Panama was always going to make it a fight, but the 2009 U.S. Gold Cup team showed on Saturday that it capable of taking a punch and still finding a way to win.
The U.S. national team went into Saturday's Gold Cup quarterfinal as the favorite, but anyone expecting the Panamanians to be a pushover doesn't know much about CONCACAF. With striker Blas Perez, defender Felipe Baloy and goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, the Central American side had the pieces to pull off the upset, and looked poised to win a game it never controlled. At least before Kyle Beckerman's blast and a steady second-half performance that eventually wore down Panama.
By the time the whistle blew on regulation, the Americans stood as a group, listening intently to head coach Bob Bradley's instructions. On the other side of the field, the Panamanians were laid out on the Lincoln Financial Field grass, worn out and looking unlikely to muster the energy for the upset. That might explain how defender Roman Torres managed to miss a clearance attempt in his own area and kick Kenny Cooper in the mid-section, setting up Cooper's game-winning penalty kick.
While the game itself wasn't beautiful, the team performance was inspiring for a young and shorthanded U.S. squad that will head into Thursday's semifinal vs. Honduras brimming with confidence.
Here are the U.S. player grades for the quarterfinal, along with some other observations:
USA Player grades vs. Panama
Troy Perkins (6.5)– Had no chance on the goal, aggressive off his line and better with his distribution.
Heath Pearce (6)– Defended well and got involved in the overlap well. A performance and tournament to build on for the one-time A-Team starter.
Chad Marshall (7)– A mountain in the middle, dominated in the air and broke up every sequence. Was involved in the Panama goal, but he did well to win the ball and send it to a teammate.
Jimmy Conrad (6)– Was having the beginnings of a great game before being forced out with a concussion on a nasty head to the skull.
Jay Heaps (5.5)– Steady, well-positioned and miles better than the Haiti match.
Robbie Rogers (5)– Defensively, Rogers tracked back well and allowed Pearce to get forward. Offensively, he failed repeatedly to beat his man, committing countless turnovers. His cross on the Beckerman goal boosts his grade.
Kyle Beckerman (7.5)– His best performance in an already impressive tournament. After a steady first half, Beckerman stepped it up in the second half with a stellar goal and dominant effort covering ground and maintaining possession for the Americans.
Logan Pause (5.5)– Struggled in the first half but eventually settled in and provide good support in front of the defense, allowing Beckerman to get more involved in the attack.
Stuart Holden (7)– All over the field most of the match, Holden showed a world-class work rate and while he could have done better on the Panama goal (as well as on a great chance created by Davy Arnaud), he did help set up the play that drew the game-winning penalty.
Brian Ching (6.5)– Solid effort as a target forward. Drew countless fouls and earned a bunch of good free kicks. He needed to finish off that early header, but is definitely playing himself into form and is making a case for starting vs. Mexico in August.
Davy Arnaud (6.5)– Another good performance up top for the Wizards striker. His quickness is a good complement to Ching and his lay-off pass on Beckerman's goal was clutch. Had another assist-worthy pass that Holden pushed wide. Worthy of another start in the semifinal.
Clarence Goodson (6)– There was some uncertainty when Conrad left the match, but Goodson stepped right in and did an admirable job. Did lose his mark on the Panama goal, but was otherwise solid.
Kenny Cooper (6.5)– Another erratic performance, but his grade gets a boost for him stepping up and taking the game-winning penalty. Still needs to work on his team play, and he's still disappointing in the air, but the goal should boost his confidence.
Brad Evans (INC)– Didn't play enough for a grade.
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Some more thoughts:
Say what you want about the Panama goal, but it was a fluky play and Blas Perez is good enough to pounce on it. Marshall did his best to get it away from the attacker and to a teammate, but Holden couldn't settle it because it came in too fast. You also had Goodson being beaten to the corner kick, which was then headed at Marshall with Perez lurking.
Beckerman is really coming into his own. Yes, he will give up the odd unforced turnover, but more often than not he'll fight to win the ball back. His passing and attacking qualities are underrated and he is still a tough tackler. The national team pool is deepest in central midfield, but Beckerman is showing that he's worthy of being in the discussion.
Kudos to Jay Heaps for rebounding from the Haiti match to put in a solid effort vs. Panama. He was up to every challenge thrown at him and kept himself in good positions throughout.
Put your money on Brian Ching starting vs. Mexico on Aug. 12 if he's healthy. His ability to hold up the ball, draw fouls, and set up other teammates with passes is invaluable, even moreso on the first team with the likes of Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey playing off him. He's still shaking the rust off after several months away from the national team, but you see the tools that should make him a first-team starter again when World Cup qualifying resumes.
That isn't the only reason to expect Ching to start vs. Mexico. As impressive as Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies were in the Confederations Cup I have a feeling Bob Bradley isn't going to want to throw two young forwards out in a qualifier at Azteca.
