By Will Kuhns in San Salvador
Coach Bruce Arena, goalkeeper Kasey Keller and forward Brian McBride all noted that the U.S. men's national team could have played better in El Salvador on Saturday, but none complained about a 2-0 win on the road, either.
For a country disillusioned with its national team by all accounts, El Salvador mustered plenty of spirit within Cuscatlan Stadium, where about 20,000 showed their colors. The host team responded, proving to be much more of a challenge than it had been in the Sept. 4 meeting in Foxboro. But the same result occurred.
Through much of the first half, the United States found itself in one of two modes — leisurely passing the ball uncontested among its three defenders or scrambling to recover after losing possession while trying to enter the attacking third of the field.
Balls played out to DaMarcus Beasley and Frankie Hejduk on the two touchlines often simply returned to the back three. And fortunately for the U.S. team, most of El Salvador's counterattacks lacked coordination.
As the half progressed, Beasley began to get free on the left and in the 30th minute, Kerry Zavagnin fed Brian McBride, who faked two shots before ripping one inside the right post from 17 yards.
''I think the first half we were a little sloppy in a lot of different parts of the field, but in the second half we were much more solid,'' Arena said. ''We need to keep possession of the ball a little better than we did tonight. If we clean it up, we're certainly going to be more dangerous going forward. … Obviously, I think we could have scored more goals. But you don¦t win that many games on the road in World Cup qualifying from what I understand.''
Kasey Keller dealt with the few dangerous balls that El Salvador put into the box early in the second half. The Salvadorans began venturing forward in larger numbers and in the 75th minute Beasley exploited those efforts with a pass to Landon Donovan, who gave Eddie Johnson an empty net in which to cushion the lead.
The United States, which leads Group A with eight points, three ahead of Panama and Jamaica, which tied, 1-1, Saturday in Panama City, meets Panama Wednesday in Washington, D.C., and can assure itself a berth in next year's Hexagonal with one game to play in three circumstances:
(1) A victory over Panama.
(2) A 0-0 tie with Panama.
(3) Any tie with Panama and an El Salvador win over Jamaica Wednesday in Kingston.
Game Summary
Oct. 9 in San Salvador
El Salvador 0 USA 2. Goals: McBride 29, Johnson 75.
El Salvador — Alfaro, Tobar, M.Gonzalez, Velasquez, Umanzor, Merino, Rodriguez (Galdamez, 80), Cabrera (Zelaya, 80), Benitez, F.Gonzalez (Martinez, 70), Cerritos.
USA — Keller, Pope, Berhalter, Gibbs, Hejduk, Zavagnin, Beasley, Donovan, Mathis (Lewis, 68), McBride (Johnson, 71), Wolff (Jones, 88). Yellow cards: El Salvador — Merino 30, Cerritos 45, Zelaya 85; USA — Gibbs 31.
Referee: Carlos Batres (Guatemala).
Att.: 20,000.
EL SALVADOR-USA: Stats
Shots: El Salvador 6, USA 8.
Saves: El Salvador 4, USA 2.
Corner kicks: El Salvador 2, USA 3.
Fouls: El Salvador 18, USA 15.
Offside: El Salvador 3, USA 1.