This team was beaten by Colombia soundly, however they just blitzed Costa Rica with a 4-0 win.
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It’s time to see if the US can manage to not crash out of this tournament. “The team, they know where they stand”.
The U.S. national team continues its baffling inconsistency: a disjointed 2-0 loss to Colombia in the tournament opener Friday was followed by a crisp and spirited performance in a 4-0 romp over Costa Rica on Tuesday.
Wood was pushed in the back by Cristian Gamboa when he attempted to go after a cross into the box, drawing a penalty kick despite a series of protests in front of referee Roddy Zambrano.
The U.S. didn’t wait long to strike against Costa Rica, a fierce CONCACAF rival with a history of giving the Stars and Stripes trouble. Zusi, who replaced Wood in the second half, completed the scoring with a drive and a shot in the 87th minute. Now, with a win Saturday, the USA team would advance.
It was a brisk, autumnal night in Chicago, but the US men’s soccer team could not have been more sizzling at Soldier Field.
“I think we all do understand what’s at stake”, USA manager Jurgen Klinsmann said at his press conference on Monday.
Clint Dempsey stepped to spot on the PK and fired low and to the right, beating keeper Patrick Pemberton and netting the 50th goal of his worldwide career.
The US had switched from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 around the 30th minute of the first half, but Dempsey didn’t think that was necessarily why he produced more in the closing minutes of the half.
Dempsey turned creator for the next two USA goals, which were scored in just a five-minute span. A loss would eliminate the US, but even a tie would require the U.S.to get some help from other results to get out of Group A.
Still, Paraguay is a solid team (they held a 56 percent-44 percent advantage in possession vs. Colombia) and they won’t be a pushover by any means for the U.S. As always in a knockout game like this, the first goal (assuming that there is one) will be critical.
Dempsey looked down at the ball, started his approach, stutter-stepped and calmly placed a shot with his right foot into the lower right corner as the Costa Rica’s goalkeeper, Patrick Pemberton, dove in the opposite direction.
Costa Rica had spurts of quality but couldn’t get one by Brad Guzan, who truthfully wasn’t tested much in goal.
Colombia (2-0-0, six points) would clinch first place in the group with a tie or a win against Costa Rica on Saturday. His team is now sitting last in Group A after losing to Colombia 2-0, losing this game would all but eliminate the USA from the tournament.
One reason to worry: Costa Rica is small potatoes compared to Colombia, and this was a match that the United States of America was really expected to win.
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I have to side with Colombia to sweep the group stages.
