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CONCACAF Under-20 Qualifying: USA vs. Haiti (Live Match Commentary)

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By IVES GALARCEP

Three games. That is what the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team has to worry about to qualify for the Under-20 World Cup. Two group matches and an all-important quarterfinal match are what stand in the way of a young American team snapping the current two-qualifying tournament skid U.S. Soccer is currently enduring.

The memories of the failed 2012 Olympic qualifying bid, and the 2011 Under-20 qualifying debacle, are fresh and will surely hang over the heads of the current U.S. Under-20 team, which is heavily favored to advance through the CONCACAF qualifying tournament, which begins today in Mexico.

The first hurdle for the Americans comes tonight against Haiti (6:30pm, Fox Soccer Channel) before the U.S. takes on Costa Rica in the second group match (Friday, 6:30pm, Fox Soccer Channel).

If you will be watching today’s action, or need some where to follow all the game’s activity, be sure to join our pre-game and in-game live commentary. Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action (Today’s commentary is after the jump):

Comments

  1. In the first half the U.S. from D to MF to F played more compact and passed/moved smoothly. The goal was a result of numbers around the ball in each third of the field. I believe we had 3 players in the box on the U.S. goal. In the second half Haiti took it to us in each third of the field by also playing compact. Haiti’s goal was similar to the U.S. (Haiti had numbers and the ball near the penalty area). Also Haiti won a good share of 1 vs 1 battles on the dribble compared to the U.S. The U.S. had more separation between D-MF-F (mostly at times at least 20 yards apart). After many U.S. passes in the second half, mostly down the wings, the U.S. players were in no man’s land for the most part, and isolated in the middle and final third of the field. The U.S. went more to the wings for two main reasons: Haiti was taking the ball away when the U.S. dribbled, and Haiti applied more defensive pressure in all thirds of the field. I believe it was a game of to halves for the U.S. The first half was definitely more impressive.

    Reply
  2. In the first half the U.S. from D to MF to F played more compact and passed/moved smoothly. The goal was a result of numbers around the ball in each third of the field. I believe we had 3 players in the box on the U.S. goal. In the second half Haiti took it to us in each third of the field by also playing compact. Haiti’s goal was similar to the U.S. (Haiti had numbers and the ball near the penalty area). Also Haiti won a good share of 1 vs 1 battles on the dribble compared to the U.S. The U.S. had more separation between D-MF-F (mostly at times at least 20 yards apart). After many U.S. passes in the second half, mostly down the wings, the U.S. players were in no man’s land for the most part, and isolated in the middle and final third of the field. The U.S. went more to the wings for two main reasons: Haiti was taking the ball away when the U.S. dribbled, and Haiti applied more defensive pressure in all thirds of the field. I believe it was a game of to halves for the U.S. The first half was definitely more impressive.

    Reply
  3. I find it distressing that a team with so many professional players seem incapable of any kind of decent possession football. Haiti’s passing was much better. So much of the US game was, once again, a long pass up the field and hope. I thought this was supposed to change under Klinsmann from the men’s team down to the lowest youth teams.

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  4. Just dismal. Everyone says US Soccer is making all these great changes with the development academy. Supposedly the training is better, the games are better, the games are more important. Oh and the coaching is better. We are not seeing any evidence that things getting better. And on top of that we see bad sportsmanship and diving.

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    • I believe, my opinion, that we will see a major change in all national teams from youth to USMNT when MLS begins signing there own academy players and putting them on the roster and not rely so heavily on the NCAA Draft. NCAA soccer is a separate entity from MLS and Youth soccer. Soccer habits need to begin young. The NCAA does not play enough games compared to what a player playing professionally from 18-22 will get in development. The NCAA will not go away but I would rather see 75% academy players signed and 25% NCAA on MLS rosters. It will take time for this to phase in, but MLS teams ARE beginning to sign Academy players.

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    • I think the players are more talented, but Ramos has very little experience as a coach…not exactly gloom and doom, but that team performance was undisciplined for that level of talent.

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  5. And everyone freaks out. It makes me laugh. The job is to qualify for the WC, and the team is 3 points closer.

    There is obviously quite a bit of individaul talent with this U-20 team. They just need to become cohesive. Saying that yes there were some bad moments for the team, but there were also some very bright attacking moments as well.

    Hopefully the team becomes a team instead of individaul players going forward.

    You can’t make any US fan happy it seems. The team plays less attractively, but wins fans are mad. Win a youth team plays attractively I.E. 2011 U-20 team, but fails to qualify the fanbase says they should have been more practical and less expansive.

    They got the win and is in the driver seat to win the group.

    Haiti may be much better than what fans previously thought. We will find out if Haiti is the real deal when they face Costa Rica in two days time.

    Until then continue on with your doom and gloom comments.

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    • well said 2tone. So much negativity, when it could have been 3-nil easily if Gil hadn’t missed that ball right in front of the goal. We are thin in the back, it’s obvious. Injuries and club releases have been the bane of this team the past few months. These things are beyond the staff’s control and they work on choosing the best guys available to do the job. Kids that have been together in numerous camps and friendlies the past 6-12 months. The point is to QUALIFY for the WC. Then, you can bring in your top players available this summer for that tournament. People need to learn how it works.

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      • Well said you two. Result is all that matters. I wouldn’t expect a different response from fans who don’t watch the games.

        Fans who watch the games respond by freaking out when they see their team play poorly.

      • Yeah, we learned how it worked with the U23s during the Olympic qualifying…Nobody cares that we don’t have our best players on the field.

  6. Did this team get any training or the coaching sucks. They did not close it down upon losing possession, no trapping skills – just bang the ball anywhere, no movement upon attacking – just ball watching. Coaching and coaching ideas need to be evaluated.

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    • Weak team. Haiti made them look pedestrian and should have won the game. Instead, they missed every opportunity after their goal. I’m pretty sure Mexico puts 5 past this team.

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