnia will likely have to press for the full three points in order to secure the top spot.

In Group E, Sweden looks like a very good bet to advance on to the playoff round as the second place finisher behind the Netherlands. If they can simply match the points that third place Hungary (who are tied with Sweden on 18 points) take in their final game against Finland with the two matches that the Swedes have remaining (at Finland, v. Netherlands), they'll move on thanks to a head-to-head tiebreaker. Meanwhile, USSD's favorite little Euro squad, San Marino, will look to bag their first goal (and first point/s?) of qualifying in their final match at Moldova.

Tomorrow, Croatia (19 points) will travel to Greece (18 points) for a match that will likely determine the winner of Group F. Both teams have at least assured themselves of a spot in the playoff round, but neither will want to miss out on an automatic bid, so expect to see a tense and combative affair. The two teams will then close out their group stage campaigns on Tuesday, with Croatia hosting Latvia and Greece travelling to Georgia.

Oh, Group G. For awhile there you kept us fixated because it looked like wee Montenegro just might nab the top spot over England. Thanks to a loss at bottom-of-the-table Wales, though, Montenegro are suddenly in a tough spot, with matches v. England and at Switzerland remaining, and the Swiss nipping at their heels for second place. If Montenegro are able to beat England, they would still have a shot at an automatic berth heading into the final match day, which would surely make more than a few Three Lions fans sweat a little. More likely than not though, England will manage to secure the automatic berth, with the final match between Switzerland and Montenegro determining the playoff spot.

Group H is another tight one, with Portugal, Denmark, and Norway all tied on points. Portugal and Denmark have two matches remaining, while Norway has just one, with Denmark and Portugal squaring off on the final match day. That match will play a huge part in deciding the final standings, with all three teams capable of winning the group or missing out entirely.

Last but not least, second place is up for grabs in Group I between the Czech Republic (10 points) and Scotland (8 points), both of whom have two matches remaining. If Scotland wants to end their Euro appearance drought at 20 years, they'll have to get some help and probably take a point or three at Spain on the final match day. Needless to say, it's a tall task. But if the Czech Republic falls at home to Spain and at Lithuania, the Scots would be able to sneak in with just a win at Liechtenstein. That might not be so simple, though, considering they were barely able to beat the minnows when the two sides met at Hampden Park earlier in qualification.

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Ultimately six more tickets will be punched, and eight playoff teams will be determined. The biggest games to watch for over the next week will be:

Russia at Slovakia, Oct. 7 (2:15 ET, ESPN3.com)
Armenia at Ireland, Oct. 11

Serbia at Slovenia, Oct. 11

Bosnia and Herzegovina at France, Oct. 11

Croatia at Greece, Oct. 7 (2:45, ESPN3.com)

England at Montenegro, Oct. 7 (3:00, ESPN3.com)
Montenegro at Switzerland, Oct. 11

Portugal at Denmark, Oct. 11

Scotland at Spain, Oct. 11

Check this post again leading up to next Tuesday for updated viewing info on the other games.

And, just for kicks (horrible pun intended on a soccer blog, apologies), my predictions on who will go through:

Automatic berths: Portugal, England, Croatia, France, Russia, and Denmark (as the best second place team)

Playoff spots: Ireland, Turkey, Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Greece, Montenegro, Czech Republic

Those eight playoff teams, whoever they may be, will be seeded according to their UEFA coefficient and then drawn into pairs for a two-legged tie played in November. The final shake out of the group stage will likely have repercussions for the USMNT, as Klinsmann and company will only be able to schedule opponents that have either already booked their spot or finished third or lower in their group for the Yanks' November trip to Europe.

Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers

It's a shame that African football isn't as accessible as European games are because there are some real dandies on tap this weekend, as the 10 remaining spots in the 16-team 2012 Africa Cup of Nations field will be filled. There are several top-of-the-table clashes that will have a tournament spot on the line, so expect there to be plenty of fireworks across the continent.

In Group B, Guinea (13 points) controls their own destiny as they travel to Abuja on Saturday to take on second place Nigeria (10 points). Even if Guinea loses, they would still have a good shot at making it into the 16 team field by virtue of tiebreakers with Nigeria or as one of the top two second place teams.

In Group C, Libya travel to Zambia, trailing the hosts by a single point at the top of the table, with their meeting determining who takes home the top spot in the group. In Group D, meanwhile, all four teams are still alive, with Morocco in poll position and the Central African Republic narrowly behind on goal differential. Tanzania and Algeria have outside shots of advancing in what is sure to be a wild final match day.

In Group G, Bob Bradley will get to watch Egypt close out their disappointing qualifying campaign at home against first place Niger, who are on the cusp of securing their first ever trip to the Africa Cup of Nations. South Africa and Sierra Leone, meanwhile, will square off in Nelspruit with both still having a decent chance of advancing. Niger took a huge step towards qualification last month with a 2-1 win over Bafana Bafana; will they be able to make that last final push and complete their Cinderella run through a tough group?

In Group I, Ghana and Sudan (tied on 13 points; Ghana +3 goal differential advantage) will play in Khartoum for the top spot. The two sides played to a scoreless draw earlier in qualification, but this one will likely feature some goals as Sudan pushes for a win and a trip back to the Africa Cup of Nations after missing out in 2010.

