The Slovenian goalkeeper had to the near post locked. The far post was off-limits *precisely* due to Donovan’s closing in on the goalkeeper and that near post.
Going around the goalkeeper was a no-go. Donovan had to raise a ball 6feet up (and no more than 8) in under 6 yards of distance to have a chance of going past the keeper. And he did precisely that. Anything else would’ve produced nothing for the US.
Rossi, meanwhile, fired off a sharp cross/far post shot that got caught beneath the crossbar and found its way in. I’m not going to call it luck, but I’m going to say there’s a high probably that it wasn’t wholly intentional.
Donovan’s shot, on the other hand, did exactly what he intended it to.
Which is important because he can still switch to the US side.
I recall reading an article the other day regarding an Irish-American player. He’s played U-20 for the USA but says he won’t make his final decision until he’s had a chance to get a U-20 for Ireland as well.
Najar could be in the same boat and just testing the waters. He could also be using the Honduran callup to simultaneously get international experience and let US Soccer know he’s playing hardball – give him an invite or risk losing him.
On the other hand, Najar could also be keenly aware of the midfield talent we’ve got on hand for 2014. I’m sure he could crack into the American lineup by then, but unless he’s the second-coming, he won’t get any significant big-match time for us. And he might be too impatient to wait heading up a 2018 squad.
Decisions, decisions. I’d think it’d be a natural one considering his background and which team can take him further, but I’m not a pro soccer player, so what do I know?
The guy didn’t want to play for the US, so what? He is good but he wouldn’t have changed soccer in America. Same story with Hernandez in Mexico and Hugo Sanchez.
I prefer to have a player that is proud to be American. Players that love the country and want to win. I hate it when people start speculating about good prospects becoming citizens. To be American you must want to be American.
Nice goal, but Rossi’s goal was just a close your eyes, close your nose and hit it like a rocket. The goalie did not definitively seal off the near post and paid a price for fractionally bad positioning. Some debate over Donovan v Rossi’s goals. Sorry, but perennial bottom feeder Espanyol in their mostly empty stadium is not the same pressure as a WC game. Donovan’s team was effectively eliminated unless they got back in the game so there was that pressure. And, the goalie had Donovan played very well. Donovan said the only place he could hit it was at his head as hard as he could and it almost blew the roof off the net. So it was well executed at big big moment. Big time players come through when it counts. They change big games and their goals are going to be regarded as better, greater, grander goals.
What was the goalie waiting on??? Really??? Rossi had NO ANGLE and got lucky. As BCC said, he misses that 99 times out of 100. On any given day, a keeper does not need to, nor should they, commit to a shot like that. He commits, then all Rossi has to do is slip it across the mouth of the goal so somebody else can tap it in, in which case the keeper looks really stupid.
no chance donovan’s was better. he was closer to the near post and had a better angle. and he was moving straight toward the goal, not toward the endline.
the angle here is tighter and is an equally good strike.
I also (naturally) wish that he had chosen to play for the USMNT, but I don’t necessarily think that he is a traitor. He’s said that he played for Italy because that’s something that his father, who passed away within the past couple of years, always wanted him to do. He never led anyone on about it. The US, as a nation that’s full of immigrants, is always going to have that sticky situation of where some of their soccer players are going to end up.
Amazing goal. I wish he could be playing for USMNT, but I consider him to to a data point showing that US can and should be producing more world class players. Someone needs to let American parents know that soccer’s one of the few sports left where you can be world class (and make gazillions) and be only 5’8″ (like Rossi).
Must see goal?? Gimme a break. He got to the endline and had nowhere to go so he just wailed it as hard as he could and hoped for the best. TRAITOR!! haha. Now if he was wearing the red, white, and blue, that’s an awesome goal!
He misses that 99 out of 100 times. Nice goal, but lucky.
I know, I know . . . but he’s a world class blah blah blah. How many times have I seen top players miss these shots by five yards, ruining a good build-up.
Fair. It was a pretty amazing goal. I guess to me it all comes down to intention, how much of it was Rossi purposely trying to do that, or was he running full speed and just tried to rip one on frame and that’s what happened.
i hate that a player with his talent is a product of America, and we can’t have him. it’d be one thing if we had central midfielders switching nationalities, cause that’s our deepest position, but why oh why does our thinnest position next to left back finally produce a world class looking player and he feels more Italian than American? we are cursed i tell you, cursed
Yes. But this was a pretty good one. Seems like Rossi was more of just taking a chance at it, Donovan’s was more “I’m in on goal, I gotta finish this thing somehow”.
A better angle? Are you kidding me?
The Slovenian goalkeeper had to the near post locked. The far post was off-limits *precisely* due to Donovan’s closing in on the goalkeeper and that near post.
Going around the goalkeeper was a no-go. Donovan had to raise a ball 6feet up (and no more than 8) in under 6 yards of distance to have a chance of going past the keeper. And he did precisely that. Anything else would’ve produced nothing for the US.
Rossi, meanwhile, fired off a sharp cross/far post shot that got caught beneath the crossbar and found its way in. I’m not going to call it luck, but I’m going to say there’s a high probably that it wasn’t wholly intentional.
Donovan’s shot, on the other hand, did exactly what he intended it to.
And Italy rewarded his loyalty with a starting spot on the WC2010 squad.
Wait… what? They didn’t?
Well… he played his part as an integral sub, right?
Wait… what? He wasn’t even invited?
One country’s eternal treasure is another country’s frequent trash. Rossi should’ve thought about that a little bit before making his decision…
But not a callup to the senior squad…
Which is important because he can still switch to the US side.
I recall reading an article the other day regarding an Irish-American player. He’s played U-20 for the USA but says he won’t make his final decision until he’s had a chance to get a U-20 for Ireland as well.
