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Donovan’s double leads USMNT to Gold Cup final

DonovanHonduras (Getty)

By IVES GALARCEP

The U.S. Men’s National Team has been dominating the competition at the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, but Honduras was supposed to offer the Americans their toughest test of the tournament to date.

Landon Donovan saw to it that the Catrachos were just another victim on the U.S. train to the Gold Cup final.

Just three days after his masterful showing in a 5-1 quarterfinal win vs. El Salvador, Donovan stole the show yet again, scoring two goals and assisting on another to help lead the U.S. to a 3-1 victory over Honduras on Wednesday night in Dallas.

Alejandro Bedoya, making a surprise start in place of Joe Corona, made the most of his chance to start, setting up both of Donovan’s goals.

Now the U.S. will play in the Gold Cup Final on Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago, where the Americans will face the winner of the Mexico-Panama semifinal, to be played on Wednesday night. They will be searching for their first Gold Cup title since 2007.

The U.S. could play in the final without head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who was ejected late in Wednesday’s match for arguing a blown call by the match referee, who missed several clear-cut calls on the evening. The fate of Klinsmann’s participation in the final will be determined by the CONCACAF’s Disciplinary Committee.

Eddie Johnson opened the scoring when he raced onto a Donovan pass in the 11th minute and finished his chance for his second goal in two Gold Cup matches. Donovan made it 2-0 when Alejandro Bedoya beat the Honduran defense to a ball and chipped to Donovan, who chested the pass and finished expertly in the 27th minute.

Honduras was overwhelmed in the first half, and never looked like scoring, but the second half saw them find some hope when Nery Medina headed home a Marvin Chavez free kick in the 52nd minute.

The U.S. needed just one minute to respond to Medina’s goal, with Goodson springing Bedoya with a long pass down the right flank. Bedoya centered the pass to Donovan, who was crashing in on the goal and finished it off with ease to put the U.S. back in control of the match.

Klinsmann made a pair of surprising lineup decisions, starting Bedoya over Joe Corona, and Clarence Goodson ahead of Omar Gonzalez. Both Bedoya and Goodson had hands in multiple goals, with Goodson enjoying a solid match in central defense. His lone mis-step being a turnover late in the match that Nick Rimando helped clean up.

Bedoya also had his second-half mistake when he lost his mark on Medina on the Honduras goal, but he responded quickly to get down field and help set up Donovan’s second goal.

While Donovan was the star of the night, U.S. midfielder Kyle Beckerman also turned in a masterful performance, dominating place in central midfield in what was arguably his best match of the Gold Cup.

What did you think of the match? See either Panama or Mexico beating the United States?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Well, like I said in the pregame post. The key to have won the game was, not starting Wondolousy… EJ to me is a true B-team player and can rise to the occasion with lesser competition. Wondolousy on the other hand only belongs in C-D teams if there is such a thing. Bedoya was on point once again. Shea is still rusty… I feel like the dude completely forgot how to play the game. His confidence is at a all time low

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  2. it is time for a new edition fo SBI 23 for 2014. Suddenly the USMNT has depth a plenty…and I would like to see a bunch of predictions on what the starting 11 will look like in June 2014.

    Altidore, EJ, LD,
    Bradley, Jones, Holdin, Dempsey
    Fabian, Besler, Beasley,
    Tim

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  3. I give credit to Klinnsmann for finally playing the skilled players necessary however, alot of us have been calling for more skilled players on the roster for a long time. If you look back to the 2011 games that we lost we saw alot of unskilled players: Agudelo, Klesjtan, Shea, Edu, Rogers, Larenowitz and Spector. Not saying they’re all bad players, you just can’t put them all together and expect to dominate possession. Does anyone think that if we had Edu, Shea, Beckerman, Klesjan and Agudelo on the field we would dominate possession?

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    • Unskilled? Spector’s whole sales pitch is he can hit a cross, even if he is molasses slow and can’t stay with an attacker. Agudelo and Shea (when he has his head together) can also hit a cross, the former particularly so. On Agudelo in particular I think he has the raw talent to be as good as some of the Gold Cup darlings. He was on a team with a lot of the same people for Gold Cup that went down to South Africa and won.

      Even Kljestan is a decent touch player who just can’t handle game speed, like Adu.