In Group J, Uganda control their own destiny as they take on Kenya, with Angola and Kenya still hoping to leapfrog into the top position. Group K, meanwhile, will see Tunisia and Malawi battling for an automatic berth. Malawi will need just a win at winless Chad to advance.

All in all, 10 more teams will join Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and co-hosts Gabon and Equatorial Guinea by the end of the weekend. Here's who I think will make it through:

Malawi, Uganda, Ghana, Niger, Morocco, Zambia, Nigeria, Mali, Guinea*, Sudan*

(*as one of the top two second place teams)

Be sure to check USSD's Twitter feed for updates as these games play out and tournament tickets are punched.

CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying

It may not have the same drama as the aforementioned continental qualifiers just yet, but CONCACAF qualifying still has some games worth keeping an eye on this week.

In Group C, Panama can all but assure themselves of a spot in the third round with a win at home over Nicaragua next Tuesday. A win for Nicaragua, meanwhile, would keep their hopes alive of advancing, though they would probably need to win big to take the head-to-head tiebreaker, which would likely determine the top spot after both teams take care of business against Dominica. Most likely, Panama will take care of business, putting themselves one step closer to a return to the third round.

Similarly, Guatemala can put themselves in good position to advance with wins at Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (tomorrow) and at home v. Belize on Tuesday. Remember, the winner from Group E will be in the USMNT's third round group, so keep an eye on how things pan out. As it stands, Guatemala look like a safe bet to go through, and they could all but seal that fate this week with a couple of victories.

Group F, the other group that will feed into the USMNT's third round group, doesn't have much exciting on tap this week, but I'll be hoping that both Haiti and Antigua and Barbuda are able to hold serve in matches against Curacao and the US Virgin Islands to set up a dramatic final pair of matches against each other in November. I've said it before and I'll say it again: don't sleep on Antigua. They are capable of knocking off Haiti and making it through to the third round. For the sake of entertainment, let's hope that both can hold up their end of the bargain to set up that exciting finish, at least.

AFC World Cup Qualification

The third round of AFC qualification is still pretty young, so not much will be settled this week. There will, however, be some good matches worth keeping an eye on. Here's a quick rundown of the most intriguing match-ups, with all matches coming on Tuesday, October 11th:

China v. Iraq, Group A
North Korea v. Uzbekistan, Group C
Thailand v. Saudi Arabia, Group D
Iran v. Bahrain, Group E

The first three matches will go a long ways towards determining which of the two teams involved is able to finish in the top two of their four team group and move on, and which is eliminated. Saudi Arabia, a mainstay in the latter rounds of AFC qualifying in cycles past, could put themselves behind the 8-ball big time if they come away empty handed against Thailand. Iran v. Bahrain, meanwhile, could open the door for Qatar to sneak into the top two heading into the stretch run.

CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers

Joining the party will be CONMEBOL, which kicks off its World Cup qualification process tomorrow. 9 teams will play each other home and away with four automatic berths and a spot in the CONMEBOL-AFC playoff on the line. The entire process will span two years, with the final matches being played in October 2013.

Here's a look at some of the more enticing games of the first two match days:

Argentina v. Chile, October 7th
Paraguay v. Uruguay, October 11th
Venezuela v. Argentina, October 11th

Just a couple of months after squaring off in the Copa America final, Uruguay and Paraguay will meet again, while Argentina will start things off with a couple of challenges in the form of Chile and up-and-comers Venezuela. Expect some fantastic footy and great atmospheres, which CONMEBOL qualifying almost always delivers.

Marquee Friendlies

USMNT v. Honduras, Miami, October 8th (stay tuned for the full preview tomorrow)
Mexico v. Brazil, October 11th
Jamaica v. Honduras, October 11th

It will be interesting to see how El Tri stack up against Brazil, and it's never too early to get a look at the US' future qualifying foe, Jamaica. Be prepared for the panic button to get a workout from the American soccer fan base if Mexico are able to impress against the Selecao, especially if the USMNT struggles once again.

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Really, with this much international footy on tap, you should probably just call out sick tomorrow, and next Tuesday for that matter, and plant yourself on the couch to take it all in. These breaks only come but once a month, but when they do, it is a whirlwind of great soccer, countless scenarios, and lots of scoreboard watching.

Be sure to follow along for updates here and on Twitter.

Let's do this.

"Latino"

2011-10-05T15:33:00.001-04:00

It’s no secret that Jurgen Klinsmann would like to tap into the United States’ Latin American influences and bring a more Latin style to the USMNT. He said this upon getting the head coaching job, and he’s reiterated it in subsequent interviews. We’ve also seen this fairly clearly early on in his tenure, with players like Edgar Castillo, Michael Orozco Fiscal, and Jose Torres earning substantial minutes over the course of the first three matches of Klinsi’s reign.

But the idea of implementing a Latino style and Latino influences is a vague one, try as we might to simplify it, that, in my opinion, needs to be examined further. This concept is not without substantial ramifications (it’s basically dictating the USMNT’s identity and approach right now), and so I’d like to delve deeper into it. Admittedly, it’s quite a thing to tackle, as it comes back to the whole overarching identity concept that can be so difficult to approach. But I’ll try, and more than anything I’d be interested in simply sparking a discussion in the comments section or on Twitter.