Najar could be in the same boat and just testing the waters. He could also be using the Honduran callup to simultaneously get international experience and let US Soccer know he’s playing hardball – give him an invite or risk losing him.
On the other hand, Najar could also be keenly aware of the midfield talent we’ve got on hand for 2014. I’m sure he could crack into the American lineup by then, but unless he’s the second-coming, he won’t get any significant big-match time for us. And he might be too impatient to wait heading up a 2018 squad.
Decisions, decisions. I’d think it’d be a natural one considering his background and which team can take him further, but I’m not a pro soccer player, so what do I know?
+1
The guy didn’t want to play for the US, so what? He is good but he wouldn’t have changed soccer in America. Same story with Hernandez in Mexico and Hugo Sanchez.
I prefer to have a player that is proud to be American. Players that love the country and want to win. I hate it when people start speculating about good prospects becoming citizens. To be American you must want to be American.
Nice goal, but Rossi’s goal was just a close your eyes, close your nose and hit it like a rocket. The goalie did not definitively seal off the near post and paid a price for fractionally bad positioning. Some debate over Donovan v Rossi’s goals. Sorry, but perennial bottom feeder Espanyol in their mostly empty stadium is not the same pressure as a WC game. Donovan’s team was effectively eliminated unless they got back in the game so there was that pressure. And, the goalie had Donovan played very well. Donovan said the only place he could hit it was at his head as hard as he could and it almost blew the roof off the net. So it was well executed at big big moment. Big time players come through when it counts. They change big games and their goals are going to be regarded as better, greater, grander goals.
Who says this anymore?
As soon as he started winding up, the goalie should have come out to cut the angle.. might have been able to get a slight touch on it.
The goalie could have even got to the inital pass if he had been at the top of the box…
That’s a great Goal. But some people who post here are too bitter to acknowlege that.
I laughed…. and then I cried. So true
What was the goalie waiting on??? Really??? Rossi had NO ANGLE and got lucky. As BCC said, he misses that 99 times out of 100. On any given day, a keeper does not need to, nor should they, commit to a shot like that. He commits, then all Rossi has to do is slip it across the mouth of the goal so somebody else can tap it in, in which case the keeper looks really stupid.
he went to maryland?
no chance donovan’s was better. he was closer to the near post and had a better angle. and he was moving straight toward the goal, not toward the endline.
the angle here is tighter and is an equally good strike.
good one.
+1
WOW
Come on not all is lost. Findley would have gotten to that ball a split second earlier…& then touched it right out of bounds…so sad.
A+
He’s worth a lot of money, is Rossi.
They can have all of the Jersey Shore kids.
I’d be excited if he were American.
i heard every time Giuseppe Rossi scores a goal an Italian-American changes his citizenship
Good for him.
Fair point
This video jinxed us, now Honduras are saying Andy Najar will play for them. :-/
No, he could care less. For example, by not bothering to write a comment about it.
Great goal.
I also (naturally) wish that he had chosen to play for the USMNT, but I don’t necessarily think that he is a traitor. He’s said that he played for Italy because that’s something that his father, who passed away within the past couple of years, always wanted him to do. He never led anyone on about it. The US, as a nation that’s full of immigrants, is always going to have that sticky situation of where some of their soccer players are going to end up.
With today’s scuttlebutt, that’s looking like a questionable “if”. Najar is expected tp accept Honduras U20 call-up
Amazing goal. I wish he could be playing for USMNT, but I consider him to to a data point showing that US can and should be producing more world class players. Someone needs to let American parents know that soccer’s one of the few sports left where you can be world class (and make gazillions) and be only 5’8″ (like Rossi).
But the thing is he isn’t a product of America.
He went back to Italy when he was around 12? So by all means he is an Italian product…America played little to no role in his development.
Must see goal?? Gimme a break. He got to the endline and had nowhere to go so he just wailed it as hard as he could and hoped for the best. TRAITOR!! haha. Now if he was wearing the red, white, and blue, that’s an awesome goal!
Touch, speed and finishing ability, all on display here. Three things we’ve not had in one striker to play for us.
was thinking the same thing
_____ is without doubt a fine player and this was a great goal (with poor keeping as well).
What was the goalie waiting on? Not the best defending.
Great Goal by an ‘American” (Just not a US International)…too bad his Dad didn’t get to see that goal, that was one for the ages.
He misses that 99 out of 100 times. Nice goal, but lucky.
I know, I know . . . but he’s a world class blah blah blah. How many times have I seen top players miss these shots by five yards, ruining a good build-up.
You mean “couldn’t” care less.
Agreed. Hard to cheer for him now that he isn’t on our side.
If I was Liverpool and about to sell Torres I would be all over a nice 30 million offer for this guy.
Well, if we get Najar, and he turns out great, we could break even.
We could have used that twerp.
Fair. It was a pretty amazing goal. I guess to me it all comes down to intention, how much of it was Rossi purposely trying to do that, or was he running full speed and just tried to rip one on frame and that’s what happened.
Either way sick highlight.
I could care less about this kid. Good riddance.
Ha! Sweet!
i hate that a player with his talent is a product of America, and we can’t have him. it’d be one thing if we had central midfielders switching nationalities, cause that’s our deepest position, but why oh why does our thinnest position next to left back finally produce a world class looking player and he feels more Italian than American? we are cursed i tell you, cursed
Yes. But this was a pretty good one. Seems like Rossi was more of just taking a chance at it, Donovan’s was more “I’m in on goal, I gotta finish this thing somehow”.
No I don’t think it was. Donovan’s momentum wasn’t carrying him away from the goal. and didn’t have a defender closing him down with speed
Audacious…he’s is on fire…
donovan’s was better