      I think it’s more that we are steadily figuring out who the good players are, and outside of maybe Edu (and Agudelo if he plays hard) these aren’t them.

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      • Spector can hit a very good cross and Klesjtan is above average for a midfielder in scoring and workrate. But neither of them are very good p**sers or have good touch. Neither one are very good at dribbling out of danger, sheilding the ball or creating space for teammates with crisp pa**ing. I had a 20 minute discussion/debate with one of the USMNT coaches back in 2011. He basically said some of the more skilled players are lazy in practice or on the field. I wrote a month ago on these boards when the Gold Cup roster was announced that although our A team was al little better this B team will play more entertaining soccer. You want to give Klinnsmann credit as some genious that figured it all out, go ahead. I just won’t do it.

  4. We’ve learned quite a few consistent callins should be such; that Holden should join them; and that the defensive pool kind of stinks (one shutout in this tournament?). I’m hoping Landon, Holden, Mixx, Corona, and Bedoya can push aside some people in the current XI/23, and up offensive quality even further, but our long term weakness is the defense and there’s no one here I’ve seen other than Beasley (and now Besler) who belongs on an A team defense, even off the bench. Gooch, Goodson, Parkhurst, Castillo, flush. Which more or less leaves us where we started.

    I also think that figuring out Goodson is OK but not good enough, ditto Castillo, Parkhurst, etc. was a Wondo-esque waste of time, where are Lichaj and other people without an established “level” bound to disappoint….

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  5. Surprising to me that Klinsmann kept the “bad knees” players out of the turf game in Portland against Belize (Holden, Gomez, Onyewu), but left Holden in there tonight for the whole 90 minutes on that grass-on-concrete travesty. I was wincing when I saw Holden slip while twisting to play defense, and from the head trauma he was taking in the match. When I saw Mix get up to sub, I thought for sure that Holden was coming out, and was surprised when Beckerman (who was playing well) was the one taken out.

    By the way, was demand for tickets anticipated to be high enough to have this held at Cowboys Stadium, rather than at the home of FC Dallas? I’m getting tired of these dangerous grass-on-concrete situations. High caliber soccer deserves a smooth pitch to play on.

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  6. This is Panama’s A team. It should be the toughest game of the tournament for the USA. Still, I think the speed of the game will be a bit slower than against Mexico’s A team, most of europe’s better teams, Korea or Japan. It may be fast enough that some of the US mids will struggle to make decisions quickly enough, if more than one mid or CB is taking too long on the ball, it may become a really tough game. I don’t know who is reffing, but not playing the ball early is an invitation to challenges and if the referee lets the challenges get too physical in could be brutal.

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  7. The US cannot fall behind against Panama and needs to be clinical in their finishes as soon as possible. If they can make a two goals gap I think Panama is done, but don’t fall behing and don’t let it get to PKs.

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  8. I thought Torres had his best game of the torunament tonight. US attacked down the right side of the field all night, with torres usually advancing the ball. Glad JK took him out before he got a card from the ref.

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    • Torres still takes 3 to 5 tuches nearly everytime he gets the ball. Better teams will not allow that and he will continue to get fouled when he takes that many touches. He can hold the ball ancan serve the ball well, but he simply takes too long and it is really hard to make good service when you are being pounded. I suspect he is so good at holding the ball because he is too slow to find connections and therefore had to learn to hold the ball while struggling to find a teammate.

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      • Donovan obviously brings out the best in most players but I think that is especially true with Torres. Donovan is one of the few US players who has the instinctive off the ball movement that Torres is used to from his teammates when playing for Tigres. It seems like he is taking those 3 to 5 touches less often when he plays for Tigres or when he is around Donovan because they know how to find space and Torres will make the pa$s more quickly instead of waiting to find someone in a good position. The best moments I have seen from Torres on the US almost always include Donovan in the play.

  9. The ref missed two PKs (Holden and Wondo), multiple challenges involving Torres and Beasley which should have resulted in couple yellows, a borderline red for a tackle on Shea, and those are the ones I remember. CONCACAF refs are terrible.

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  10. This is soo delicious. Whining as far as the eye can see. US Fans complain and cry about MLS referees and demand better, demand referees come from other countries to come ref here. Then they see the options for other referees, the BEST that Concacaf has to offer, and it’s nothing but whining.