Before even getting into the whole soccer side of things, let’s just take a step back and look at this anthropologically: what is “Latino”? The label of “Latin American” applies to the Spanish and Portuguese parts of the Western Hemisphere, from the Dominican Republic to Mexico to Chile. It’s a sweeping title that, while united by linguistic origins, groups together populations and countries that have stark differences. Argentines are distinctly different from Mexicans, just as Brazilians are distinctly different from Peruvians.

This manifests itself on the soccer field, as well. While the idea of a “Latino” style of play is often referenced without much in the way of a second thought, I find it a bit too overarching, lumping together Mexico, Central America, and all of CONMEBOL under one umbrella. But having watched the Gold Cup and Copa America this summer and countless other games in years past, it’s quite obvious that not all Latino countries play “Latino” soccer. Paraguay has been more Bradley-Ball than beautiful game, for instance. But nevertheless, the general idea persists, with “Latino” style being more or less characterized by flair, expression, and attacking play.

Does Mexico play the same as Panama? Hardly. And that’s something I think gets lost in the shuffle of diction. Perhaps “Latino” isn’t the word Jurgen Klinsmann is looking for. Perhaps “Mexican” is more accurate- we saw first-hand the kind of entertaining, attacking soccer that they can play when they took home the Gold Cup title. But is that style confined to Mexico? Again, hardly. And Klinsmann would know this: his German side has played some very free-flowing, attacking-oriented footy in years past. So is the “Latino” style really Latino, or just referring to a small subset of that subset, which in turn isn’t even globally unique?

To an extent, it is representative of Latin America. Cultures influence the styles that we see in national teams. But I still worry about the potential implications of attaching such a label and pursuing such a strategy.

For one, I worry that it lacks focus. As I’ve said, “Latino” is a very broad concept that encompasses a variety of styles, cultures, etc. Might Klinsmann just be chasing a shadow by pursuing something that is still somewhat vague? And how might the pursuit of this idea influence his decisions? Could we see typecasting? Are two similar players substantially different because one has a certain last name, and the other does not, and does that influence roster selection? We know by now that that certainly does not apply to guys like Carlos Bocanegra and Omar Gonzalez, players with Latino heritage that play a distinctly “stereotypically American” (for lack of a better phrase; i.e. less technical, more physical) game. Guys like Clint Dempsey, Brek Shea, and even Landon Donovan, meanwhile, play with flair and aggression in the attacking end. Or could there be biases with regards to the leagues players play in, or in the shaping of what Klinsmann has already referred to as his "core"?

Is it just an issue of word choice? Should Klinsmann instead say a “Texan” or “Californian” or “Southwestern” or “Mexican” style? Should he just leave it at “attacking”?

It’s all well and good to want to implement a certain style, but I would just worry that what is being pursued may be too vague or- perhaps related- unattainable. Consider the player pool and recent selections: Michael Orozco Fiscal gets called in over the seemingly deserving Omar Gonzalez, presumably because he is better in distribution, along with Tim Ream, who has struggled for much of 2011 with club and country. If Orozco Fiscal and Ream are to be the purveyors of this Latino style, might Klinsmann be shoehorning an approach into a player pool that isn’t quite ready for it? Or if Orozco Fiscal continues to be called in despite middling performance, does that speak to a failing on the part of the Latino focus? This is something to consider as World Cup qualifying approaches.

On the one hand, such a plan would take time, with someone like Ream being brought along and developed, and so patience should be preached. But in the end, the pool might seem to indicate that what would ultimately be more realistic to expect is a hybrid approach, with the Reams and Sheas mixed in with the Altidores and Bocanegras. And if anything, that last sentence illustrates a key point: would Klinsmann be more successful pursuing a hybrid approach that incorporates attacking style with strong defensive play as well, mix “Latino” with “stereotypical American” to get the genuine “American” approach? After all, if the national team is truly to reflect the country’s identity, wouldn’t it be an amalgamation of the various cultural influences within (and, as Jermaine Jones, Timmy Chandler, and others illustrate, outside) our borders?

In the end, though, Klinsmann is part-politician, as well, and the promise of more “Latino” futbol surely helped placate some of the masses. But until it manifests itself on the field, there will be questions about the strategy’s merits, if not simply the word choice, for some of the reasons I’ve listed above.

As we move forward, it will be interesting to see how the pool evolves and whether or not the idealized Latino style becomes more or less attainable. The last cycle showed us how sharply things can change as unknowns emerge and other players blossom, so no one really knows just how things might look in 2013 or 2014. It must be said, as well, that a focus on "Latino" could distinctly influence that development as Klinsmann's influence is felt at the U-23, U-20, and U-17 levels, for better or for worse.

As I finish this set of ramblings, though, I find myself unconvinced by even my own assessment. Once again, it just goes to illustrate that the concept of USMNT identity is a layered and complex one. This is really more an open-ended question about what Klinsmann should pursue and how he should do it. Let’s see if it becomes a little bit clearer with the upcoming friendlies against Honduras and Ecuador.

US Open Cup By the Numbers

2011-10-04T13:13:00.001-04:00

For those who aren't too familiar with it, the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is the oldest ongoing soccer competition in America and falls under the umbrella of the US Soccer Federation. Tonight, the 2011 edition comes to a close, with Seattle looking to win their third straight title as they play host to the Chicago Fire.

