[USA-MEXICO] The overriding theme out of the U.S. camp on Monday was: finish the business. Ridge Mahoney: “Domino effect of U.S. absences goes beyondBradley” Hexagonal Schedule: Oct. 11 USA-Jamaica Mexico-Panama Honduras-Costa Rica Oct. 15 Panama-USA Jamaica-Honduras CostaRica-Mexico
men’s national team
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Domino effect of U.S. absences goes beyond Bradley
By Ridge Mahoney So what’s he gonna do? Times like this try the souls of soccer managers, and without the team captain and threeother regulars, it’s time for Jurgen Klinsmann to show his stuff. Michael Bradley is hobbling on a sprained leftankle, and suspensions have sidelined Geoff Cameron, Matt Besler and JozyAltidore heading into the […]
Posted inSoccer on TV, Story
ESPN will go all out on Tuesday with USA-Mexico coverage
By Paul Kennedy The biggest soccer game of the year is the USA-Mexico World Cup qualifier in Columbus, and ESPN has big plans for Tuesday. (Click here for Soccer on TV for viewing information on all the Tuesday qualifiers.) And this was beforethe match took on a new significance with the USA on the verge […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Four reinforcements called in
[USA MEN] U.S. national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has added four players — Tijuana midfielder Joe Corona, Houston Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis, San Jose Earthquakes defender ClarenceGoodson and Tigres midfielder Jose Torres — to the roster for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Mexico. Of the four players brought in,Goodson is the most likely player […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA's chances of clinching triple
[HEXAGONAL: Matchday 8] Despite the 3-1 loss to Costa Rica, the USA’s chances of clinching a berth in the World Cup finals in its next game actually tripled. Boththe USA and Costa Rica could be celebrating on Tuesday night, Matchday 8 of the Hexagonal. — The USA will qualify Tuesday if it beats Mexico in […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Wounded USA faces new challenges
[HEXAGONAL: Matchday 7] Any notion that the USA didn’t benefit from playing on snow in Colorado when it beat Costa Rica in March melted away on Friday as theTicos outplayed the Americans in a 3-1 win. At the same time, 1,200 miles to the west, Honduras beat Mexico, the USA’s foe Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio, […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
U.S. Player Ratings: Bad night for U.S. backline
By Ridge Mahoney The value of Michael Bradley to the U.S. national team was proven yet again by hisabsence. Forced to the sidelines when he turned his ankle during pregame warmups, Bradley sat out a 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica Friday night at the National Stadium in San Jose. ReplacementGeoff Cameron did reasonably well, but […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Back to the drawing board
By Paul Kennedy In the big picture, the USA still looks in great shape to qualify for the World Cup. It began Friday night six points ahead of thefourth-place team in the Hexagonal and it ended Friday night five points ahead of the fourth-place team. The USA will qualify Tuesday if it beats Mexico in […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Scouting report: Steve Sampson on the Ticos
[COSTA RICA-USA] The Colorado snowstorm in March is getting all the attention heading into the Costa Rica-USA qualifier Fridaynight, but the June monsoon played its role as well. Costa Rica hosted Panama in round six of the Hexagonal June 18 as rain inundated the National Stadium, and a soggy first half ended0-0. The fortunes of […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Marco Antonio Rodriguez's U.S. past
[COSTA RICA-USA] Leave it to soccer to be the only sport where the game official can be as big a story as any of the players or coaches in the buildup to a game.So what’s the hoopla about the referee of Friday’s Costa Rica-USA match, Marco Antonio Rodriguez? (And we’re not talking about how he […]