Saturday, October 18, 2008

Caught in the Middle




It's been difficult for the U.S. to replace the midfield tandem of Claudio Reyna and John O'Brien since their retirements from the International game following the 2006 World Cup. Their departures left two vacant spots in the center of the pitch.

2007 rolls around and in comes new head coach Bob Bradley, who has quite the task at hand as he has to attempt to rebuild a team that has lost key veterans, including the pair of talented center mids that retired the previous summer.

Bradley introduced a plethora of youngsters who had talent but lacked experience. Two faces emerged during the opening months of 2007 in the mold of Brazilian-born Benny Feilhaber and Bradley's son, 20-year-old Michael Bradley.

Both players were asked to take on key roles but the dynamic duo was up for the challenge. Michael Bradley showed outstanding hustle and great defensive efforts as he would run all over the pitch to break up plays while Feilhaber was more attack oriented in his game, setting up teammates with pinpoint passes and scoring goals with a touch that isn't often seen for the United States. The two midfielders secured their starting spots and aided the team in their run to Gold Cup glory in June of 2007. The sky was the limit.

Since then however, it's been a different story as the two promising youngsters have gone down two completely different roads. While Bradley progressed as a solid midfield candidate for both country and club, Feilhaber fell on hard times that he has yet to come out of.

Due to Feilhaber's fall from grace, Bob Bradley has looked for other potential candidates to start next to his son, who has become a mainstay with the squad due to his willingness to defend as well as his ability to jump into the attack. While some players have shown glimpses of skill, they've also made errors that can't be afforded at the top level if the United States wants to be competitive.

With no clear cut winner and more midfielders rising their stock at the club level, it looks to be a pretty intense race as the American center mids all battle it out for the remaining starting spot. Here's a look at the players vying for that starting central midfield position and the order in which is most probable that you'll see them starting along side Bradley in 2010:

7) Ricardo Clark - Has looked less than impressive in his latest stints with the National Team. Looked to be a top of Bob Bradley's list until the end of 2007, when Maurice Edu was introduced to the senior squad. Clark still has the potential but he needs to make a move abroad to really improve his game.

6) Pablo Mastroeni - Some say he's too old to be considered but with him likely making a move to Spain or Italy this January, some European seasoning can't hurt his chances. There's a real possibility that a 33-year-old Mastroeni could still get the nod in 2010.

5) Benny Feilhaber - The player who looked so prepared to fill in the big shoes left by Claudio Reyna has fallen on tough times. Injuries, limited playing time and coaching changes have all affected Benny's career for the worse. If he can somehow get through all the adversity and get back to the player he was in the summer of 2007, then he can't be denied of a starting spot as he has the tools to add a different element to the American attack which makes him a unique asset. But asking him to do that is a pretty tall order.

4) Danny Szetela - At the moment, he's one of the few younger midfielders actually seeing playing time with his club. He has become a regular for Brescia Calcio and his chemistry with Michael Bradley is well documented as the Americans made an impressive run to the quarterfinals in the 2007 U-20 FIFA World Cup with both Danny and Michael manning the center of the field. Szetela deserves more looks and he may get them once 2009 rolls around.

3) Jose Francisco Torres - By deciding to play for the U.S. just a couple of weeks ago, Torres has already shown in two caps what has made him such a hot commodity at Pachuca. Torres has a strong set of attributes such as a good first touch, long range shooting and a vision that most other American central midfielders don't possess. 2009 will be a big year for him.

2) Maurice Edu - His last two efforts left for much to be desired, but one can't deny that he has all the physical attributes to be a successful midfielder for the United States. Mo needs to see time with Rangers and work vigorously on his passing, but if he can accomplish that, then a starting role awaits him.

1) Sacha Kljestan - 2008 was Sacha's coming out party. From his incredible goal against the Netherlands in this summer's Olympics, to his pair of assists against Cuba in a World Cup Qualifier, Kljestan looks poised to take control of the vacant center midfield position. Needs to work on not giving the ball away so easily but that'll come as he's destined to make a move to Europe during this winter's transfer window. Heading into 2009, it's Sacha's position to lose.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Argentina Coach Basile Resigns




Argentina head coach Alfio Basile has called it quits. Wednesday's loss to Chile capped off what was an uneventful second stint for Basile as the man in charge of the albiceleste.

