Well, that was… unexpected; although, I’m not quite ready to re-throw Team USA back under the bus. After a pathetic penalty call — watch the beginning of the video and tell me what, exactly, Jay Heaps did besides take an elbow the face — the wheels absolutely came off Team USA’s defense, allowing three more goals over the next 23 minutes. Until Bob Bradley’s team fell flat on its face in the second half, they had only allowed two goals to be scored against them. Over the course of the entire Gold Cup. To say this was an unexpected outcome is understating it a little.
Even though Bob Bradley has had to use about 500 different line ups and rotations for the Gold Cup, Team USA, thanks to timely goals from Clarence Goodson and Kenny Cooper, are going to finals, which take place this Sunday. Their opponent? Team Mexico, who beat Costa Rica on penalties in the nightcap game. While Goodson’s goal was equally impressive — it was his first for Team USA — Cooper’s finish was the highlight of the game, if, for nothing else, the nifty passing display used to get him the ball in a position to finish. A cheeky back-heel pass from Brian Ching led to a precise cross Stuart Holden — who looks like the best player on Bob Bradley’s “B-Team” — which Cooper had to simply tuck away.
Thank goodness for this year’s Gold Cup. Otherwise, I would be drowning in a world of Major League Baseball. Much like Santino Quaranta’s fantastic strike on Wednesday night, last night’s match between Panama and Mexico provided some fireworks; although, I don’t think they are the kind CONCACAF intended. What we have is Mexico’s coach, Javier Aguirre, helping out his defense in whatever way he can think of. In this case, with his legs; against an opposing Panamanian player in the field of play.
The United States’ b-team was on display at last night’s Gold Cup match against Honduras, and while the understudy designation is an accurate one, that doesn’t take away from their 2-0 victory — especially when they broke through with such an exciting build up and finish. While it was Santino Quaranta’s strike that allowed the US to break the nil-nil tie, the passing of subs Benny Feilhaber and Charlie Davies made the goal possible. Further, if Bradley doesn’t sub those two first-teamers in, the US was looking directly at a goalless tie, if not an outright loss.
