USMNT WC Qualifiers v T&T and @ Mexico

Massive is an accurate adjective for this match versus Trinidad & Tobago in the Denver suburbs. With a trip to Azteca looming, 3 points are a must. @dtowndough, are you planning on going?

 

Hey SoCal. Yes, the wife and I will be in attendance.

 

To Dtown:

 

I would love to brag and say I got 8 out of 10 correct because I knew the answers. However, 4 were complete guesses.

http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...-know-your-mnt-history-vs-trinidad-and-tobago

 

6/10 - D grade, but passing!!!!

 

You know that feeling you have in the your stomach right now; yeah, that means there is USMNT match tonight.

USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

 

Certainly unconvincing, but the 3 points that were required in the bank. Clint was rather animated with Arena coming off in the 61st, it will be interesting to see if he starts on Sunday. He wasn't perfect, but Nagbe with by far his best performance in a Nats jersey, loved the energy he brought.

 

I'm guessing Acosta gets the start over one of Dempsey/Johnson/Nagbe as the they shift to a 4-2-3-1 to help Bradley in the midfield on the road at Azteca (like they played the final 20ish minutes tonight).

 

If he starts, Fabian Johnson needs to play his best match in a Nat's kit in awhile. To the Captain, 3 words; WE NEED YOU!

 

Seven changes. Wow.

 

Nobody picked this starting 11 except Bruce Arena but he got everything right. The shape was right, the tactics were right and the players were right. I thought a draw was fair but the US had a chance to walk out of the Azteca with three points and you can't ask for much more than that.

All credit to Arena for turning this squad around. Four matches with two home wins and two road draws. That record gets you to a World Cup.

 

And the Captain says, how about THIS!

 

It is amazing what happens when you have a manager who has a clear plan.

 

We deserved all three points. Yeah, I know the possession was lopsided as hell, but we outplayed their butts. Tough to pick a MOTM, but I thought Geoff Cameron was huge all night. Was key man in a number of second half plays where, if they score, it's probably off to the races. But let's go back to the first four minutes. BOTH of Salcedo's challenges on headers should have been red cards. The El Salvadoran ref set the tone for the whole match by swallowing his whistle on the third minute elbow to the head of Beasley, followed IMMEDIATELY by an even more cynical one on Bobby Wood in the fourth minute. We're lucky none of our guys was seriously hurt. I was certainly expecting it. But I hope we don't see Joel Aguilar and his crew again....ever. All that aside, how can you not be happy about a point, given all that adversity? Bruce Arena has learned a trick or two along the way, hasn't he? And, he really should, right? After all, this ain't his first rodeo. I agree with the Right Honourable Gentleman From The Republic Of South Texas. Everybody was excellent except Arriola. DaMarcus MIGHT have done more to trouble Vela on their goal, but he was in a tough spot, so I can't really quibble with him. He had a pretty darn good match, as did Yedlin. His defending has improved tremendously under Benitez, and it showed last night. Oh, if Bradley's second half screamer had somehow snuck in on the other side of the post.... We'd be putting up more dancing bananas than Carter's got little liver pills. Onward!