Gold Cup: U.S.-Haiti Report Card

• by Soccer America , Feb 22, 2000

USA-HAITI (3-0)

Brad Friedel (6). Not seriously tested, but not inactive, either. Reacted sharply to block, if not catch, several hard shots from sharp angles, and unwittingly flattened C.J. Brown while cutting out a ball driven into the box.

C.J. Brown (5). Outrun at times in the first half as Haiti countered forcefully. Distribution, one of his weak points, was better. Stopped one breakaway with a clean tackle on Wilson Chevalier inside the penalty area. Hit a very weak shot at goal when well-placed.

Robin Fraser (5). Marred an otherwise solid game with a second-half giveaway that presented Haiti with a good scoring chance. He was caught up field a few times on Haitian long balls and might have been exposed had the opposition been more decisive in the final third.

Jeff Agoos (5). Like his defensive mates, was back on his heels in the early minutes. Ignored opportunities to get forward and serve balls. Blocked a first-half shot by Michel Gabriel and dispossessed Sebastien Vorbe at the edge of the penalty area late in the match. Shot an ugly one over the bar.

Ben Olsen (4). One of his less impressive games. Content to stay back and leave most of the wing work to Cobi Jones. Could not get behind the defense on the flanks and found the middle too congested to pinch in.

Chris Armas (5). Usually held the middle firm. Only sporadically linked up with Jovan Kirovski and Claudio Reyna in the middle and did not play the ball wide often enough. Squelched most of Haiti's midfield efforts in the second half.

Claudio Reyna (7). Created all three goals and also did many little things well. Stepped out of tackles and evaded pressure to retain possession, and moved intelligently to support teammates.

Jovan Kirovski (4). Rarely clicked with the other attackers. Did not raid the crowded Haitian penalty area after being cracked several times. Evaded mark on Chevalier on first-half corner kick. Seemed lost trying to find space not occupied in the central attacking third.

Eddie Lewis (4). Seldom tested the defense with crosses and corners produced little, aside from the short ball he played to Reyna on first goal. Cautioned for a clumsy foul on Vorbe.

Cobi Jones (5). Plagued by crude touches and a tendency to outrun his skill level. Overhit servicing balls to Lewis and Reyna to defuse potent opportunities. Atoned with a superb finish to rack up final goal.

Eric Wynalda (6). Lacked the menace of his prime years but set up first goal for Kirovski with a cool volley and put away his penalty crisply. Reluctant to take defenders on and dribble into threatening positions. Yet to regain his explosiveness.

SUBSTITUTES

Richie Williams (5). Shored up the middle and delivered a few typically robust tackles.