Qatar over El Salvador 3-2. Only watched the first half before marital movie-watching intervened but entertaining soccer as before from Qatar, and ES is pretty good as they proved against Mexico. Why Qatar is in this tournament at all, more below, but their coach is a former Barcelona youth coach who runs the #1 academy in Qatar and has all the money in the world behind him. Qatar doesn't play like Barca - who does - but they are no joke.
Watching Mexico - Honduras now from Glendale AZ which is basically a Mexico home game - great crowd. Mexico up 2-0 and they'll win without question in my mind - nothing against Honduras but not close in talent.ht
US v. Jamaica at 9:30 ET tomorrow night I believe. If USA wins we will face Qatar, again if I'm reading the bracket right. No way we should underestimate Qatar - they can certainly attack and score.
Oh - and why is Qatar in the CONCACAF Gold Cup?
I'm sure money has nothing to do with it - (
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*B-D
Middle Eastern/Arab football: one of the last, 'great' moments for USMNT was Landon Donovan's stoppage time goal vs Algeria that put US through to knock-out stage 2010 WC. After advancing four years later, it has ben pretty much a remorseless desert of good news since then.
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Only watched the first half before marital movie-watching intervened...
Middle Eastern/Arab football: one of the last, 'great' moments for USMNT was Landon Donovan's stoppage time goal vs Algeria that put US through to knock-out stage 2010 WC. After advancing four years later, it has ben pretty much a remorseless desert of good news since then.
While that was probably my favorite USMNT moment of all time, advancing in 2014 in a brutal group and then Tim Howard standing on his head with Ream missing the sitter to level late is hardly remorseless desert of good news.
Qatar up next
thanks for your enthusiasm!
And my boy from Syracuse has been an absolute rock on the back line. He's been their best and most consistent player, imo.
Qatar up next
thanks for your enthusiasm!
Thought it was their best game of the tourney even with the lack of scoring. Yep Hoppe was VG tonight, very aggressive. Thought Robinson was the best player for the US tonight - very steady back there. Lletget played well as did Busio even if very young. Sands and Vines, meh - to many poor passes and give aways.
I'm not sure what to think about Dike. He seems to be clumsy seems to stumble with the ball at his feet. Zardes is still smoother and seems to be around the ball more often.
Are we ever going to see a US team that can make continuously well placed touch passes? Too many sloppy plays.
Qatar will be interesting.
Thoughts on Canada v Mexico?
The US HAS to finish its chances if they come and cannot be sloppy at all bc the Qatari team is very opportunistic. Well coached, well disciplined and well organized.
Not sure about Dike who had trouble holding ball when played to him. Neeed to see him play more. Really like Hoppe who is super aggressive taking on defensive players.
29 - Qatar vs. United States (Austin, Texas; 7:30 p.m. ET)
30 - Mexico vs. Canada (Houston; 10 p.m. ET)
29 - Qatar vs. United States (Austin, Texas; 7:30 p.m. ET)
30 - Mexico vs. Canada (Houston; 10 p.m. ET)
Reminder that we're on at 7:30 ET tonight. I have watched Qatar some during the tournament and they go forward very well - I actually think they've been the most entertaining team to watch in this Cup. But they also have a tendency to give the ball up in their own half. I expect some goals in this one - predict 3-2 for whoever wins.
It is possible they will lose, but that really isn't an indication on the program's growth lately.
It is possible they will lose, but that really isn't an indication on the program's growth lately.
It's very clearly a B-Side, but most these guys are pretty interchangeable, except for those two. If you took the A squad minus those 2, and took the B squad with those two added to it. I think the team with Wes and Pulisic would definetly win. Those are really only 2 irreplaceable (and I guess you can throw Brooks and Adams just because we don't have viable replacements there)
I was saying to myself I can’t believe I’m fucking begging for zardes to come in. Dike was honestly horrible
Impressive.
US keeper - Turner? - he stood on his head on a couple.
US keeper - Turner? - he stood on his head on a couple.
Keeping the heat on Steffen at least with this tourney run. Don't forget Horvath did great in the USA/Mexico match last month as well when Steffen got injured.
Turner and Hoppe I think have found themselves spots in the starting lineup after this tournament. Hoppe has a helluva future ahead of him methinks. Haven't gotten a kit in a long time, but thinking about getting one in white of his.
does he have a chance to play in europe? Steffan should push for a loan i think.
Good looks! Totally forgot about this today.
Wonder if some people will do an about-face on DG after this year? Lol yeah right.
I don't think it's all that close. He's fantastic.
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I don't think it's all that close. He's fantastic.
I get why he's been on bench, Greg wants to play out of the back. But what's the end game for that outside of helping in qualifying? We won't be doing much of that once we get to the World Cup. Give me the superior shot-stopper for this team.
that's true
but 0-0 at the half
Mexico is the better side but if we'd finished our counterattacking chances we's be up now. If I'm neutral (which I'm not), a pretty entertaining half.