    If everyone is terrible at a job either that job is really hard, or no one wants to do it because there’s no incentive to, Or Both.

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      • I thought he was bad, I didn’t think he was cheating. He just didn’t seem to care about anything really.

      • Yeah, I’ll agree with that. I’m not suggesting that he got his pockets lined with cash, just that he was refuse in this particular match.

      • He was bad, he was cheating, and the biased is against the United States, I am guessing because he hates the United States. He may have different reasons though.

      • If you’re a fan of the United States you can’t really claim the ref was biased and be taken seriously. Also you should have to present a high burden of proof rather than the referee just missing some bad calls.

      • What other proof could you possibly submit than the on-field evidence that he called a one-sided game? Only someone with a specifically anti-US agenda (like yourself), could watch that game and say he called it evenly.

        I’ll go ahead and assume you are the fan of a lesser CONCACAF side. Believe me, the deliciousness is watching you lose.

      • And anyone should be complaining about a ref like that. He refused to control that match it would have been just as egregious if it had happened to any other team.

  11. just saw video of Jurgen apologizing for how he stood up and called out Costa Rican referee Walter Quesada

    Quesada should be apologizing, but it’s beautiful to see Jurgen apologizing so complictly…complicit. Funny funny funny

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  12. FOX is totally useless at broadcasting soccer. Sideline reporters?!?!? In soccer? Heck, sideline reporters don’t belong in any sport (CBS no longer uses them for NFL). But they especially don’t belong in soccer.

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    • Actually, I think Kyle Martino is terrific on the sidelines. But then again, he actually talks about the game. Grant Wahl does nothing but read notes he could have composed anytime in the last two days.

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      • thats different. He’s actually doing the color commentary, but from the sidelines.

        im talking about sideline reporters who distract the broadcast with useless info.

      • Usually I’d probably agree, but since Fox is too cheap to send JP and Cobi to the match, having a guy on the field who can see things probably isn’t the worst thing in the world.

      • anyway…he wasn’t even talking about what he saw on the field. He was just giving background on players.

    • Sideline reporters are at the bottom of my complaints with FOX. The announcers are terrible, the audio makes it obvious the announcers aren’t at the game (it’s not like they’re playing in Europe), cuts ins with Dr. Jack after every major foul is annoying.

      At this rate, watching the World Cup in 2018 with Gus Johnson and Wynalda is going to ruin the experience for fans especially after how ESPN and NBC have treated us the last few years.

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      • I have a lot of complaints about ESPN but their coverage during the actual game is definitely one of the best so far.

      • ESPN and NBC run a quality production my beefs with them have more to do with being beaten out for rights on the road qualis, but then ESPN pays for Mexican rights.

  13. Aside from the corner kick-turned goal for Honduras, this match was thoroughly solid for the NT. I was impressed with EJ, Landon, Beckerman, Goodson, and Besler/Beasley, in that order. Goodson has been surprising with his offensive contributions this tournament.

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  14. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO nice to see midfielders and forwards moving ‘off the ball’ and connecting with passes. Been wanting to see that for a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOng time. Nice to see Donovan as a playmaking forward too. We could go to a 4-1-4-1. This could put Holden, Bradley, Jones, Dempsey and Donovan in midfield. This of course is speculation and nothing set in stone. Dempsey and Donovan play as withdrawn forwards and get in the box or drop back as necessary. All five can use width as space allows. Nothing too predictable.

    ———–Bradley————

    —Holden——–Jones

    –Dempsey—–Donovan

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  15. I am going to say this now, the USA cannot lose this Gold Cup. They are not only super favorites, but it is at home and it would be a third final loss in a row, let alone if it is against this mediocre Mexican Z team.

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      • And I am not even talking about a ET or PK win, although that’s better than losing in any way. I mean a victory in the final in regulation time even if by one goal.

      • I meant about how the US ‘cannot lose’ part

        more like US cannot play again with this fun team/group after the final…man, go for it!

    • If we play Mexico there will be less space given…that’s why it is so important for our midfielders and forwards to get more creative in there type of passes and runs off the ball.

