CONCACAF Nations League

Wow!! Been a while since US Soccer made me feel like that. Proud of the boys, great heart!

 

I haven't stayed up past midnight to watch the USMNT since Japan/Korea 2002 but this was well worth it. What a crazy finish. Both teams got better after the second half subs came on. The US in particular steadied once they stopped playing up from the back after Steffen left. I got the feels when Horvath was in tears after the final whistle blew. As Dempsey said "I'm not crying! YOU'RE crying!!" In case you didn't stay up past your bedtime to watch the end, here are the highlights (they don't include the guy who ran on the field that was tackled by security, Reyna getting hit in the head by a cup loaded with ice from angry Mexican fans, or the delay due to offensive anti-gay chants.)

 

Hey SoCal - I did not make it. We just got back from a vacation so decided to double screen it at home with Southern Miss baseball. Turned out to be quite the evening.

 

Loved, loved LOVED the penalty from Pulisic. Even if the keeper guesses right, only Inspector Gadget has a shot at reaching it. And even that’s debatable, because as powerfully as he struck it, there wasn’t any time to react. We switched off on both of their goals and got a little lucky on what would have been their second, even though it was clearly offside. The call on the late handball was B.S., McKenzie’s hand and arm were in the definition of a natural position. Fortunately Horvath guessed right and Guardado didn’t get it far enough away from the middle. Even so, still a great play by Ethan. You still gotta keep it out, and he did. How often do you see the keeper guess right, have enough reach, but have it deflect in or go under or through an appendage? His saves from open play kept us in it. Some have suggested this was a meaningless tournament. The manner of our victory, however, makes it about as meaningful as you can get. We did not look good against Honduras. And their were stretches where we did not look good against Mexico. But the kids persevered, kept plugging away, and got an unexpected result in an encouraging manner. I’m still not sold on Berhalter’s tactics, but if we go on to qualify for Qatar, this might end up being the night we crawled out of the 2018 hole and got back into relevance.

 

Agree with a lot of what has already been said but I want to add that way the proudest I have been of a USMNT in a long time. I loved the toughness and grit on display last night.

 

That was a lifetime of emotions in 120 minutes.

I concur. Sunday's match >Feilhaber's goal for me....and I love Benny's strike against Mexico.

 

Big thumbs up for this

 

I'm all for the person who hit Reyna to face consequences for their actions and I'm glad to see they figured out who did it, however...

When Pulisic went over and started taunting the Mexican fans I said out-loud, despite being the only person awake in the house, "What are you doing?!" I immediately worried about what kind of reaction the shirt stripping and "shhhhh" finger and "bring it on" wave would cause. Instead, I wanted to see the guys run down to the USA side of the field to celebrate with their fans.

 

The taunting was unwise, for sure, but as for celebrating in front of them? Ninety percent of the time a goalscorer goes to one or the other corners of the pitch on the end they scored. I'm thinking of Tom Cairney's first half goal at Wembley in 2018. It was at the Aston Villa end, and he wheeled off to the nearest corner for a celebratory knee slide (which I hate, BTW...seems a perfect way to pull a hammy or harm some other essential leg parts). The knee slide was accompanied by a waist level, forearms protruding, palms up posture while facing and looking at the opposing supporters. I don't recall one object or missile thrown at #10 or the others in the ensuing pileup at the flag. That may be comparing apples to oranges, but whatever their excuse, there is still no justification whatsoever for the reaction in Denver, regardless of any real or imagined goading from participants on the pitch. It would also be unwise at Millwall, eh?

 

Post Nations League friendly with Costa Rica tomorrow night. Think it’s on ESPN 2 at 6 PM CST.

 

Looking forward to watching Dike, Weah, Musah and Aaronson tonight. Starting XI:

Horvath
Cannon, McKenzie, Ream, Robinson
Musah, Adams, Lleget
Weah, Dike, Aaronson

 

I think I have a man crush on Aaronson.

 

The Aaronson line is forming to your left...