Turner is man of the match so far. Didn't he go to Fairfield U? Or somewhere local.
Turner is man of the half, Zardes has played well with what he can do, everyone else has a chance to improve.
Might want to scratch LV off the qualifier list lol
I'm with you. I don't get why there isn't more hype about him. Maybe because he's still in MLS? I guess John Brooks still has the role locked down for a while on the main team but Robinson looks great.
The amount of sloppy giveaways in this game is torture. And when we get a chance to get a good shot to possibly win in the 90th minute, we air mail the strike into the 10th row...
Robinson,Turner, Hoppe and Acosta need to be on the WC qualifying squad.
I agree with you, Hoppe looks very strong, maybe a bit too deliberate as he crosses the 18 laterally to look for his shot, but he was patient, good leg. Tracks back to defend. His fitness is outstanding.
Why would he come in? Zardes and Hoppe look fine out there.
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must really be in rough shape if he isnt coming in at all.
Why would he come in? Zardes and Hoppe look fine out there.
Zardes looks tired to me. He's been running around as a sole striker for 104 minutes.
nice job all
Pumped for qualifying!!!!!
Visio is also a player.
Lol I mean work rate is the only thing he does. But Dike is the better player and was starting when healthy for a reason
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Dike does in his 10th
Lol I mean work rate is the only thing he does. But Dike is the better player and was starting when healthy for a reason
I really don’t think much of Dike, poor mans Jozy and I’ll be surprised if he makes the World Cup roster.
I agree. Lalas crying? Give me a break.
The Nations League was a bigger win this year since it was both A Teams.
Good momentum though. Now just need to execute in qualifying.
Defense looked good and the scoring chances looked good, but it seems they really struggle to build or just get out-possessed way more than they should in the midfield.
Acosta was all over the place, but it seemed it was him vs Mexico out there at times.
Acosta really stood out. the roster battles are definitely going to be on another level going forward.
That win came from non stop effort, really exciting game and very happy for the young guys.
I'm thrilled they won, and I get they bled a lot of youngsters and won to create some real depth. But in the big picture, this still doesn't move the needle as much as USSF's narrative would state. This was a typical USA blood and guts performance: they couldn't retain possession, got rolled in midfield, lacked really good touches when they needed them and didn't have the technical capability to finish.
Good win, now let's get through the hex. US is on an upcycle, and the typical pains (Honduras, Costa Rica) are down.
Acosta really stood out. the roster battles are definitely going to be on another level going forward.
I personally never had an issue with Berhalter as a coach. It was how the coaching "search" was conducted that was the issue. Berhalter was always a good coach candidate.
On a separate note, how many of these players were part of the U-23 team that failed to qualify for the Olympics since many are in that age group? But overall, it has been a very good summer for the US national team.
On to WC qualifying.
The key has been what happens when they are out. Similar to what happened at the last World Cup the US played in, Altidore was hurt and it threw off the entire tournament.
Now there is some depth.
Acosta can fill in for Adams, not at his level but he's playing well.
I like Munsah as starting material and Lleget is good depth.
Cannon, Moore, Yedlin, A Robinson can all battle to play with Dest. Unfortunately, most likely that would keep Dest at LB instead of his preferred RB.
Robinson has put himself in the running for CB. Brooks, Miazga, Robinson, Zimmerman, Long if he can come back can work.
Aaronson, Hoppe, Morris can all play on the wing.
Just need that Striker. Sargent, Dike, Pefok all have talent, but none have claimed the spot. I know many don't like him, but if healthy Altidore still may have a spot on the team.
I think Steffen is wildly overrated. No idea how he's the Man City no. 2.
I think Turner has to be no 1 after what he just did. Horvath and Steffen can battle it out for the 2 spot.
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situation look like? I see a lot of potential movement based on what I saw from Horvath and Turner. Is Steffan definitively better than them?
I think Steffen is wildly overrated. No idea how he's the Man City no. 2.
I think Turner has to be no 1 after what he just did. Horvath and Steffen can battle it out for the 2 spot.
will turner play in europe?
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In comment 15319612 UConn4523 said:
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situation look like? I see a lot of potential movement based on what I saw from Horvath and Turner. Is Steffan definitively better than them?
I think Steffen is wildly overrated. No idea how he's the Man City no. 2.
I think Turner has to be no 1 after what he just did. Horvath and Steffen can battle it out for the 2 spot.
will turner play in europe?
Turner has an EU passport, which will make it easier to play there. He was able to get it because his Jewish great-grandmother left Lithuania due to religious persecution.
Also to the altidore post, GGG loves his mls guys but he has to be like 4/5 down in striker pool and is currently hurt. I don’t see how anyone could in good faith decide to take him over Sargent, hoppe, dike, weah or he’ll even zardes who has no business being by national team. You also have some younger strikers who you may want to try and cap tie during qualifiers as well like Pepi.
Acosta to Turner - ( New Window )