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  16. The officials in this match should be given their sending off, as in fired. A blown call once or twice is expected. But a dozen throughout the game? It is an official’s job to protect the players, and this guy failed miserably in that regard. We’re lucky no one was injured seriously. I hope Klinsmann rallies USSF to send a strong statement that we’re sick of the circus that are concacaf refs.

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  17. I know this Landon Donovan fella wasn’t good enough to make the A- version of the USMNT in 2013, but he sure looks like he can play-he has impressed me and hopefully the coach as well. Hopefully he gets called up for Mexico and Costa Rica and at least gets in as a sub, if he impresses in practice…not sure if he can beat out such stalwarts as Brad Davis, Brad Evans or Graham Zusi but I hope he gets a chance-always could use more depth for the USMNT.

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  18. It’s not a definite suspension for JK, that’s just not the case. The Gold Cup rules do not specify what happens if a coach is dismissed. It goes to CONCACAF disciplinary hearing to make a decision. They will review the refs report and allow the US to submit a report. This will take place by tomorrow night.
    They just confirmed that on FSC… so he’s not yet suspended…
    Even the press official first said he’s suspended, then changed his statement and said the decision will be in 24-48 hours

    FUBAR

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    • Given his reputation there’s an outside chance he will not be suspended and also for CONCACAF to save face for the despicable officiating by the referee in this game.

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      • And Jurgen was nice and contrite in the presser, which, howsoever he was justified in his complaint, was the right move in at the moment.

    • I also saw that they will review the match report but how much will the fact that the ref was horrible play into decision?? Will CONCACAF admit that the ref was wretched? I hope so but I’m not so sure.

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    • He should be out because I don’t want this to be some half-cooked tournament. If we’re running it legit the red card should stand, and I’m sure he said or did something to earn it.

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  19. Concacaf ref’s tend to represent and display the country they came from. The U.S. does not have the best reputation in those and many other countries and this is reflected against the USMNT. SAFETY OF PLAYERS should be the priority and not the stereo type opinions of where the players come from. These punk referee’s need to be evaluated by FIFA and replaced or counseled to show corrections in trial games.

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    • Mike these are the top guys, there aren’t any others and do you want to know why? Because no one wants to do the job, they’re busy home with their kids instead of spending hours upon hours training and traveling. They’re busy with their actual careers that can be done at normal times and don’t destroy their lives. They’re busy not being screamed at and threatened and called incompetent at a job people who criticize them would be HORRIBLE at.

      Very few people want to be referees. Even fewer have the proper skills and time allowed to make it to the highest levels. Fire them and pretty soon you won’t have any left.

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      • I won’t even referee youth soccer anymore. It’s just not worth it. A bunch of people who don’t even know the game making your life heck. No need to get so worked up over a U-10 game as long as the safety of the players is being protected as much as possible.

      • ha! yep, just take it. how silly of us for not understanding that.

        frankly, it’s always been like this in our region. We play teams at home and it’s allowed to be a bar room brawl. we go to their neck of the woods and every breath is a foul. that is some of the oldest school reffing jive there is, and it is alive and well in CONCACAF both internationally and at the club level.

        have to overcome it, and the first step to doing that is by not pretending it doesn’t exist…whatever the reasons

  20. 3 CLEAR PK’s I mean 3 for real. I know we were winning but shouldn’t a foul call be the same regardless of the score or if it’s the first or 89th minute? Shouldn’t Honduras have at least 3 yellow cards? How the hell do we get stuck with these referees? what about the other guy the other days against El Salvador? oh man

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      • yeah I guess but is it really this difficult, when most people appreciate a call to be a certain way; it probably should go that way; I mean, aren’t the rules clear?

    • I agree completely. I confess to never having refereed, but how does the region produce pretty skilled players and still allow stink like that ref had to offer. I saw 3 reds, 2 pks at least, and the gall to use a card on the victims of the brutality. F’in crazy and wrong

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      • I think a lot of refs in this region aren’t reffing as their sole profession. Until that changes quality and consistency will be poor.

  21. Since the gamblers didn’t have success getting to the Belize players, anyone wondering if they got thru to the Costa Rican ref? I’m guessing he needed a 1 point difference in score. Hope his legs get broken.

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    • Funny, hope you are fight about his reward. As bad as he was, he should have been paid for that performance, otherwise he was wasting all those bad calls for nothing since the US won comfortably anyway.