Davy Arnaud has quietly enjoyed a good Gold Cup. Forgotten in all the pre-tournament chatter, the Wizards striker is quick and smart and understands the team game. He not only set up Beckerman's goal, but would have had a second assist if Holden could have finished a great look in the second half. It may not result in qualifying call-ups, but he deserves the credit for stepping up in the Gold Cup.
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That's all for now. What did you think of the U.S. team's performance vs. Panama? Feeling good about this team and it's ability to step up to challenges? Like the U.S. team's chances vs. Honduras?
Share your thoughts below.
OH COME ON!!! WE BEAT PANAMA IN EXTRA TIME!!! This does NOT call for celebration!! Stop being US homers. If we can only beat Panama because of extra time, we have no chance in the final- if we even GET there!
One reason Ching will start is b.c. he can actually bring the ball down. If Jozy and Davies are in the game, Jozy has to win arieal balls. He showed very bad touch at the Confed Cup. There was a point where I just did not expect the US to keep goal kicks that went to Jozy. Ching does this better than anyone in the US pool at FWD and this is very important to Bradley.
I DVRed the game but so far have only watched the highlights on crappy internet video, so I have one question. I hear a lot of talk about how Holden should or should not be blamed for the Perez’s goal, but what about the US defender who was on the goal line? Who was that, I couldn’t tell from the limited shot I saw but was wondering if it was Heaps? Whoever it was, in my opinion he should be blamed for that goal as he was supposed to be guarding the post for the corner. He stayed on the line but strayed so far from the post that he couldn’t even reach the post with his arm outstretched. If he had stayed on the post until the ball was cleared like he was supposed to Perez’s shot would have hit him and he’d be a hero.
Look at it this way: Ching can create for every player out on the field, while Cooper can only create for himself. Which player would you rather have?
Striker, agreed 1000%.
The Ching bashers are idiots, plain and simple. He’s not a superstar, but he gets the job done. I’m looking forward to a Jozy-Davies forward line as much as the next guy, but if they start in Azteca they will struggle. I don’t think people realize how tough it is to play there.
Ives.. thanks for the clarification… some people are just so frustrated with the choices that Bob Bradley makes….
Conor Casey should never see the pitch again… but I would love to see a more conscious effort to put more players on the Sr. team who are comfortable on the ball… beckerman and holden are the most worthy candidates in my eyes…
Holden has a great and relaxing attitude too… check out the video on ussoccer.com where Quaranta and Holden hang out with the kicker from the eagles
I don’t see anyone killing Cooper for his amazing miss, like they’re killing Ching.
Nice win for the US, but that has to be the gayest picture ever!!!!!!!
Good effort in a physical game.
I thought Quaranta would’ve been useful: to bring more energy coming in for Pause for example, or Rogers, who had an off game.
Yes, Ching *drew* a lot of fouls. Too bad they weren’t all called…
CAP WAMBACH NOW!!!!
Only 85% kidding. She’s 6’0″ 175. And finishes better than Ching…
I’m just sayin’…
@ Dangerfield: I used to agree with you that Clark was an eager (but often horribly reckless) tackler, but lousy with the ball. Not anymore. I thought he showed excellent composure in the confed cup games, solid control of the ball and decent, if not visionary, passing. Italy game aside, he also seems to have curbed some of his wild tendencies. If he keeps it up, it’s hard to keep him off the field given his workrate and athleticism.
As for Edu, I need to see more of him. He looked great at times in the Olympics, but he goes through stretches where his passing is just miserable. If he’s fixed that at Rangers, then he sure has to be considered.
With Jones coming in an essentially playing the same as those 2 (and arguably M Bradley), it’s hard to see where Beckerman fits in. I think he’s been excellent so far this tournament, and his composure and tidy passing have been impressive (IMO), but I don’t think he has the range or athletic abilities of the other candidates at that position. Nice to see that he’s managed to insert himself into the argument, though.
YWTC:
“US soccer celebrates the repeal of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’.”
Listen folks, I didn’t say Altidore and Davies don’t deserve to start vs. Mexico, or couldn’t handle it, BUT if Bob Bradley has the choice between a healthy Brian Ching and the two young guys for THAT match vs. Mexico on Aug. 12, my money is on him starting the player with more experience and who fits the team better.
As for bringing up the fact that Bradley chose to start Altidore and Davies vs. Egypt and Spain, who else was he going to start exactly? There weren’t really many other options at that point in the tournament.
Also, there’s a difference beween facing a very tough opponent and facing a tough opponent in an extremely tough environment in a match with serious meaning. Ching has played in several more of those kind of matches than Davies and Altidore combined. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to see Altidore/Davies start at Azteca, but there’s clearly an argument for Ching starting (one that his detractors won’t even bother to listen to or understand).
