SoccerAmerica - Pappa steals win from USA 06/13/2012

[GUATEMALA-USA] Clint Dempsey gave the USA a 1-0 lead in the 40th minute with a superb strike but the Americans left Guatemala with a 1-1 tie after Chicago Fire midfielder Marco Pappa scored with a 23-yard free kick in the 83rd minute.

Goalkeeper Tim Howard stayed rooted as Pappa’s ball curled over the wall and into the middle of the goal from the free kick awarded when left back Fabian Johnson downed Carlos Ruiz.

Johnson had a better moment when he dished the ball to Dempsey at the edge of the penalty. Dempsey’s jukes left two Guatemalans on the ground before he slammed a low ball past keeper Ricardo Jerez. Besides a long-rang effort from Michael Bradley that Jerez easily smothered, the Guatemalan keeper had an easy night. His counterpart, Howard, blocked a close-range efforts from Carlos Figueroa and Luis Rodriguez but also had little to do before watching Papa's shot fly into the net.

The Chapines resorted much on fouls to slow U.S. counterattacks. They were called for 22, with Dempsey suffering the worst of them. Referee Joel Aguilar cautioned two Guatemalans and four Americans, whom he whistled for 14 fouls. The most costly being Johnson's on Ruiz to set up the equalizer.

The Americans opened the semifinal round of Concacaf qualifying last Saturday with a 3-1 home win over Antigua & Barbuda, which on Tuesday stunned Jamaica with a 0-0 tie. The USA is in first place in the four-team group, tied on four points but with a better goal difference than Jamaica, which opened with a 2-1 win over Guatemala.

The top two finishers advance to the final round (Hexagonal) of qualifying, from which the top three finishers advance to the 2014 World Cup and the fourth-place team enters an intra-regional playoff for a spot in Brazil.

The USA resumes qualifying play with games against Jamaica in Kingston Sept. 7 and in Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 11.

June 12 in Guatemala City
Guatemala 1 USA 1. Goals: Papa 83; Dempsey 40.
Guatemala -- Jerez, Morales, Gallardo, L.Rodriguez, Vasquez, Velasquez, Contreras (Leon, 46), Figueroa (Pappa, 46); M.Rodriguez (Pezzarossi, 46), Ruiz, Avila.
USA -- Howard, Cherundolo, Goodson (Cameron, 46), Bocanegra, Johnson, Edu, Bradley, Jones, Donovan (Beckerman, 90+3), Dempsey, 9-Gomez (Altidore, 64).
Yellow cards: Guatemala -- L.Rodriguez 51, Pappa 61; USA -- Goodson 23, Bradley 60, Edu 66, Johnson 82.
Referee: Joel Aguilar (El Salvador)
Att.: 18,000.

17 comments

Bill Anderson

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 12:54 a.m.

Tonight's result is NOT a disaster. First in the group with home games with Jamaica and Guatemala remaining, and on the road at lowly A&B, only a tough trip to "The Office" looking scary (although A&B just took a point there). It looks like the US should go through to the final round. Klinsmann needs to revamp the roster with youth now. There is no time left before the roster needs to start jelling before Brazil.

Carlos Thys

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 1:52 a.m.

Correct, Mr. Anderson. I agree with your "revamp" comment. There is no need to "sweat" these matches with Guatemala and Jamaica. Time to sift out those too old. Time waits for no man -- aging impacts us all. It is very generous to offer two slots for the hexagonal and three slots (possibly four) from that as tickets to Brasil 2014. Most confederations would be very very jealous of the number of CONCACAF World Cup slots. This is the ideal time to bring in those aged 20 - 26. I hope that someone is working very diligently and pointedly on Juan Agudelo with Chivas USA. Someone with US Soccer needs to be working with him EVERY week. Will someone please clarify why Goodson was pulled at the half? (Was it the concern over the yellow card?) As we all know, it is rare to see a central defender subbed out and rare to see it so early in a match. What occurred? I did not see this match. Thank you.

Luis Arreola

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 8:48 a.m.

I could only imagine everyone's reaction right now had USA played at this level in group B with El Salvador and Costa Rica. That group with Mexico in it is the best group righn

Luis Arreola

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 8:55 a.m.

Now. Out of all 12 teams surely El Salvador and Costa Rica desrve to be in top 6 and you could even argue top 4. This is what makes this draw so confusing placing Cuba as a top draw. There should be a better effort of trying to get the best Concacaf teams possible to represent us to justify getting 4 possible berths. USA would have lost in El Salvador yesterday. Klins better start holding his scouts AC countable for passed up talent. That's if he has that power.!?

Luis Arreola

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 9:11 a.m.

Bottom 4 are Antigua, Guyana, Cuba, Jamaica, Top 4 Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama. Middle 4 USA, Honduras, Canada, Guatemala.

alex hernandez

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 10:34 a.m.

Cesar Javier Vega Perrone SUB 17 Mexico World Cup Winner 2005 Peru looking for a job here in the USA we hope the US federation get in contact with him or are we going to let a coach the has led a youth national team to a World Cup and has win it get away he was the one who scouted the currnet mexico team he worked with mexico Federation for the passed 9 years his current Cel 1-559-359-5275 World Class Coach in California U17 World Cup winner Peru 2005 Mexican coach http://www.recorderonline.com/sports/porterville-3463-pvillevarsity-one-coach.html

Ric Fonseca

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 12:59 p.m.