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  22. Why didn’t Wondo fall in the penalty area? Lack of international experience? I know Klinsmann would’ve. Besides, it was a PK even standing. Referee should be fired from international soccer.

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    • I think you bring up a great point, Adam and I’m far from a Wondo-hater.

      At this level, you need to use every edge to your advantage. Unfortunately, Wondolowski played a lot like an American on that play and not like an International soccer player.

      On this stage, you gotta go down with just a tap of contact. Wondo was absolutely mugged in the box. That was general inexperience and lack of ruthless mentality on the international stage.

      Speaking of mugged….how about Holden getting UFC’d in the box and no call? Shocking.

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      • After seeing what happened to Holden, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for Wondo to think he wouldn’t get a call no matter what so just fight through it.

      • That was my impression as well. The referee was simply not carding and, when that is the case, you have to plug on. You have got to know that when a referee ‘misses’ an elbow to the face, tens of hacks and shoves, two cleats-up tackles, and even at least one after possession dropping of the goalie there is no point to appealing for justice. You just do your best to stay on your feet and get the ball through.

        This referee’s style is fine for any game where both teams are playing clean (and there were several during the cup) or where both teams are working their MMA skills (the Honduras:Costa Rica match comes to mind) but absolutely useless when one team is playing relatively cleanly and the other is mugging at will.

      • the one on Holden could be straight red, he clubbed him

        Honduras looked to win of course, but also to beat up the USMNT all night with ref complicity, and once the game not in doubt, tenderize them for the final even if they lost, my opinion. they hacked away allowed

      • I was actually pleasantly surprised that the earlier games went as relatively smoothly reffing-wise as they did.

      • good call, even for Klinnsman at the helm in general in the region, but some true colors in the semi

      • The foul against Holden was probably the worst of the game. That alone should have had Klinsmann standing up for our players. The problem is that there is no recourse in the face of bad refereeing. The players can’t stand up for themselves without getting carded and the coaches can’t stand up for the players without getting sent off.

        That was, hands down and eyes wide shut, the worst refereeing of the cup.

    • Fouled twice on the same play, guess he was showing his intensity with the ball on his foot, but I the look on his face seemed to say he knew he should have gone down.

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    • Because Wondo is Mr. Hustle and against Belize that’s good for 6 (or 3 or whatever) but here he lacks the chops. We’re re-learning the same lesson we knew before this started.

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  23. Interesting comments from some Mexican fans tonight in that they almost hope they lose tonight because they feel the US might embarrass them on Sunday.

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    • They must have hoped pretty hard.

      Columbus in Sept. will potentially be a huge, huge game. If Mex needs 3pts and the US dusts El Tri, the balance of power will have officially shifted. How sweet it would be to deny Mexico a spot at the WC.

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  24. Klinsmann, USMNT, and USSF better protest / appeal the heck out of that sending off and, thus, missing the final. Absolute B.S.

    Referee didn’t card Honduras once?? What a joke. I guess he thinks he’s cool and “powerful” by throwing Jurgen out. Good for JK though, he didn’t take any crap and defended his players throughout the game. I like to see that intensity…it definitely filters through the ranks. I’m a little concerned about Klinsi missing the final though….thoughts?

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    • Depends on how the mediation goes. JK could still be on the sidelines come the final if the rest of the “Court” have eyes and brains (big if I know).
      If he’s not at field level for the final….will depend on 1) who we have to play (Pan/Mex), 2) If he’s allowed in the locker-room at half. A lot of the prep work will already be mapped out for whoever the coach is, and if JK is allowed in the locker-room at half he can add further direction.

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      • Not as big a deal in soccer. Can always buy a cheap temporary cell phone and text with the bench.

        If they go crazy and decide to suspend him for the next WCQ, that would concern me.

    • Thing is, it doesn’t matter what happened in the game that caused Klinsy to lose his temper. He was sent off correctly, and it will probably be upheld. You have to behave responsibly and he didn’t.

      I would be very surprised to see him on the final, they might take pity on him though cause it’s a final.

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  25. Beckerman is excellent when he can keep up with play but against the better teams he does not have the foot speed to cover the ground required.

    Impressed with Donovan and EJ up top, but EJ will be back to the bench for the A team unless he plays RM. Donovan and Altidore up top with Dempsey pinching in from the left should make a very solid attacking trio. Need speed and width on the right.