Here are some numbers on the tournament to prime you for this evening:

98: This is the 98th edition of the US Open Cup, though tonight will only be the 97th final played. Why? Because in 1940, Baltimore SC and Chicago Sparta did not play a final, instead sharing the title.

1913: The first US Open Cup, known then as the National Challenge Cup, began in 1913 before finishing in the spring of 1914. Yes, that's right: the US Open Cup started before World War I. It's that old.

15: Since MLS' inaugural season in 1996, MLS teams have one 15 US Open Cup titles (including this year). The lone exception? 1999, when the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the A-League topped the Colorado Rapids at Crew Stadium.

2: Only 2 teams have ever won three consecutive US Open Cup titles- Greek American AA, a New York City based club, won the tournament in 1967, 1968, and 1969, while Stix, Baer and Fuller FC of St. Louis won in '33, '34, and '35. Seattle will look to join this exclusive club tonight, having already won the 2009 and 2010 tournaments.

8: Of the 20 MLS teams (18 current, plus the now-defunct Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny), only 8 have won the US Open Cup. They are Sporting KC, the New England Revolution, FC Dallas, the Columbus Crew, DC United, the LA Galaxy, the Chicago Fire, and the Seattle Sounders.

13: Since 1996, 13 of 16 finals have been between two MLS teams. The most recent case when a non-MLS side made it to the last round was in 2008, when the Charleston Battery fell to DC United in the final.

4: The Chicago Fire have the most US Open Cup titles of any MLS club, with 4. 4 is also currently the longest gap the club has ever gone between titles, with previous triumphs separated by just one or two years.

0: The Seattle Sounders have never lost a US Open Cup game as an MLS team, having won the tournament in each of the club's first two seasons and reaching the final in 2011.

31,311: The largest attendance at a US Open Cup final came last year in Seattle. With reports indicating that upwards of 35,000 fans will be on hand tonight, it looks like this bar will be raised once again.

8: Of the 11 US Open Cup matches that the Sounders have played in their brief history, all but three have been decided by just one goal.

2-1: The Sounders have won each of the last two finals by a score of 2-1, at DC in 2009 and at home in 2010 v. Columbus.

5: The most successful clubs in tournament history are Bethlehem Steel and Maccabi Los Angeles, both of whom won the tournament 5 times. A win by the Chicago Fire tonight would equal that mark.

2-1, 0-0: The two finalists have already met twice in the 2011 MLS regular season. Seattle won 2-1 at home in April, while the two sides played to a scoreless draw in Chicago in June.

10: The match kicks off tonight at 10 PM ET on Fox Soccer. See who hoists America's oldest soccer trophy and books a spot in next year's CONCACAF Champions League. Fredy Montero and Dominic Oduro are in fine form for their respective clubs, and the atmosphere should be spectacular once again, so be sure to tune in.

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1-0: For the hell of it, my own prediction. With USMNT great Kasey Keller between the posts, Seattle keeps a clean sheet at home and makes it a three-peat in a front of the home fans.

Enjoy the game, everybody.

Yanks Abroad: Best of the Weekend

2011-10-03T17:21:00.000-04:00

It was another busy weekend for Yanks abroad. Here's a quick recap of the best performances:

Gooch run continues: Oguchi Onyewu started and played 90 minutes once again for Sporting Lisbon, who picked up a 1-0 win on the road. When Onyewu starts, Sporting are now 6-0-0 in all competitions, allowing just 0.833 goals per game (compared to 1.00 goals per game in the matches he did not start). Let's hope Onyewu can keep that form going with both club and country in the coming weeks.

Buddle bags brace: Edson Buddle, just days after missing out on Jurgen Klinsmann's latest roster, made another good case to get called in next time around. The former Galaxy star scored the first two goals and assisted another in a 5-3 Ingolstadt loss. Check the goals out here and here.

Gatt, Molde take one step closer: It's not every day that an American is making serious contributions to a title-contending team in Europe, let alone one who is just 20 years old. So it's kind of noteworthy that Josh Gatt has been a regular starter for Molde FK, who are inching ever closer to their first ever Norwegian Premier League title. They took one big leap towards that on Sunday when they beat second place Tromso by a score of 2-0 on the road, pushing their lead to 10 points over Rosenborg and Tromso (both of whom have a game in hand). Gatt played all 90 once again for MFK.

Howard saves a penalty. Again: Tim Howard has now saved 4 of the last 7 penalties he's faced for Everton, including this stop over the weekend v. Liverpool in the Merseyside derby:

Everton would go on to lose by a score of 2-0 after a very questionable red card reduced them to 10 men.

Dempsey scores, assists in romp: Fulham fans had plenty to cheer about at Craven Cottage over the weekend thanks to a 6-0 thrashing of QPR. Clint Dempsey scored the Cottagers' fifth goal and set up the sixth; check out the highlights here.

Chandler gets forward: Timmy Chandler helped set up two goals in Nuremburg's 3-3 draw with Mainz, showing the kind of offensive prowess that has many USMNT fans excited about the future at right back. Check them out here:

Beasley continues good form in Puebla loss: Last but not least, DaMarcus Beasley continued his fine run of form by scoring a goal in Mexican league action over the weekend against San Luis (and Michael Orozco Fiscal):

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That's it for now. There won't be much club play to discuss for the next week or so, so start getting pumped for the full slate of international play that's on tap. I'll have a mega-preview of all the competitions, as well as a preview of USA-Honduras, in the next couple of days. Be sure to stop by and check it out.

