World Cup Tune-Up: USA v. Morocco on 5/23


The USA shows it can play soccer at a very amateur level, troubling with the World Cup just two weeks away.

In the opening minutes of this important World Cup tune-up, the U.S. displays marginally more menace than Morocco, but the North Africans have flashes of speed. Their pace may trouble the U.S. Morocco shows some real skill after the first 10 minutes, and the U.S. offers not much of a response. Reyna comes out in the 16th with a pulled hamstring. Morocco do well to smother U.S. forays early, and the visitors actually have more possession as the game progresses. The U.S. is allowing the Moroccans to set the pace, and very few shots are being taken by either side. When one team finally attacks, it is Morocco in the 21st. A few minutes later, the U.S. finally gets a shot off: McBride fires wide from a Beasley pass. O'Brien floats a perfectly-weighted cross in to Donovan at the 27th minute, but Donovan receives the ball poorly.
In the second half, the U.S. seems not much better. Morocco attacks again in the 53rd, then the U.S. counters with a Josh Wolff strike of their own, but the keeper saves. The game gets sloppy, with lots of turnovers in midfield and little flow to the plays. Johnson heads over in the 67th, but the United States should be doing much better. The U.S. has been unable to use its speed well against the Moroccans, who can keep pace with them and have a little more skill to boot. To their credit, both teams surge forward in search of a goal.
Donovan has a rip in the 81st, forcing a good save from keeper El Jarmouni. Johnson misfires on the rebound. In the 89th minute, with the U.S. upfield for a free kick, Morocco gets the ball and launches a fast counter-attack. Substitute El Morbarki steals the ball from Cherundolo deep in his own end, and lays it off to a streaking Madihi, also a sub. Madihi flips the ball over Keller for the winning goal.
Morroco has come to the U.S. and showed them how not to play against a fast, dribbling team. The results should warm the hearts of Ghanians everywhere, since Morocco was obviously a stand-in for that nation, which the U.S. faces in its final first-round game at the World Cup.
If the U.S. can't figure out a way to adjust, that game may be their last at the Cup this year.
U.S. Player ratings:
Keller 5
Onyewu 6
Pope 6
Gibbs 6
Cherundolo 6
O'Brien 6
Reyna na
Donovan 6
Beasley 5
McBride 5
Wolff 7
(Mastroeni 16th minute sub) 6
(Convey 45th) 7
(Johnson 60th) 5
(Dempsey 74th) 5
(Ching 83rd) na

Posted: Thu - May 25, 2006 at 11:44 PM          

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