    US is starting to be fun to watch!

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    • I would like to see this with our first choice line-up

      ——————————Howard

      TBD——-Gonzalez————-Besler————F. Johnson

      ——————Bradley————Jones

      Zusi————————-Dempsey—————-Donovan

      ——————————Altidore

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      • Although Zusi has played very well, if Holden comes on, I think he will start ahead of Zusi in Brazil.

      • No way does Holden start over Zusi at right wing. After all those injuries, Holden doesn’t have the longevity to run up and down the sideline all day. Keep him in the middle where he really shines.

      • Zusi is not world class. Holden is. Klinsmann will make the right choice assuming all develops as expected.

        Having said that, I’m fine with plugging in Holden next to Bradley, but I don’t seen Klinsmann doing that. He likes a bruising mid.

      • this is a nice lineup for about 10-15 minutes of the game, about the amount of time the US plays that formation in a game

    • You’re suggesting we should play Jozy up top with Landon and Dempsey in support? Crazy idea!!

      EJ is going back to the bench where he belongs. I’m glad he’s revived his career and become an effective option for us, but he is somewhere between 12-30 on the pecking order in terms of quality. I don’t think it’s bad to have a bunch of people ready to go in who have recently produced but you play your best.

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  26. It was open season on our players with a huge number of late double footed tackles the kind that break legs. Concacaf is a joke. All of the teams are second rated . Once they get behind they start trying to hurt people. Everyone of those teams are classless thugs that are enabled by the worst referees in the world. Honduras did not get one card tonight.

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    • LMAO!

      Why? Because Honduras didn’t even wait until they were behind to start playing whack a mole with Torres and Holden. Five minutes in, both of those players probably felt like Daniel after walking into open-sparring night at the Cobra Kai dojo.

      I think that might well have been the worst refereeing of the cup. The only mistake Klinsmann made, in my opinion, was in waiting too long to stand up and protest the referee’s whole Sergeant Schultz routine.

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    • I thought the ref accidentally left the cards at the hotel, until he pulled out a yellow for Johnson and a red for Klinsman.

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      • Klinsmann was not shown any card – the Laws of the Game say that only players can be shown cards. Klinsmann was merely ejected with hand signals.

      • You are right that only player can be shown a card, but it is absolutely ridiculous to allow a team to engage in persistent and in some instances dangerous fouling throughout the game and then sending off a coach with five minutes to go for trying to protect his players.

  27. Ref was soooo awful. Beckerman impressed me again. Kinda starting to see what rsl fans like about him. Still don’t see him worrying any A team players about their spot. And Shea is just awful. I know he hasn’t “played” much in awhile, but come on.

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    • Shea is going through a confidence crisis; give him a break. The world cup is in a year and as of now he is not in the team.

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    • Yeah, Shea is big and strong and all that, but his touch and vision aren’t even B team quality. He could have handed Honduras a goal with one of his misplayed lazy reverse diagonals.

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      • No player in the world can play effectively all the time they are on the pitch. Goodson, also made a mistake that could’ve been costly.

      • The difference is Goodson made a number of effective plays (his two hockey assist passes on the first and third goals) to warrant his inclusion on the pitch.

      • The difference is Goodson made a number of effective plays (his two hockey @ssist passes on the first and third goals) to warrant his inclusion on the pitch.

      • I notice Shea triedto use his right foot a couple of times. Very awkward but at least he’s trying because his moves are very predictable.

      • Shea has the physical potential to be the top left winger in the US pool and a well paid winger with a long career in the Premiership.

        Will his football IQ catch up in time? That is the question.

        But he is worth the development effort, in my opinion. If one day it “clicks,” he will be a powerful weapon.

      • Unfortunately, it’s this. When Shea has admitted before, “I don’t remember doing things. It’s only when I go back and see the video, I think, ‘Wow, I did that?” you have to ask questions at his age. He should be conscious of everything he does, completely focused. Otherwise he’s going to be in for a rude awakening this season.

        Soccer physique gets you far in MLS. Soccer IQ takes you farther in the rest of the world.

      • No. As in most sports, really good players can almost never tell you what they were thinking when they do something. If you think it, then you missed it. It’s instinct. Your point doesn’t apply.