The two time World Cup champions have only managed to win one World Cup Qualifier this year and that was during this past weekend when the Argentines took on Uruguay, beating them 2-1. Before that victory however, four consecutive draws this year had fans questioning the coach's decisions.

But Basile hasn't left the team in shambles, as they're currently sitting in third place of the CONMEBOL standings. While they appear to be a lock for the 2010 World Cup, being in third place is unacceptable for the Argentines. Only first place matters, at least to the Argentine fans. A prime example of this was when Basile took heavy criticism after becoming runners-up in the 2007 Copa America Final, as Argentina was demolished by arch-rivals Brazil 3-0. His resignation has left the team coachless.

The AFA has three possible candidates they're looking at to possibly hire as Basile's successor before Argentina resumes World Cup Qualifying in March of 2009. Former Argentine International, and current River Plate Manager Diego "El Cholo" Simeone is one of the three candidates for the job. The other two potential head coaches are San Lorenzo's Miguel Angel Russo and Sergio Batista, who coached the Argentina Olympic team to Gold this past summer.


What do you think of Basile's resignation? Surprised? Who would you like to see take the role of the manager of the albiceleste? Share your comments below.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Lesson Learned: U.S. Fall to T&T 2-1




When the young and inexperienced Americans took the field on Wednesday, all that fans were looking for were solid performances out of players who were ready to prove they are ready for the real deal as the Hexagonal looms closer. The fans were disappointed.

The Yanks lost to Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain by the final score of 2-1. Trinidad was quicker, stronger and more composed while the United States struggled to find its rhythm. Bob Bradley's youngsters found themselves outmatched physically as the home team earned a crucial three points.

"It was a hard fought match. I thought both teams went after each other in a way that made it hard," said Head Coach Bob Bradley "In the second half, I thought we had a good response when we went down 1-0, and unfortunately when the game is 1-1 and everything is to play for, we have a foul."

The first half saw the stars and stripes come out flat-footed as Trinidad showed aggressiveness from the start. A dangerous free kick early on resulted in a poor clearance by Brad Guzan, gifting the home side with an open net. Fortunately for the Yanks, Michael Orozco managed to kick away the loose ball.

The first half was uneventful for the most part, but the second half saw more of an upbeat tempo, especially after T&T found the back of the net in the 61st minute. The home side was rewarded after Frankie Hejduk hit a wayward pass at midfield. A quick counter attack ensued and Trinidad found space down the right flank. Carlos Edwards took Heath Pearce for a dance before crossing the ball to a wide open Russell Latapy. The 40-year-old struck the ball as it fell to his right foot, and lady luck gifted him a goal. The ball stung off the left post and crashed into Brad Guzan's back before rolling over the goal line to give Trinidad the lead.

The U.S. equalized with a goal just 15 minutes before the final whistle blew. A faulty touch by Maurice Edu luckily fell into the path of Jozy Altidore, who pulled the ball backward and sprayed a low cross to substitute forward Charlie Davies. Davies easily knocked the ball in and the American juveniles looked to potentially leave T&T with a point.

But Altidore, who looked so brilliant just moments prior, made a costly mistake in the 79th minute as he yanked on Makan Hislop's jersey on a corner kick in full view of referee Walter Quesada. Quesada awarded the home side a penalty kick, and the 37-year-old Yorke converted from the spot.

Most fans wanted to see what the former could do when given the chance and last night's performance showed that although they have talent, they're not capable of winning games without some more veterans to lead the way. But make no mistake about it, this experience will go a long way for guys like Altidore, Freddy Adu, Jose Torres and co.

Even though the Soca Warriors triumphed on Wednesday night, Bob Bradley found some positives to take out of the match that meant nothing to the Americans as they've already clinched a berth in next year's Hexagonal.

"One of the objectives is that we have some players who have talent and need the experience playing difficult games. This was an intense game with a lot on the line, and it's important for players to experience that" declared Bradley "We continue to work as a team to improve and I think we've shown in this round that we're a good team, but we still understand that we have to get better. We're working very hard and we have a good pool of players."

The experience was indeed necessary as the next generation of Americans continue to grow as players. Bradley's approach to next month's qualifier looks to be similar, as he'll call in youth instead of seasoned veterans once again.

Perhaps the youngsters will have learned from last night's performance and will end the year with a win.