Lastly, the Ching hate has gone from funny, to sad to almost pointless to acknowledge. I’m not saying Ching is Drogba or a world class striker, but for right now, and for where the current forward pool is in terms of maturity and form, Ching fits the starting U.S. squad as well as any other forward. Does that mean that will be the case in 2010? Of course not, but it’s not 2010 yet.
villarreal beat some nowhere team… nexaca?… 27-0… 27!!! was jozy there?
This kind of depth was not even close to being available even four years ago… I’m not saying this is a great team, its not, but this is a group of players that is capable of playing attacking soccer for long stretches w/out resorting to just blasting long balls all game. Our MLS players have come a very long way in a very short time…
Guys like Holden, Rogers, Beckerman, Arnaud, Marshall and Condrad are fringe B teamers, yet they look very capable of challenging to win this tournament against some pretty good teams…
I just hope we get a chance to see them against Mexico. If this team were to beat a Mexican side w/ from what I can tell some of its first teamers, that would be yet another crushing defeat to their psyche.
Apparently, all it takes for Ching to merit a 6.5 is to work hard. Who would have thought, at the international level, that you could still miss all your chances, fail to connect well with your midfield, and cause no real pressure on the back four and earn an above average grade!
He looks slow and old. He’s still good when he’s parked in front of goal with Mullan and Davis launching pinpoint crosses, but we need a bit more movement from our forwards.
I completely agree about Holden and Beckerman… holden shows great composure… and the guy has a rocket of a shot
I would subtract 1.5 from every grade.
Bradley won’t want to throw two young forwards out in a qualifier at Azteca? But he will throw two young forwards out in a must-win game against Egypt? In a an international semi-final against Spain, the (previous?) best team in the world. In an international final against Brazil, arguably the greatest national team to take the field?
-ko’d-
Dude seriously, Ching wasn’t even at that tournament. If he was, Davies wouldn’t have started as often as he had.
Ching is awful. Only Ives could spin his performance on Saturday into something positive. He brings nothing to the table and flubs clear chances constantly. He draws fouls??? More like he dives like Greg Louganis. Terrible.
Much better ratings than Doug McIntyre provided for ESPN.
Good job on this one Ives, they might be a bit high but are accurate in comparison to each other.
i have no problem with ching getting the start @ azteca w the chance of altidore coming in being the super sub. davies should get the start though.
Agree completely about Arnaud. Now, I only got to see the highlights, but it seemed that he consistently showed up doing good things. Props to him for stepping it up.
bradley is not calling anyone up that wasn’t on the field or roster on saturday. he might find someone to replace conrad but it’s not going to be altidore, clark or guzan. did not see if sasha was on the 30 man roster or whatever ridiculous # of players the US got to list.
One again, No more PAUSE!!!! Please!!!!
USA was playing with 10 guys, Did Pause stole a ball back for us or ever make a pass forward? Man Bob we have Cronin at least he is more offensive.
if we aren’t ready to start ‘2 young forwards in azteca’ then we won’t in the world cup either.
Everyone keeps saying that Beckerman is the unfortunate victim of a numbers game in the middle of the park. And that’s probably true. I dunno. I love Ricky Clark’s energy and tackling but he’s awful with the ball. Same for Maurice Edu. Both are great ball winners, but give it away far too much. I think Beckerman has waaay more to his game. Not saying I’d take him to South Africa over those two, but Mike Bradley and Benny Feilhaber are the only guys I outright rate above him.
Stuart Holden is ready for the first team. Put Dempsey up top where he belongs. And give Holden a shot on the wing.
Why is no one mentioning that Pearce was directly responsible for Panama receiving the corner right before half? I would be upset if a U16 player couldn’t have headed that ball upfield rather than over our endline. Why is he getting a free pass? I was at the game and I thought he was at best a 5. Maybe even a 4. We don’t need to see him with the Sr. team again.
Bradley won’t want to throw two young forwards out in a qualifier at Azteca? But he will throw two young forwards out in a must-win game against Egypt? In a an international semi-final against Spain, the (previous?) best team in the world. In an international final against Brazil, arguably the greatest national team to take the field?
Bradley may come up with a lot of reasons not to play Altidore and Davies up top together on August 12, but the fact that they are “young,” that it is a “qualifier,” and that it is in “Azteca,” simply does not hold water. They have experience in important, high-pressure games. I just disagree with you on that one, Ives.
Ching starting against Mexico makes sense. Maybe not other teams in the world bubt against Mexico, IMO, it makes sense. He can frustrate the heck out them and due to their lack of discipline the free kicks and potential penalties he can draw are valuable.
That RB for Panama is realy good? Or Robbie was bad? Time will tell but I agree with Ives that an MLS team needs to take notice of that guy.
Holden is in my WC squad. Period. His versatility as a mid and winger, together with his play in this tournament has to have him ahead of Sacha…and Torres better show BB something special.