USMNT Roster Thoughts: On Core, Experimentation, and Klinsmann

2011-09-30T12:23:00.006-04:00

The USMNT roster for the upcoming October friendlies was announced yesterday and, as has been the pattern in the Klinsmann era, it wasn't without a few surprises. Take a look at the full roster here.

Ultimately, I don't have too many bones to pick with Klinsmann's selections, but I certainly do have a few main gripes. Before we get to that, let's just run through position by position with some thoughts.

Goalkeepers: Bill Hamid, Tim Howard, Nick Rimando

No complaints here, as Klinsmann continues to bring along Hamid under Howard.

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra, Timmy Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Oguchi Onyewu, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Tim Ream, Jonathan Spector

I'm not particularly enamored with this group. Michael Orozco Fiscal gets another call into camp despite underwhelming (at best) performance at the club and international levels, while Tim Ream gets brought in despite his own poor form. Meanwhile, MLS standout Omar Gonzalez is left out in the cold once again.

Now, I'm sure some will tout the whole "style" aspect of Klinsmann's selection strategy- he wants the US to play a possession, more fluid game, which is why guys like Ream and MOF get brought in over Gonzalez. But if we're relying on those two to carry out that style, might that be a pretty stark indication that the pool isn't yet capable of playing successfully in that manner? Might Klinsmann be shoehorning an approach that worked with a German squad that could boast talent far beyond that of the current American pool?

The defensive group is the one for which I have the most discuss, so I'll just get through the midfielders and forwards first before returning to a couple of overarching issues.

On a more positive note, though, it's great to see Oguchi Onyewu back in the mix. He's been playing well with Sporting Lisbon and will impress some folks with the explosiveness he has regained.

Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Maurice Edu, Brek Shea, Danny Williams, Jeff Larentowicz

As with the defenders, I think there was an opportunity to experiment here that wasn't fully exploited, which I'll touch on later.

Overall, most of the selections went as expected. Kyle Beckerman has performed well in his recent USMNT appearances and adds depth at a time when Jose Torres and Stu Holden are sidelined by injury and Jermaine Jones is only just working his way back onto the field. Michael Bradley has impressed early on with Chievo and deserves this call to camp; I think he might be poised to stake a serious claim to a starting role in the future during the matches next week.

Edu and Dempsey are no surprises either, with the former riding a nice run of form with Rangers. Meanwhile, Jeff Larentowicz gets brought in again, while Danny Williams (another American-German) makes the official switch from Germany to the USMNT, following Hoffenheim teammate Fabian Johnson. Williams may or may not be eligible for this week's matches as he tries to secure a passport, but either way a camp experience would be a good one for him as he gets integrated into the squad.

Forwards: Juan Agudelo, Jozy Altidore, DaMarcus Beasley, Teal Bunbury, Landon Donovan

With likely just one striker in the formation, it's no surprise that there are only a couple true forwards in the roster. The Jozy Altidore pick needs no explanation. Agudelo and Bunbury, meanwhile, get called back into camp, with the former coming off a decent appearance against Belgium earlier this month. I would have liked to see Robbie Findley or Herculez Gomez get a look over Bunbury, whom Klinsmann has already seen in camp, but that will have to wait until November at the earliest.

DaMarcus Beasley, meanwhile, rightfully gets called back into the USMNT picture thanks to his fantastic form with Puebla, as well, which may help him inch closer and closer to the 100 cap mark.

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Back to the aforementioned griping.

Before I begin, a piece of important background info: following the October friendlies, there will be just three FIFA match days with which to work prior to the start of World Cup qualifying next June (two in November, one in February).

With that in mind, it's pretty apparent that Klinsmann doesn't have too much time remaining to experiment and familiarize himself with all viable options in the player pool against "A" competition (since the January friendly is never between full squads). So why not use these October friendlies as an opportunity to do just that, instead of calling in a known entity like Michael Orozco Fiscal who has done little to prove himself as a legitimate option going forward? Why bring in Tim Ream who has been struggling for much of 2011? Again, the style argument may come into play, at which point I would issue the same rebuttal while also wondering if that flies in the face of Klinsmann's desire to reward club level form.

I expect neither Orozco Fiscal nor Ream to see the field during this break. And it's not as if there are no other solid options to call in instead. Omar Gonzalez is deserving of a look, so why not use one of the few remaining opportunities to experiment to see what he has, in camp and possibly in a game? There is no way that in just three friendlies Klinsmann can consider his process of pool evaluation close to complete.

The somewhat troubling thing, though, is the language with which he described his selection process, justifying his picks with this sentiment:

"We'd like to see new faces as well, but we also don't want to shake up the core structure of the team too much. We aim to build a consistency in our work approach with the established group of the team.”

I have a serious issue with that- either this means that guys like Orozco Fiscal, Ream, and Larentowicz are somehow considered "core", or that Klinsmann is simply missing opportunities to experiment and using that as an excuse. The bottom line is this: Orozco Fiscal is not core. Ream is not core. Larentowicz is not core, and a superfluous defensive mid with so many already on the roster (5 are capable by my count, plus Larentowicz). They have not proven themselves, particulary Orozco Fiscal. So why not use those fringe spots to experiment, while still maintaining the integrity of the true core that remains largely unchanged from the Bradley era (save for Brek Shea and, when healthy, Jose Torres)? The core is not- and should not be, considering the variability of the international game- the full squad. The core is a smaller subset, with fluctuations on the fringes. Look through the Bradley era and you will see just that.