Luis, yes Klinsmann does have the "power" to shake a couple of scouts by the scruff of their necks, but what I am not too sure at all, is if he has the over all TOTAL control AND power to do so, and hopefully he isn't looking over his shoulder at the US Soccer head honchos. Also, please bear in mind that due to the make up of the US Soccer hierarchy and the newly "minted" youth coaches, as well as the so-called US Soccer cadre of Scouts, it will be some time to come before he can call all the shots; lastly please remember that this was one of the concerns he had when he was passed over the first time and Bradley was reluctantly retained. And I include the US in the top four replacing Panama, also why bring in another coach instead of also developing our own coaches??

Bill Anderson

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 2:39 p.m.

Luis, I will believe your idea about the USA being in the middle when history stops repeating itself. The USA has been in the top three for the last 32 years, or roughly 4 complete generations of players (if a pro career averages out at 8 years). Other than that, it just sounds like your detest of US Soccer is clouding your analytical vision.

Raveen Rama

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 2:43 p.m.

Howard still does a good job at goal but I think it is time that the US gave Brad Guzan a chance. I have always thought that Guzan was better than Howard. I also see that our midfield don't create good opportunities for attacking the goal, therefore I would suggest that we look at Freddie Adu again, and perhaps get Johnson to play defensive midfield. We need more skilled players (skilled in ball control, those who have confidence in their abilities) in the midfield. Jones, Edu, and Bradley don't seem to gel and we get stagnant in the midfield. It ends up with one pass forward and two back, and that is not the kind of possession that wins games.

Luis Arreola

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 4:05 p.m.

My detest is for mediocracy. Apparently that translates into anti American. Gtting outshot 13-11 vs Guatemala doesn't reflect top 3 in Cpncavaf. Will wishful thinking get us where we should already be? Klins will expose the lack of accurate and unaccountable scouting along with the failed pay to play system in place right after these Concavaf qualifiers. He is trying to get everyone to love the right style of play which many here apparently are against like lets just get a result Ridge. Then he will Skale things up considerably. I hope. If he has the power.

David Crowther

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 4:13 p.m.

Luis – your ranking just shows your bias. If I had to rank Concacaf at this time (not just based on the group round games so far, but also taking into account such things as key injured and suspended players who will be available in future games), I would rank them as follows: Mexico, USA, Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, Jamaica, El Salvador, Canada, Guatemala, Cuba, Antigua, and Guyana. And as it turns out, there’s still a decent chance that the top 6 in this ranking will make the hexagonal.

Bill Anderson

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 4:23 p.m.

Luis, as I've said before I'm with you 100% on the talent and scouting, but to rank the US out of the top 2 is just not correct even with our lack of talent, we are still stronger than anyone except Mexico. It doesn't make it OK, because everyone wants improvement. I agree that Klinsmann is going to make the changes necessary. Being outshot was only one of the indicators of the game. I chose to highlight the 67% possession the US had last night. That would have never happened under Bunker Bob or Bruce Arena.

Hal Hilger

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 8:07 p.m.

I disagree with Bill Anderson, this game was a disaster for the US Team and it showed. Klinsmann must have seen that there was a problem against Antiga and he should have corrected it before playing Guatemala. They more than likely will qualify for the Worl Cup, but they never make it into the second round if they do not improve their game. At this time we do not have the players to compete with the top teams in the world,and the coach is no help either.

Ric Fonseca

commented on: June 13, 2012 at 11:52 p.m.

Oh ye some of you of little faith!!! Yes, we got ourselves a top notch coach, yet many of people still have their heads in the sand and thinking that by clicking our collective heels three times and then and only then we'll we have a world-class/quality team. And I am sure that one cannot make a chicken salad with some chicken**** left over from the previous "soccer chef" (pun intended) The restructuring of the USMNT and the other various programs is NOT going to be solved over night or in one year, as the learning process and curve has clearly demonstrated. So all most of ye of little faith, how about getting behind the efforts and positively support our teams!

Carlos Thys

commented on: June 14, 2012 at 8:59 a.m.

Mr. Fonseca, you make good comments here on this site on a regular basis. However, I must place my two cents here: Mr. Klinsmann is not a good coach. Yes, as a player he's got a wonderful resume. And his work at the helm of Germany for 2006 is really quite good. I was there; he helped resuscitate a Germany love affair with their national team -- a love affair that has gone on unabated since June 2006. But he's no coach. Not even slightly. What Herr Klinsmann is is a front man. He's a name. A big enough name in world football and thus a name that can certainly open some doors and opportunities. A name that will always generate more media attention which can mean more sponsors and more money flowing around. He's a good ambassador name and face for US Soccer -- for sure. But he's not a coach. A coach is something else entirely.

Luis Arreola

commented on: June 14, 2012 at 9:50 a.m.

Carlos, so he revamped Germany on zero coaching skills? Germany now thrives, for many years to come it appears, on a revolutionized and new for Germany playing style that Klins set in place. It took a lot of balls to pull what he did in Grmany a country that depended mostly on brute force and size with a mostly ugly style of play. I have never enjoyed watching German teams play until now. I think that is what made Klins a great selling product. Results and Guts. I only hope he was given the same power to do the same in USa. Say what you want but the man revolutionized an already proud soccer country.

Hal Hilger

commented on: June 18, 2012 at 9:01 a.m.

What this country does not realize is that klinsmann will never be able to establish a national team like he was able to in Germany. When you, like in Germany, or Spain groom 5 years old until the age of 18, and according to talent and skill advance to either local,state amateurs, 3rd division up to second Bundesliga or the Top professional league. Schweinsteiger, Lamb, Muller and many others are the product of such a system. Until the US gets serious in building or advancing to such a system it will be left behind. Klinsmann ist not the answer, such a system is

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