USA heads to Germany; report on USA v. Latvia on 5/28


Team USA hit the skies today, winging towards a date with destiny called the World Cup. They are fresh from a much-needed victory against Latvia in East Hartford Sunday.

The training and the carefully-selected tune-ups are done, the squad selected, the coaches are prepped. There's not much left before this thing gets going and we see which team is better than which in the only games that really count. The U.S. is taking its best 23 and taking its shot.
The team finished the three-game series of send-off games well, beating Latvia in Connecticut. However, the selection of three weak non-World Cup qualifying opponents in these games may give the U.S. a false sense of superiority. (And there was the loss to Morocco. Ooops.)
There are reasons for optimism, of course. Donovan is developing nicely into a play-making midfielder, especially in the absence of Reyna, who perennially fails to live up to expectations. If coach Bruce Arena is savvy, he will use Reyna when he needs a holding-type midfielder (perhaps against the Czechs because of their size) and bench him when Donovan's speed is more useful (Italy and Ghana.)
McBride is as solid a striker as you could want. Although he is not very creative, he can be relied upon to rise well and bravely to the right cross. O'Brien, Cherundolo and Donovan could provide those crosses.
Johnson finally seems to have shaken off injury and could bring an athletic and silky attack into the American arsenal.
The defense will rely heavily on Onyewu's strength and Pope's experience.
There's still some question marks at the flanks, where a series of less-talented players have stayed in the Arena plan. Hejduk may get a rest, finally, but Convey and Gibbs are still question marks. Lewis and O'Brien could be part of the solution here.
The U.S. need DeMarcus Beasley to play well, and Donovan too. Without their speed and understanding, there will be nothing for the forwards to do.
For now there is nothing for fans to do, nothing except pray to the soccer gods and wait for June 12.
For the record: The Latvia game was a psychological boost. The Latvians came to play a physical game and they were rewarded with a flurry of yellow cards. It wasn't pretty, but the U.S. adjusted well, gaining confidence after just the first 8 minutes. There are some nice exchanges of passes in midfield, a key aspect of the U.S. game plan since they rely quite a bit on speed in their attack.
Johnson misses a good Cherudolo cross in the 23rd, Steve will be putting those in there all night. The U.S. is dominating as the half hour mark passes. Kolinko saves well from a Johnson header in the 29th. In the 43rd, it's another Cherundolo cross that finds McBride well placed. McBride powers a header past Kolinko. That's the kind of goal you can score at the World Cup, even against the best teams.
The U.S. wanes a bit in the second half, and in the 63rd Zirnis does well to come down the left. Latvia are coming forward more, but fortunately for the U.S., they are incapable of shooting on frame. Keller comes up with a nice save in the 91st, and the game is won.
U.S. Player ratings:
Keller 6
Conrad 6
Pope 7
Lewis 6
Cherundolo 8
O'Brien 7
Mastroeni 7
Beasley 5
Donovan 6
McBride 7
Johnson 6
(Convey 66th) 5
(Ching 83rd) na
(Bradley 83rd) na

Posted: Fri - June 2, 2006 at 12:04 AM          

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