Davy Arnaud hasn’t just had a strong Gold Cup run but should be considered for a reserve spot of the WC roster. His quickness, determination, and work ethic would be a great asset off the beach, especially if the US goes up on a world power and needs fresh legs to chase up top and make things difficult on the opponent in their build up.
@whatagame
I would rather take the chaperone in case howard gets hurt in game one, guzan screws up in the second half of said game causing us to have to rely on a wily veteran to guide us through the rest of the tournament
I hope bradley calls up a few of the spot players for this Thursday.
Altidore
Guzan
Clark
Sacha(even though he has been bad)
This next game will be tougher than the Panama game.
We need to call in Ricardo Clark for this next match. Beckerman has great attacking prowess and I think having a player like Clark will free up Beckerman to go forward like he did for Bradley in the Confederations Cup. Something like this
——————-Ching——————-
Rogers——————————-Arnaud
———–Holden——-Beckerman———-
——————-Clark——————-
Pearce——Marshall——Conrad——Heaps
——————-Perkins—————–
or….
—————-Ching—-Arnaud————
Rogers——————————-Holden
—————-Clark—-Beckerman———
Pearce——————————–Heaps
————-Marshall—-Conrad————
———————Perkins—————
We need to see how players like Holden, Rogers and Marshall do in the finals like this so lets get some of our better players.
Is this the “write your own caption”??
I’ll go with:
“The hills are alive…”
I was very impressed with Arnaud, Beckerman, and Holden. Chad Marshall is becoming a beast in the back line. Complain about Bradley all you want, the man is putting together a solid team with depth in every position.
Honduras match is going to be very interesting.
Slightly different roles, but does Beckerman bring more to the table than Clark?
Did anyone else feel some odd sense of relief when the ball go to the feet of Holden? Seemed to be easily the most composed, comfortable player on the field. We don’t have many of those.
The best thing about Beckerman is his competitiveness and heart. It’s what makes him a player.
I could definitely see a Ching-Davies partnership in Azteca, either way, I think the US has 3 good options up top.
Conrad, Marshall and Goodson have been very good.
And Blas Perez is a cheap, whiney, diving jerk of a player. I thought the rest of the Panamanian squad played a tough, physical game, only Mr. Elbows was over the line.
Nothing on Wambach’s 100th yet Ives?
I would have to think that if Ching starts up top against Mexico, it would be Jozy Altidore’s spot he will be taking. Davies has been far too impressive to lose that spot, but stranger things have happened in terms of Bradley’s roster selections.
A lot of us realized before the match that it was going to be a grind.
Our boys worked hard and they got the result against what is Panama’s A side.
Hope that Conrad recovers soon. Concussions can be very nasty business.
They rallied well and showed some grit, but this team is getting thinner (and younger) by the minute. We’ll have a hard time getting by Honduras and a tougher time against Costa Rica or Mexico if we make it to the final. It will be ineresting to see how these guys respond as the degree of difficulty increases; then we will find out how good they are and whether they get to be part of the USMNT conversation down the road. Ching is already on the bus. Pearce is looking for his seat. Marshall and Holden are booking reservations and Perkins is waiting to hear if they would prefer to have an old guy as a chaperone (Hahneman or Keller) or have another young guy to backup the younger guy who’s backing up the really, really good guy. Beckerman, despite good performances, may be the odd man out given all the players ahead of him in line.
I second the motion for a “you write the caption” nominee!
Guys like Arnaud and Beckerman NEED to be a part of the team going forward. While they probably won’t go to South Africa, they need to be there to push the ones that are. If they practice half as hard as they play (and I bet it’s more like 125% in practice) they can be invaluable.
I like what I’ve seen from Jimmy Conrad.
I like what I’ve seen from Chad Marshall.
I like what I’ve seen from Clarence Goodson.
I like what I’ve seen from Danny Califf.
Only one gets to go to South Africa, most likely. That will be interesting.
I think Heaps is a MUCH better RB than LB.
Lastly, I need to rewatch it, but I think Arnaud brought more to THIS match than Holden.
Hey Ives, any chance of using your ESPN contacts to get video of the US team receiving their ESPY? Thanks!
He won’t throw them out in the Azteca, because being tested against the likes of Spain and Brazil just isn’t a solid indicator of potential performance?
Ives- as far as your “write your own caption” topics go i think that picture is a solid pick…. i loved Beckerman’s reaction to his goal, but that picture is a prime candidate
I have been in Spain for the last two months so for the games I have had to stay up until 2 or 3 in the morning to watch them. The game was pretty ugl to start with and after Perez scored I was so disgusted that I just turned of my computer (you have to love rojadirecta.com) and decided to hit the sack. I mean with a C team down 1-0 I thought there was no way we would win this one. I was wrong good jub guys way to fight back and get yourselves into the semis.