Player ratings (scale of 1-10)

GK, Brad Guzan, 5 -- Guzan's lack of playing time was evident today as he fumbled a couple of balls that he needs to hold on to. Nothing he could do about either goals, but still, not his best game.

D, Heath Pearce, 5 -- Being one of the more seasoned players on the pitch for the Americans, you would've expected a bigger performance. Heath got forward well in the second half, but he was outmatched against Dwight Yorke, especially as he was tossed and turned on the first goal.

D, Danny Califf, 4 -- Had a prime opportunity to show that he is capable of taking a starting role for either Oguchi Onyewu or Carlos Bocanegra but he lacked composure at the back. Got away with a mistake on a corner kick in the first half and was ball watching on T&T's first goal. Still decent for depth purposes, but a starter he is not.

D, Michael Orozco, 6 -- Not bad for his first International cap. Had some nice positioning and defended well. Cleared the loose ball that Guzan's flubbed punch failed to do. He could be moving up the Center Back depth chart.

D, Frankie Hejduk, 4 -- As always, he showed life and energy as he was all over the right flank. However, tonight could be the beginning of the end for Frankie. His poor distribution of the ball was costly, especially the wayward pass that caused T&T's counter attack on the first goal. Marvell Wynne is awaiting in the wings.

M, DaMarcus Beasley, 6 -- Beasley did a good job at staying active as he captained the team for the first time. He's no Donovan though as he wasn't able to carry the offense and kick it into third gear.

M, Maurice Edu, 3 -- Ouch. All the Edu fans that believe he warrants more minutes with the regulars instead of Michael Bradley were silenced tonight. Edu made turnover after turnover and didn't even defend competently. He was nowhere to be seen on T&T's first goal.

M, Jose Francisco Torres, 5 -- Did a decent job in his first start and showed off his vision as he layed off a nice pass behind the defense in the first half that Altidore couldn't get to. Was physically overpowered on a few occasions.

M, Sacha Kljestan, 4 -- The right wing is not for him at the International level. He made numerous mistakes and lost possession far too often.

M, Freddy Adu, 6 -- Retained possession better than most in the first half but as the second half unraveled, he started to drift out of the match. If Adu wants to become a starter by 2010, he needs to find minutes at the club level.

F, Jozy Altidore, 5 -- One minute he's celebrating his first assist for the National Team, the next he's hanging his head in disbelief as he made a boneheaded error that gift-wrapped T&T a penalty kick. If he can prevent mistakes like this, he's a bonafide starter in 2009.

SUBS:

F, Charlie Davies, 7 -- Moving up the depth chart at forward after a nice performance tonight. His goal was simple yet he was effective and put himself in good positions during his short stint.

M, Danny Szetela, 6 -- Did a good job at getting forward in his limited time. His late cross looked dangerous but none of his teammates managed to get a foot on it.

F, Chris Rolfe, NR -- Not enough time on the pitch to make an impression.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Starting XI vs Trinidad and Tobago?




The players in the picture above all started last time the Americans confronted Trinidad and Tobago, but most of them won't play today much less start, as they've been released back to their club teams after the 6-1 shredding of Cuba which gave the United States a berth in the Hexagonal next year.

Here's how I think Bob Bradley will line the guys up for tonight's encounter against Trinidad and Tobago...

-----------------------Guzan------------------------
--Wynne----------Califf---Orozco--------Pearce----
----------------Edu-------------Torres-------------
----Kljestan-----------Adu------------Beasley-----
---------------------Altidore----------------------


I still see Bradley continuing his experimentation with the 4-5-1 but this time it'll be with younger faces starting.

Brad Guzan will get the nod at the back after Tim Howard was released back to Everton following the Americans win over the Leones del Caribe.

I see the four defenders in front of "El Guzano" consisting of Marvell Wynne, Danny Califf, Michael Orozco and Heath Pearce. The back four appear to be mostly inexperienced which could be a weakness for the States tonight. But I think we'll see the duo of Maurice Edu and Jose Francisco Torres in front of the defense as they'll both attempt to neutralize the center of the pitch and create attacks.

Sacha Kljestan will move a little bit higher on the pitch as he'll probably be pushed out wide to play right attacking mid, a position he is familiar with. On the left we'll see the incumbent DaMarcus Beasley get the nod as he continues to build chemistry with LB, Pearce. Expect Freddy Adu to be lined up in the center behind lone striker Jozy Altidore as the two teenagers have quite the understanding with one another.

