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Saturday, June 04, 2005Liveblogging: US MNT vs. Costa RicaHuge day for soccer fans. First we had Serbia and Montenegro vs. Belarus on FSC, then on over to Chivas USA vs. Chicago on ESPN, and now the main event - the World Cup qualifier between the US and Costa Rica. Then comes dessert - your choice of MLS night gam... GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLL!!!!!!!!! Landon Donovan puts the US up early, cleaning up a mess in front of the box with a rifle shot from the right foot. Wow! UPDATE (16:48): You'd think that with Eddie Johnson out of the lineup, Costa Rica would shift their defensive focus to Donovan. There's no excuse for leaving him un-marked in the final third of the field. UPDATE (16:50): I don't understand Bruce Arena's obsession with Eddie Pope. With the performances that he has turned in as of late, I'd be much more comfortable with Carlos Bocanegra in the center. Although that would force the team to address the glaring issues at left back. UPDATE (16:59): Speed kills: with Beasley, Donovan, and Convey back together again in midfield, it's no secret where the States' greatest strength lies. UPDATE (17:05): The importance of that early goal is already becoming apparent. Costa Rica, forced to go for the equalizer, is coming out of their defensive shell, pushing Rojas forward. That means more room to run for the US's midfield, and that's a good thing. UPDATE (17:11): That's the third time a Costa Rica defender has taken a hack on DeMarcus Beasley's recently-injured right leg. Finally the ref shows a card for it, though after viewing the replay, it should have been a straight red. UPDATE (17:16): Costa Rica just made their first substitution, swapping a defender for a forward (Bryce). UPDATE (17:25): And that's the half. USA 1 - 0 Costa Rica UPDATE (17:35): ESPN's "Stro-motion" may just be another lame gimmick following in the steps of the glowing hockey puck and the wire cam, but it does make for interesting replays. UPDATE (17:43): Great save from Keller. The US come out flat here in the second, almost conceding a goal on the ensuing corner. UPDATE (17:50): It looks like Bruce decided one is enough, as the Americans are settling for the occasional counter-attack. I hate it when we play this brand of soccer... UPDATE (17:57): World-class soccer, mom's homemade lasagne, and orange Slice. Life is good. UPDATE (17:59): GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLL! A second for Landon! Life is good! USA 2 - 0 Costa Rica UPDATE (18:05): Assuming the score remains as is, I'm going to have to give my vote for Man of the Match to Kasey Keller. Donnovan's two goals were, obviously, huge, but Keller has single-handedly made them stand up. UPDATE (18:16): Beasley comes off for Dempsey in the 85th minute. An amazing display from a guy who hasn't kicked a ball in anger in over five weeks. UPDATE (18:21): GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLL! McBride! And guess who creates it. USA 3 - 0 Costa Rica UPDATE (18:26): Saquera (who plays in MLS with Chivas) gets a straight red after attempting to maim Steve Cherlondolo (no frickin' idea how to spell that). I hate to make generalizations, but this is a common occurrence when central American teams are trailing at the end of games, with Mexico being the worst offender. FINAL WHISTLE: It's all over in Salt Lake. USA 3 - 0 Costa Rica. The US is now in the driver's seat of CONCACAF qualifying. BONUS MLS BLOGGING!: Here's the race for the Supporter's Shield - the league's real championship (as of 6/5/05): Relegate Chivas!CLUB GP +/- PTS FC Dallas 11 12 24 New England 10 11 22 Los Angeles 10 6 20 Chicago 12 1 19 Kansas City 11 5 17 MetroStars 11 6 16 San Jose 11 0 14 D.C. United 10 0 12 RSL 11 -9 11 Columbus 10 -10 10 Colorado 11 -5 8 Chivas USA 12 -17 5 |
