Dan Casey
Two weeks ago the men’s national soccer team punched their ticket to Reno for the 2014 World Cup this upcoming summer. They played our southern neighbors and longtime rivals Mexico. The game was a World Cup Qualifier and was played in Philadelphia.
The U.S. played pretty well throughout the half and ended up scoring their first goal from the lone striker Eddie Johnson, a Seattle Sounders club player. He scored a towering header off a corner to give the US the early lead. Later in the game goal keeper Tim Howard, who plays his club soccer in England for Everton, made four key saves keeping the men in white in the game. Later in the second half the U.S. notched another goal to double their lead. This time it came from the Unites States’ all-time leading goal scorer Landon Donovan. The Los Angeles Galaxy Star was on the end of a back post cross and finished roofing the net, making it impossible for the Mexican goalkeeper to stop it. The game finished and the Americans clinched first place and a trip to Brazil.
This win for the Americans was doubly impressive because they were missing their best striker Josy Altidore. Altidore was coming off a hat trick in the men’s last game against FIFA’s 13 ranked country in the World Bosnia and Herzegovina. The win was a come from behind victory as they were trailing 2-0 at halftime. The U.S had an eleven game winning streak that was in serious jeopardy going in to the second half. But three straight goals from Altidore pushed them over the top. Altidore had to miss the game because he was suspended due to a yellow card he received in Costa Rica a week before.
The United States will need big contributions from all of their big name players if they hope to get out of group stage and make a deep run. The 2010 World Cup in South Africa was a great accomplishment for the team and country; winning the group over the likes of other world class teams like England.
The United States will have their third coach for the world cup in as many visits. Jürgen Klinsmann has had a great record ever since taking over the senior team and hopes to continue that into the summer. Klinsmann has experience with the World Cup, winning it in 1990 with the West German National team. The men’s team has one more qualifier which is basically an exhibition game at this point. Even still, they will look to have a good result against Jamaica and take any moment they can towards this summer. The game will be played on October 11 in Kansas City.