The team looks relatively young and I wouldn't be surprised if the Americans came out of the gate a bit slow tonight, but we'll find out soon enough.


What do you think of this Starting XI? Agree that this will be the lineup thrown out to start the game tonight? If not, who do you see starting? What formation? Share your thoughts below.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Barcelona to bid for MLS Expansion Team in Miami




Spanish heavyweight Barcelona is one step closer to expanding their storied franchise in the United States as they prepare to bid for an MLS expansion team. The Miami Herald has reported that Barcelona will make the formal bid tomorrow - the day of the deadline for owners and companies to apply - for one of the two expansion spots for the 2011 season.

The article also states that Barcelona's website stated that their new club would most likely play at the Florida International University facility for the first two seasons while they search for a permanent home.

Living in South Florida, you can aleady conclude that I would love to see this happen. It would be great for the next generation of footy fans to have a South Florida team. Yes the Miami Fusion bombed out during their time here but if anyone can run a soccer business in the 305, it's Barcelona.

The only negative I see is that the team would be playing near my university's rival , FIU. (Go FAU Owls!) In all seriousness, it would be better if the expansion club could find a steady stadium to call home so as to build stability within the club. Southh Florida sports fans have been through enough "Are we going to move the team or not" debates.

Regardless, Barcelona potentially bringing an MLS team back to Miami is nothing but positive news.


What do you think of this news? Would you like to see a team located in Miami again? Happy Barcelona is interested in backing the team? Share your comments below.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Mastroeni & Rogers Out, Carroll & Rolfe In




The blog over at Ussoccer.com is reporting that Colorado Rapids midfielder Pablo Mastroeni and Colombus Crew forward Robbie Rogers have been ruled out for Wednesday's World Cup Qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago.

Mastroeni suffered a slight knee injury in his team's 3-2 defeat against David Beckham's Galaxy on Sunday, while Rogers is experiencing back problems due to a collision he took in a 2-2 draw against the Chicago Fire.

The 32 year old Mastroeni was replaced by Crew midfielder Brian Carroll, who has six caps with the National Team. Carroll's teammate Rogers was replaced with Fire forward Chris Rolfe (8 Caps) for the match against the Soca Warriors at Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Don't expect either of these late replacements to see time on Wednesday unless the injury bug suddenly hits the U.S. team's camp as both players have been primarily called up for depth purposes.


How do you feel about the injuries? Has Mastroeni seen his last game with the full squad?When will Rogers get another chance to play? Like the Carroll and Rolfe additions? Share your comments below.

U.S. Roster Released for T&T Bout




Lost in all the Kenny Cooper commotion yesterday, I forgot to talk about the actual roster that was released by Bob Bradley for the upcoming World Cup Qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago.

The team released nine players while adding four.

Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Brian Ching, Michael Bradley, Jay DeMerit, Tim Howard, Steve Cherundolo, Oguchi Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra were all sent back to their clubs. Meanwhile, Bob Bradley summoned Pablo Mastroeni, Robbie Rogers, Marvell Wynne and Jonathan Bornstein from their MLS sides.

The team that will be fielded on Wednesday in Port of Spain will most likely combine the few remaining veterans (DaMarcus Beasley, Pablo Mastroeni, Frankie Hejduk) with many of the inexperienced youngsters. Expect Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore and Jose Torres to start after coming off the bench and demonstrating some impressive play on Saturday night.

The approach Bob Bradley is taking for this match will give him and the coaching staff a clearer picture of who is ready to contribute once the Hexagonal begins in 2009. This is a prime opportunity for guys on the border of making it into the National Team mix. A guy like Robbie Rogers or Danny Szetela could really make a case for one self with a solid performance against the Soca Warriors.

The game kicks off at 8:00 PM ET.


The 18 Man Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Troy Perkins (Valerenga IF).

DEFENDERS (6): Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC).

MIDFIELDERS (7): Freddy Adu (AS Monaco), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio) José Francisco Torres (Pachuca).

FORWARDS (3): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal C.F.), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew).


Happy with the roster? Excited that Robbie Rogers got called up? Will Bornstein start over Pearce? How do you think the likes of Adu, Altidore and Torres will do together? Share your thoughts below.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Cooper Turns Down National Team Call-up




Just when some fans began to bicker about yet another exclusion of forward Kenny Cooper from the 18 man roster that would take on Trinidad and Tobago in three days, news broke out that Cooper had indeed been part of Bob Bradley's plans for the game.

