Mired in mediocrity, the USA nevertheless pushed to the brink of qualification for the 2010 World Cup when it posted critical wins over Hexagonal minnows El Salvador and Trinidad & Tobago. Yet questions of selection, confidence and leadership persist.
Tag: men’s national team
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
U.S. Soccer: Jonathan Spector
Injuries have ruled Jonathan Spector out of important competitions the past few years, but his return to fitness primed him for the Premier League season with West Ham as well as more regular duty on the U.S. national team.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Confederations Cup: Infectious belief
The USA restored some spirit and pride by beating Egypt and Spain and losing narrowly to Brazil to finish second at the Confederations Cup, the World Cup 2010 dress rehearsal in South Africa.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Americans Abroad: Maurice Edu’s Wild Ride
Sidelined for the summer by a knee injury, U.S. midfielder Maurice Edu has some time to reflect on a wild ride that has taken him from college soccer to the U.S. national team and Scotland in less than three years.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
World Cup Qualifying: USA’s Recurring Problems
A propensity to concede early goals plagued the U.S. again during its two Hexagonal matches in June, and an overall sluggishness in transition is one facet of the team’s game that needs to be improved between now and the 2010 World Cup.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
World Cup Qualifying: Frankie Hejduk
Frankie Hejduk, who played in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups but was sidelined in 2006, has set his sights on another World Cup.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
World Cup Qualifying: USA
The first of four qualifying double-dates produced the standard four points as the USA beat Trinidad & Tobago, 3-0, in Nashville after tying, 2-2, in San Salvador, but also left some niggling questions yet to be resolved.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
USA-Mexico Game: New Year, Same Story
The frigid conditions of eight years past didn’t materialize this time at Crew Stadium, yet the Americans still beat Mexico, 2-0. Opening the Hexagonal with a valuable three points provided a few glimpses as to how the team may develop as it prepares for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
World Cup Qualifying: Central Casting
U.S. head coach Bob Bradley has several candidates to fill the central midfield positions for the Hexagonal. He’s earned only 16 caps since debuting for the national team in 2005 yet Houston Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark could be a major player.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
My View: Can USA Qualify With Flair?
The USA won’t have much trouble qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, but we should expect more. Getting its first win in Mexico and playing impressive soccer would be nice.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
U.S. Soccer: Another Option at Outside Back
A heavy schedule of games in 2007 opened the door for several hopefuls to make their mark with the national team, and one of the players to emerge was left back.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
No frills, no thrills, from Banality Bob
The only difference between the recent performances of Bob Bradley’s USA against Poland and Switzerland, and the display against England yesterday, was that the USA won the first two games. Yesterday it lost, thereby exposing the truth that all three games featured a side that is virtually devoid of attacking ideas.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Heerenveen slide continues; Standard back on top
[AMERICANS IN EUROPE] Dutch Eredivisie club Heerenveen, with Michael Bradley playing the full 90, lost 1-0 at FC Twente. Heerenveen has now lost two straight after a seven-game undefeated streak.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Maurice Edu: Fast Track to Stardom
Maurice Edu was hardly noticed when he was being recruited out of high school in California, but the midfielder made a quick transition from the University of Maryland to MLS’s Toronto FC and an even quicker adjustment to the international game with three wins, all shutouts, in his first three starts for the U.S. national team.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA preps for Mexico clash
[ROSTER] U.S. coach Bob Bradley has called in a 21-man squad to train for the USA’s Feb. 6 friendly against Mexico in Houston. More than 43,000 tickets have already been sold for the game at Reliant Stadium (capacity 71,000). The only foreign-based players on the initial roster are five who play or have recently signed with Scandinavian leagues, which are on winter break. Other European-based players are expected to arrive after their league play on the weekend before the Mexico game.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA opens year on a strong note
Ridge Mahoney on the USA’s win over Sweden
The U.S. men’s national team won its first game of 2008, a 2-0 friendly win over Sweden that featured goals by debutant Eddie Robinson and veteran Landon Donovan. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney reports on the U.S. victory from Carson, Calif.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Bob Bradley Interview: ‘More of a Comfort Level’
Bob Bradley looks back on his first year at the helm of the U.S. national team, the challenges going into World Cup 2010 qualifying, and the state of the U.S. game in general.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA downs South Africa to claim Mandela Cup
[SOUTH AFRICA-USA] The U.S. national team finished 2007 on a winning note with a 1-0 win over World Cup 2010 host South Africa Saturday in the Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup. A well-constructed goal by right back Steve Cherundolo highlighted a solid first-half performance by the United States, which finished the year with a 12-5-1 record.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Freddy’s first Portuguese league goal
[VIDEO] Click HERE video of Freddy Adu’s first goal for Benfica in Portuguese league play, the winner in a 2-1 victory last Sunday over Maritimo. Adu scored six minutes after entering the game in the 80th minute.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Freddy Adu scores second goal for Benfica
[VIDEO] In the Portuguese League Cup on Saturday, Freddy Adu scored his second goal since joining Benfica. He struck from 18 yards after running on to a long pass from Benfica’s goalkeeper that was deflected into his path. The 18-year-old’s goal tied the game against Vitoria Setubal in the 71st minute and Benfica won the penalty-kick shootout to reach the third round.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA ends slide with win over pathetic Swiss
After losing five games in a row, the USA will take a victory any way it can get it. The young Americans patiently held off a Swiss team short on players and — even worse — short on ideas and came away with a 1-0 victory Wednesday in Basel. In a friendly with few clear chances, the outcome was decided in the 86th minute on a goal that followed a well-constructed setup and a fortunate bounce.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Edgar Castillo back with Mexican national team
Edgar Castillo is still eligible to represent the USA because his appearance for Mexico in an August friendly against Colombia wasn’t official FIFA competition. But Castillo, who starts at left back for Santos, the Mexican league’s top team this season, is back in camp with the Mexican national team, which is preparing for friendlies against Nigeria on Sunday and Guatemala on Wednesday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Adu and plenty of newbies in U.S. roster
Coach Bob Bradley‘s 21-man roster to prepare for the USA’s Oct. 17 friendly at Switzerland is comprised of three MLS players and 18 European-based players, including three German-based players (Steve Purdy, Preston Zimmermann and Sal Zizzo) who have yet to play for their clubs’ first teams. Freddy Adu has a chance to make his second appearance for the full national team, for which he appeared once, in early 2006. Seven players on the roster are uncapped.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. ABROAD: Mixed results in UEFA Cup
Of the seven Americans to play Thursday in UEFA Cup action, only three survived to reach the group stage. Ramiro Corrales and Danny Califf had reason to celebrate, as did Tim Howard after a dangerous trip to Ukraine. But Oguchi Onyewu saw red at Standard Liege, and Brad Friedel’s Blackburn Rovers quickly exited from the UEFA Cup. Heavy losses end the European campaigns of Michael Bradley and Charlie Davies.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
U.S. Backline: Up For Grabs
After winning the Gold Cup, the U.S. conceded 13 goals while losing five straight games in the Copa America and against Sweden and Brazil in friendlies. Yet the defeats did serve the purposes of Coach Bob Bradley, who is testing veterans as well as young players to upgrade the backline. Defending is about far […]