Again, it's not as if there aren't viable alternatives. Omar Gonzalez, for one. Or perhaps a look at Benny Feilhaber as a fill-in for the distribution ability of Jose Torres? Or maybe even Mikkel Diskerud, particularly with Norway recently expressing a desire to bring him into their national team? Those are opportunities lost, in my opinion, passed up instead to bring in players that are rather known entities (and poorly performing ones, at that). While Mix*, Benny, and Omar will at least be available for the January camp and friendly, it's still no reason to push their opportunities to impress aside for the moment. The clock is ticking on the whole roster building process, and it is inefficient not to utilize each of this remaining friendlies to learn more about the options at the staff's disposal. One might say that early World Cup qualifiers against the likes of Haiti could also be opportunities to experiment, but that's a little to presumptuous for my liking; as we saw in the last cycle, this first group stage can provide some unique tests as well.

(*I would be curious to know what, if any, contact Klinsmann has had with Diskerud. I'm not hitting the panic button, but it's hard to ignore the looming presence of Norway, who may swoop in and take a player who might not see himself as part of Klinsmann's plans going forward if left out of the loop too long. Again, though, I have no idea how much they have talked to this point.)

While we should reserve our most serious judgments for the matches that matter (i.e. World Cup qualifiers), I can't help but feel a little unsettled by Klinsmann's pattern of roster building. Admittedly, though, this is no reason to seriously panic yet, as the performance of the true core group of players is most important at this time as they try to learn and implement a new style. Let's hope they can take a big step forward this break after essentially playing just one half of good soccer during Klinsmann's young tenure (which may or may not be related to suspect selections).

Regardless, though, the first real grumblings of his era have begun, with the honeymoon quickly coming to an end. And if Klinsmann is unable to take a win and a draw or two wins from the upcoming friendlies, expect that ending to be particularly abrupt.

It will be very interesting, in light of all this, to see what the November rosters look like and if any of the above is addressed.

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For what it's worth, here's the starting XI I'd trot out next Saturday:

As I said following the Belgium friendly, I don't think a 4-1-4-1 look is most effective approach offensively or defensively, so I'd like to see two deeper-lying center mids. I think Dempsey was more effective than Donovan centrally during the last break, but I expect interchange between them regardless of the initial deployment.

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Hey, at least Jurgen gives me plenty to discuss with these posts. Let's hope a couple of positive results and performances make us quickly forget all about the issues raised here.

USMNT Roster for Honduras, Ecuador Friendlies Announced

2011-09-29T16:43:00.001-04:00

Jurgen Klinsmann announced his 22-man roster for the upcoming friendlies against Honduras (October 8th) and Ecuador (October 11th) earlier today. Here it is:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Bill Hamid (D.C.United), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Oguchi Onyewu (Sporting Lisbon), Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham City)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Jeff Larentowicz (Colorado Rapids), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)

FORWARDS (5): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)

Once again, some interesting inclusions and omissions from Klinsmann. I'll have my full thoughts on the roster posted tomorrow morning, so be sure to come by, check it out, and share your own opinions.

Holden Setback the Latest for USMNT CMs (UPDATED)

2011-09-28T16:57:00.000-04:00

Well this stinks.

Just a week after returning to first team action, Stuart Holden is back on the shelf after undergoing a follow-up procedure on his knee. The team originally thought that the operation could be held off until next summer, but decided to move up the date after a consultation. As a result, Holden is sidelined for another six weeks, meaning he won't be suiting up for the USMNT in any of the remaining friendlies this year.

(UPDATE: Holden is now set to miss six MONTHS after the follow-up procedure found cartilage damage. Needless to say, that's pretty devastating news for Stu, who used words like "gutted" and "floored" to describe the latest setback.)

The Holden setback is just the latest in a line of issues for American center mids. While World Cup qualification is still eight months away, the window is already closing for Jurgen Klinsmann to get an in-game look at the player pool in an international setting. After the four match days remaining in 2011, Klinsi and company will have just one official match day with which to work in 2012 (February 29th, for those curious) prior to the start of World Cup qualification- at which point things get real, so to speak, with less room for experimentation.

So these recent setbacks are nothing to brush aside, as they could prove to have a significant long-term impact as certain players get the opportunity to cement their role, while others potentially delay their ascension to a regular role (or, who knows, significantly diminish their odds of breaking into the squad altogether this cycle).

Let's assess the current crop of top tier center mids in the pool.

First off, we have the down-on-their-luck guys. Jermaine Jones and Ricardo Clark are in footy purgatory, struggling to get any kind of role with their respective clubs as they look forlornly towards the winter transfer window. Jones, as an American-German, could benefit from the added cultural ties he and Klinsmann share as they maintain communication (though I doubt it'd be particularly substantial), but the bottom line is that he will remain on the outside looking in until he begins to play regularly. There is a chance that Klinsmann calls in Jones for the upcoming friendlies simply to get him some meaningful minutes (however few they may be) as well as an opportunity to meet the new staff, but it would fly in the face of his desire to only have players in the squad who are playing regularly. In that respect, it will be interesting to see if and how Klinsmann deviates from some of his original desires as the volatilities of the player pool become a reality.