He simply turned them down.

The FC Dallas standout has been a top of the list of players that fans have wanted to see get called in more frequently. Many have come to the conclusion that he is the solution to the forward dilemma that has plagued the Americans all year long. However, Cooper felt that now was not his time.

"I feel so fortunate and honored to have been invited to join up with the U.S. Men’s National team in Trinidad and Tobago. I made the difficult decision to pass on this opportunity because I had picked up a virus and have been playing with a sprained ankle," stated Cooper to his club team's blog "Considering the importance of my club’s game versus Real Salt Lake this week, and that the National Team has already clinched a berth in the next round of qualifying, I felt it was the right thing to do to stay in Dallas and make sure I get well, and hopefully there will be other opportunities down the line."

While Cooper has deservedly warranted more looks than he's been given, he should've taken full advantage of the one he was offered. Whether or not he made the right decision, choosing club over country in this instance might not sit well with Bradley and the coaching staff. And while Cooper's fans will point out that his team is in the midst of a playoff hunt, so are Bornstein's Chivas USA, and Mastroeni's Rapids.

Now this isn't to say Kenny will never get another call-up. If he continues to play at the level he's currently playing at then he will deserve another shot with the full squad. What this does do however, is hurt his chances to raise his stock to a coaching staff that doesn't rate him as highly as many of his fans do. And with time winding down before the Hexagonal begins, Cooper may look back on this as a missed opportunity.

What is your opinion on Cooper saying no to the National Team? Think he did it out of spite? Will he get another look before the Hex begins next February? Share your thoughts in the comment box.

United States Clinch in 6-1 rout over Cuba




The United States are through to the Hexagonal Round of Qualifying in 2009 after their 6-1 drubbing of Cuba last night at RFK Stadium.

Although the Americans allowed their first goal of qualifying, they put together their best offensive display this year against a short-staffed Cuban team. Earlier in the week, midfielder Pedro Faife and forward Reynier Alcantara defected, leaving the Cubans with only five eligible subs to choose from for Saturday night's game.

The depleted Cuban team did not take long to break down as the Yanks began the scoring festivities in the 10th minute when Sacha Kljestan placed a perfect through ball in the path of DaMarcus Beasley, who curled it past the slow-footed dive of Odelin Molina.

"(Kljestan) collected a ball in the midfield and played it into my path," said Beasley during the post-game press conference "The only thing I thought of was to shoot far post and that’s what happened. To get the first goal was great, because that’s the most difficult one."

The two-time World Cup veteran would strike again just twenty minutes later. A beautiful long ball by Landon Donovan found the defense flat-footed as Beasley had enough time and space to chest the ball down, before seeing it take a bounce and then striking it into the back of the net with his right foot.

Cuba responded with a goal of their own just two minutes later. Michael Bradley's failure to clear the ball saw him stripped away as Hensy Munoz took a shot from distance that sailed over Tim Howard's head before hitting the crossbar and bouncing into the goal.

It appeared that Cuba would have walked into halftime with the thought of them possibly getting a result in the U.S. That thought was quickly erased as a silly foul saw Cuban defender Yoel Colome awarded his second yellow of the match leaving Cuba with 10 men.

The one player difference became evident immediately in the second half as the Americans were able to score three minutes in. A string of seven sharp passes ended when Heath Pearce placed a low cross into the area that Donovan easily tapped home from six yards out.

In the 63rd minute the Yanks netted their fourth. Beasley's free kick from the right side found Kljestan, who headed the ball across the six yard line and then finished off by Brian Ching.

That was enough for Bob Bradley as he then summoned upon the services of his youngsters in clean-up duty. Jozy Altidore came on for Brian Ching in the 68th minute and Jose Francisco Torres officially became cap-tied to the United States as he went on for Heath Pearce. Freddy Adu also entered the game just 14 minutes from the final whistle as he was subbed on for Chivas USA midfielder Kljestan.

The Americans would finish off the game with two more goals. In the 87th minute, Jozy Altidore showed his strength and speed combination that has so many fans proclaiming he's the forward of the future. Clint Dempsey sprung Altidore loose with a through ball that left the 18 year old with one defender to beat. Altidore managed to fight off the tight marking before cleverly cutting in and scoring with a strong finish to the near post.