      • You really think Xavi and Iniesta can’t tell you what they were thinking during a match?

    • Shea had some bad touches for sure but he also had 2 really dangerous crosses you. Forward. He’s out of form but clearl has the talent for this level. It will come down to club performance this year for him.

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    • I think Shea is tremendously useful against teams that, like Honduras, are going with MMA tactics. He is not the best footballer, for sure, but he is big, he is strong, and smaller players injure themselves trying to knock him down. When the other team is trying to deliver, with every play, a beat-down it can be useful to put some players out there who can take a beating.

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  28. Bedoya was surprising on attack. Actually he could have had an assist or two more, because he was sending some dangerous feeds into Donovan. One was just misplayed by LD, but what are you gonna do.

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  29. And we got “CONCACAF reffed” yet again. What a wacko to miss just about every call on the field but to send Klinsmann off for complaining (and honestly, we’ve all seen coaches completely lose it and STILL walk the sidelines).

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  30. Totally dismantled a team that beat our A-team in February and in the rematch allowed on one goal by Altidore…….klinsman and this team is for real

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  31. Better than the A-team…..a team with 8-9 players that beat the US in february and harassed us to an only 1-0 win in June (with Suarez as coach!!!!) With Donovan firing on all cylinders this team is thrashing teams that use to be a threat….there are a lot of players that don’t have a certain place anymore on the A-Team. This is proof that the best players dont necessarily make the best team. We might just take it to the house

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    • Totally agree. We need to start the discussion on who comes off the A team. I think Donovan (obviously), Holden, Johnson, Beckerman, Corona, Diskeruud, Torres, Wondo, Orozoco in descending order have all made cases to be in the final 23. I assume Goodson, Besler, Beasely are already guaranteed spots. Danny Williams needs to go for sure but beyond that I wonder who else falls down the pecking order.

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  32. Ejecting the coach of the winning team in the semifinals with 5 minutes to go was effing ridiculous. US should refuse that ref entry to the states from now on.

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  33. Am utterly appalled by refs who are not interested in protecting players – but INTENSELY interesting in protecting their own “authority.” Surprised he didn’t card Torres and Beasley as well for getting kicked repeatedly and asking for a foul.

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    • Seriously. Note to usmnt, if you play with that ref foul as hard and as many times as you want just dont open your mouth.

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      • I truly believe that there is an issue with the officiating. More often than not when the US (and to a lesser extent Mexico) face off against Central American teams (Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, etc…), if the Refs are also Central American there seems to be some Favoritism shown. Be it giving the CA team free licence to abuse the opponents or producing quick cards to the US players. Just appears as if they try and stack the deck against the US (& Mex).

      • I think you are absolutely right (on BOTH countries). I’ll come out and say it: give me a Mexican referee anytime in CONCACAF games (excepting games between the two of course).

      • They have to get Refs from outside the region. It is ridiculous! Our players were hacked. Of course Klinsmann should be pissed!

      • The announcers seemed to make light of that foul on Holden, but not only should it have been a PK, it also should have been a red card since he was going in on goal and it was last man fouling, denying a goal scoring opportunity, which should always be red.

      • By what measure was this a red card? He was not the last defender, the goalie was so this does not fall into the “denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity”. And from what I saw it was not intentional or malicious. Was it a foul? Yes, absolutely. Anytime you go in to a player with your elbow high, it should be called and at the very least a yellow card issued. Your right on one fact though, it should have been a penalty.

    • I think Torres came close to a card when he demonstrably counted off all the times he thought he had been fouled. But he had a point, because at least half of those, it looked like he was. It was like open season on that player.

      I thought EJ went down too easily, though. That’s part of the ‘protecting players’ formula. Don’t help put the refs in a mindset that if they don’t see blood it must be a dive.

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    • and the US players handled themselves pretty well thru it all. Coach getting tossed is a joke but this stuff is par for the course in our regional games far too often. Great to overcome it

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    • This guy was truly awful. The US was lucky we didn’t have anyone really hurt. I hope we get the Jamaican referee Courtney Campbell who did Mexico vs. Panama for the final. He seems much better.

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    • “Play the ball as it lies.” This game was reffed more like in the old days. I was more bothered by the Holden elbow than anything else.

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