As it stands, though, it looks like Jones and Clark will be on the outside looking in for the remainder of 2011.

Along with them, Stuart Holden and Jose Torres will be forced to watch from the sidelines as well, though for a much different reason. Both will be sidelined for quite some time, which will obviously keep them out of international duty. Torres benefits from the fact that he impressed quite a bit in his three appearances under Klinsmann thus far and thus has a little bit more security in his position going forward. But at the same time, both could very well be playing catch up by the time they get back to full health and sharpness if certain players are able to cement a regular role in the meantime.

Who might those "winners" be? For one, Michael Bradley is in a good position to stake a claim to a starting role in the midfield, while Maurice Edu is riding a solid run of form in recent weeks and will likely get his fair share of minutes during the international breaks. Kyle Beckerman, meanwhile, should get a few more looks as defensive mid depth, while a current outsider like Benny Feilhaber could work his way back into the picture thanks to his attacking abilities.

But ultimately, a lot will come down to one big question: what will Klinsmann do with his formation going forward? Will he stick with the 4-1-4-1 that struggled to possess offensively and close down space defensively in much of the Belgium friendly? Or will he sit two center mids deeper in something more along the lines of a 4-2-3-1? What about a 4-4-2? All of that could very well dictate how well players like Bradley and Edu are able to stake a strong claim to a starting role in the coming months.

In the end, though, as we have come to know in the past couple of years, there is so much variability as World Cup qualifiers approach. Club form and injuries can wreak havoc on a manager's selection process, so it's quite hard to say just how things will shake out by June 2012. We just don't know what will happen between now and then.

But in the meantime, certain players will get a chance to impress Jurgen Klinsmann while others will not. And it will be interesting to see who takes advantage of it and, down the road, it will be very interesting to look in hindsight and see just what kind of impact that may have had in Klinsmann's 10-month squad building process.

Video Trifecta: Goals for Edu, Boca, Gomez; Assist(s) for Bradley

2011-09-26T13:18:00.002-04:00

A quick video recap of the big highlights of this latest weekend of Yanks playing abroad:

First off, Maurice Edu and Carlos Bocanegra scored for Rangers in a 4-0 win (a match in which Alejandro Bedoya also made his league debut, but failed to complete the Yank hat-trick):

Next, Michael Bradley turned in a strong performance for Chievo Verona, setting up the first goal in a 2-1 home win over Genoa with a well-hit corner kick (Bradley took most of Chievo's set pieces, an encouraging sign of his role in the squad early on). He went on to play the full 90 minutes, helping to set up the game-winner in second half stoppage time with the secondary assist on a well-worked goal. Check out both below:

And last but not least, Herculez Gomez scored another goal for Tecos, this time by way of a lovely header against Pumas in a 2-1 loss:

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Egypt's Schedule: What's In Store For Bob Bradley

2011-09-24T13:14:00.003-04:00

Bob Bradley officially signed on as the new Egypt head coach today, a move that I've called the most impressive ever by an American coach.

I've already discussed here all the pressures and opportunities that exist in the Land of the Pharaohs for Bradley, but let's take a closer look at what his competitive schedule will look like over the course of the next two plus years. As you'll see, it doesn't leave a whole lot of room for error in what will already be a pressure-packed situation.

2013 Africa Cup of Nations Qualification:

The Africa Cup of Nations is switching from even years to odd years, so the 2013 tournament will come just 12 months after the upcoming 2012 edition. Because of that, there is a very limited amount of time for the whole qualification process to take place. So instead of the usual group stage approach, qualifying will be boiled down to just a couple of rounds of two-legged ties.
For Bob Bradley and Egypt, this will mean just two or four qualifying matches. They will play in the first round against another nation that did not qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, then (if they advance) they will then take on one of the teams that qualified for the 2012 tournament (with the exception of 2013 hosts South Africa) for a spot in the 2013 field.

With this, a lot will come down to the luck of the draw. Egypt could draw Cameroon in the first round and Cote d'Ivoire in the second round, setting up a very challenging road to South Africa. Or they could draw Comoros and Malawi, a significantly more navigable path.

Ultimately, there is no real room for error, as Bradley looks to take the Pharaohs back to the tournament that they had dominated for much of the past decade until their failure to qualify this time around.

2014 World Cup Qualification:

Starting in June 2012, Bradley and Egypt will begin their World Cup qualification process with a six match group stage. Their group will include Zimbabwe, Guinea, and either Comoros or Mozambique.

The spaced out group play will carry on through September 2013, after which the group winner will advance to a two-legged playoff for a spot in the 2014 World Cup. Once again, the draw will play a significant part, as the Pharaohs could land one of the heavyweights of the continent, or a much more manageable foe.

Egypt's group isn't overly difficult, so odds are that Bradley will be able to guide his new team on to the final round. On the whole, it seems like a spot in Brazil is very attainable, with just 8 matches standing in the way. But once again, there won't be much room for error as Bradley looks to take Egypt back to the World Cup for the first time since 1990.

Tournaments?

If Bradley is able to successfully navigate the short sprint of 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, he'll return to South Africa- this time with a different team, of course. It would mark the first time ever that an American has coached a foreign team in a continental tournament outside of CONCACAF, a significant coaching milestone.

