OT: Soccer - US U-23 MNT vs El Salvador Open Thread

Submitted by I Bleed Maize N Blue on

Last game of group play starts shortly after 9 PM EDT.  With Canada tying Cuba 1-1, the US needs to win to advance to the semis.  Much more energy and urgency needed compared to last game.

Lineup per US Soccer

Bill Hamid

Kofi Sarkodie, Ike Opara, Perry Kitchen, Jorge Villafana

Amobi Okugo, Mix Diskerud, Joe Corona, Freddy Adu

Terrence Boyd, Brek Shea

 

TV: Universal Sports Net, Mun2

Streams: universalsports.com, concacaf.com, probably others

 

GO USA!!!

swan flu

March 26th, 2012 at 9:34 PM ^

ES is a disgrace to the game of soccer. Flopping. Cynical challenges, complaining, I am fuming right now.

 

But we can't if we don't stop playing so sloppy and rushed. We need Jared Jeffrey in the middle to slow things down and posess the ball. Also, what the hell is so bad about a pass backwards? I want to see more ball movement, less fast break.

swan flu

March 26th, 2012 at 9:45 PM ^

Mix looks like shit today. trying to force too much forward, 3 too many touches each time he gets the ball, if KA Gent is watching Diskerud may ride the pine for a while after this one

hockeyguy9125

March 26th, 2012 at 10:01 PM ^

possession has been terrible, outside of the goal they have had no real good scoring chances, the back line has been constantly getting burned, the goalkeeping has been very suspect...they deserve to be in the rather large holes they find themselves in right now

they need to win to move on...unless things change, I don't see it happening

RioThaN

March 26th, 2012 at 10:01 PM ^

Wow, I don't think El Salvador can prevent a goal with the US all over them but I do wonder if they can still revert this match, an early goal would be key for the US in the next half

hailtothevictors08

March 26th, 2012 at 10:04 PM ^

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck

Just bad man, just bad. This team does not deserve to advance if we don't play one hell of a second half. Jeeze.

I haven't followed the U-23s closely but I am shocked at this following the canada game right now.

ChillChet

March 26th, 2012 at 10:10 PM ^

So I'm guessing this isn't a good indication of the direction of USNT is going to go in a few years. Losing to a country where I'm pretty sure soccer is played inside on grass while hockey is played outside on the ice, followed by a poor performance against country that sounds like a quaint Caribbean island you'd love to honeymoon to (except it isn't), definitely isn't installing me with confidence.

RioThaN

March 26th, 2012 at 10:18 PM ^

This teams always plays at the top when they go against the US or Mexico, there's nothing new about this, the Canada game OTOH is what has this team in this situation, always tricky with short tournaments like this, also a 3-4 years span without outstanding players rarely affects a national team in the long run, the problems come when you chain cycles without good players. Look at Mexico for example they didn't go to the olympics the last time, they are still in good shape.

snarling wolverine

March 26th, 2012 at 10:28 PM ^

It's interesting how soccer is such an immigrant-dominated game, not just here in the U.S. but in a lot of developed countries, too (especially France, the Netherlands and Germany).  I don't know if it's just a function of the sport drawing players from the working classes, but it's striking.

RioThaN

March 26th, 2012 at 10:30 PM ^

This is something about soccer that really annoys me, I like the fact that the referee is letting the guys collide without blowing the whistle, but all this waste of time is really desperating

RioThaN

March 26th, 2012 at 10:47 PM ^

If they wouldn't have dropped the ball and lost to Canada they could've rested some players for this game, lucky that they'll play Honduras most certainly in the next game and they still have a meaningful game and a day less to rest

Kilgore Trout

March 26th, 2012 at 10:47 PM ^

I'm pretty new to soccer fandom.  I've followed the EPL the last two seasons.  Is there a lot more diving in international soccer as opposed to EPL?  Seems like these guys are going down awfully easily.