The final goal came in stoppage time when Oguchi Onyewu headed home a cross from Adu. The Monaco midfielder took a defender head on before creating just enough space to get a beautiful cross off to the center of the area. Gooch was able to track the ball down and leap over his defender before netting the American's sixth goal. Onyewu celebrated by blowing a kiss to his family and friends that were 100+ strong in attendance.

But although Adu may have gotten an assist and Altidore a goal, it was Torres who received the loudest ovation.

The 20 year old player from Pachuca (Mexico) just recently chose the stars and stripes over the Mexican NT and he was the most talked about player for the past week with good reason. Even one gigantic sign at RFK Stadium showed the fans' support for the 5'5 player as it said "Torres > Castillo" (referring to another Mexican-American who opted to play for Mexico instead of the States).

But Torres wasn't just cheered on for his decision on Saturday night, he was also cheered for his play. Torres should good touch, vision and even managed to rifle a shot from distance that just went over Cuba's goal.

“My nerves were calm when I first went in. During the week, I got to know my teammates better during training. These are great teammates," commented Torres of his early game jitters "They have so much experience, playing in World Cups. The first ball, I was a little nervous. Once I got a hold of it, started passing, and started shooting, I was comfortable.”

With the win last night, the Americans are through to next year's Hexagonal and that was the most important goal heading into last night. But with a pair of qualifiers remaining, Torres and the other younger players will have more than enough time to get more comfortable, as the remaining qualifiers will be served to test the youngsters in difficult matches.

Player ratings (scale of 1-10)

GK, Tim Howard, 6 -- May have been a little too far off his line on the goal, but besides that Tim was just another spectator tonight as he rarely touched the ball.

D, Steve Cherundolo, 5 -- Defended well when needed, which wasn't often, but for some reason he was timid going forward. Not the usual Cherundolo effort.

D, Oguchi Onyewu, 7 -- Gooch didn't see many challenges and he scored the final goal of the game in front of his friends and family. Solid performance for the Gooch.

D, Carlos Bocanegra, 6 -- Another solid display for the Captain as he was rarely challenged.

D, Heath Pearce, 6 -- Didn't have a tough task tonight as he was able to sit back and choose when to get forward as he had noone pressuring him. Credit to him for the assist on Donovan's goal.

M, Michael Bradley, 6 -- Stayed active throughout the game and could've had two goals on a pair of shots he wishes he could have back. Was responsible for Cuba's goal but other than that, a nice game for MB tonight.

M, Sacha Kljestan, 7 -- Is Sacha the answer for the other CM position? Kljestan was active throughout and got himself a nice couple of assists.

M, Clint Dempsey, 6 -- Did more dirty work than usual and a header in the second half almost continued his scoring streak.

M, Landon Donovan, 7 -- Landon continues to show that he's ready for another shot at European football. His jaw-dropping passing that left Beasley wide open for the second goal stamped that statement. He also scored in open play for the first time in what seems like forever. Granted it was against Cuba, but still.

M, DaMarcus Beasley, 8 -- A pair of goals gave Beasley his first for the National Team since last summer's Gold Cup. If Beasley can continue to play like this, the Americans will have a more potent offense in 2009. However, once he was pushed to left back, one could see the potential to be a possible candidate for left back which would allow another offensive weapon to step onto the pitch.

F, Brian Ching, 6 -- Did well holding the ball up and his hold up play allowed for teammates to jump into the attack. A prime example of how well he does this was on the Donovan goal, where Ching holds the ball before Heath makes a darting run down the left. Still, Ching doesn't create enough on his own and Altidore could be his spot replacement in 2009.

SUBS:

F, Josmer Altidore, 7 -- Showed off the speed and strength combination which granted him a move to Villarreal this past summer. His goal was a thing of beauty and Jozy deserves more looks come next year.

M, Jose Francisco Torres, 7 -- An impressive performance for his first cap. Stepped in and showed off his touch immediately which is a trait that is sorely lacking in the U.S. midfield right now. Almost scored a goal from distance which was nice to see. He'll most likely start on Wednesday.

M, Freddy Adu, 7 -- Adu stepped in and made an impact during the 14 minutes he played. Went at his defender late before crossing the ball towards the center that Gooch finished off.