There, Egypt would be part of a 16 team field broken up into four groups of four, with an eight team knockout stage following group play.

If they manage to return to their spot atop African football, Egypt would qualify for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, filling out a spot in the eight team field that already includes Japan, Spain, Uruguay, Brazil, and Mexico.

And then there's the biggest one of them all, the 2014 World Cup. If Bradley manages to make it there, he'll be hailed as a hero in Egypt for snapping their long drought, and anything beyond the group stage would probably be viewed by rational fans as just icing on the cake.

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So overall, Bradley's tenure will be boiled down in large part to just 12 qualifying matches. If he fails to qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations or if Egypt qualifies but performs poorly in the tournament, the pressure will undoubtedly be turned up a few notches. He may even be fired (African football is an impatient world), though I wouldn't expect it prior to World Cup qualification. But if he's able to get his squad through to both tournaments, it should be considered a fairly successful reign.

The pressure will be immense in that relatively short span, so Bradley will need to have his team prepared well from the start. Over the next couple of months, he'll have to learn everything he can about his player pool and start developing a long-term plan ahead of those first competitive matches, just as Jurgen Klinsmann is doing now in Bradley's old post.

As I said before, it certainly will make for good theater for us Americans, as Bradley tries to take a traditionally strong squad forward with all sorts of on-field and off-field pressures and tensions surrounding the team.

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Bradley's debut will come in a November friendly against Brazil, according to ESPN Soccernet.

Mikey Volante

2011-09-22T18:14:00.003-04:00

Michael Bradley made his first start for Chievo Verona yesterday- the first American to start in Serie A since Alexi Lalas for Padova in 1994- and, all things considered, it didn't go too badly. Chievo scored an upset win over Napoli, while Bradley played all 90 minutes, helping i Mussi Volanti keep a clean sheet.

Bradley was on the right side of a line of three defensive midfielders and was tasked primarily with destroying attacks and corralling Juan Zuniga. The match didn't have a ton of attractive footy, and Bradley's role going forward was limited, with a little distribution in a primarily counterattacking offense. He was beaten on a couple of occasions, but all in all acquitted himself decently in his first 90 minute appearance with his new club, making some good challenges in the defensive third.

Yesterday's match will probably be the first of many matches in which Bradley's role is primarily a defensive one. It may not be the most exciting thing for American viewers to watch, but repeated experiences in that role could prove to be extraordinarily educational for a player whose defensive and tactical play isn't particularly refined. And that, in turn, will be to the benefit of the USMNT, where Jurgen Klinsmann's five man midfield is geared more towards delineable offensive and defensive central midfielders than the box-to-box role that Bradley consistently filled under his father.

Bradley could very well represent an option further up the field in the absence of someone like Jose Torres (who will be on the shelf for the next couple of months with a broken foot), but I'm inclined to say that he's more likely to find himself sitting in front of the back four instead as a defensive center mid. Either way, competition exists in a crowded USMNT midfield, so Bradley will have to continue to sharpen both sides of his game if he wants to earn the same kind of consistent minutes that he earned over the past four years (rightfully, for the record; I'll have none of the nepotism debate).

At Chievo, he'll get the perfect opportunity to build his tactical understanding and defensive play, as he'll be forced to play with the proper balance of discipline, smarts, and aggression with lots of responsibility in a weaker squad. And with those tested, (hopefully) improved abilities, there's really no better time to stake a claim to a regular role, with Jermaine Jones in footy purgatory at Schalke and Stuart Holden not yet back into the squad (not to mention Torres' aforementioned absence). It will just add to the competition in the midfield, giving Klinsmann a good problem to have when trying to widdle things down to a starting XI. Ultimately, it's Bradley's versatility that could prove to be his ticket to a consistent spot in the match day squad, as a coupling of skill (which Bradley has a good deal of) and the ability to play an offensive or defensive center mid role would give Klinsmann a great deal more of in-game flexibility.

It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing experience, but each Chievo match could be one more step forward for Bradley, who at 24 years old still has plenty of room to add to his game. So as you watch him play, think not of how boring or ugly Chievo's style is, but rather how that same kind of play from Bradley would look with the likes of Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, and the rest of the USMNT around him.

It's time for Michael Bradley to take the next leap in rounding out his game and becoming a more effective professional. And Chievo may provide the perfect breeding ground for that, even if it means taking plenty of lumps along the way.

Onwards and upwards, you Flying Donkey.

VIDEO: Onyewu's Game-Winner

2011-09-19T21:42:00.000-04:00

Today, Oguchi Onyewu made his third straight start for Sporting Lisbon, playing the full 90 minutes in a 3-2 road win over Rio Ave. With the match level in the 75th minute, Onyewu rose well and powerfully headed home what would prove to be the game-winning goal:

The goal was the icing on the cake of another solid performance from Onyewu, whose rise to the Sporting starting XI is encouraging to say the least. Something else that must be noted is that the goal (the first of Onyewu's Sporting career) came thanks to a huge leap that we were accustomed to seeing from pre-injury Gooch. It looks like he is finally healthy, and with regular minutes coming at the club level, he might not be too far off from a USMNT return.

Sporting's next match will be this Sunday against Vitoria Setubal, which seems likely to be Onyewu's first appearance in front of his home fans.