World Cup baby!

jerry

Guest
We are in! Plus we finished ahead of mexico. They really hate that.

US moves to verge of 6th straight World Cup berth
(AP) – 43 minutes ago
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad — The United States moved within a win of its sixth straight World Cup appearance, beating Trinidad and Tobago 1-0 Wednesday night on Ricardo Clark's goal in the 62nd minute.
The United States failed to win its first three road qualifiers this year and played a listless first half. The Americans went ahead when Clint Dempsey played the ball wide to Landon Donovan, who cut the ball back to Clark.
Clark took a touch and let loose a bending 26-yard shot that swerved past goalkeeper Clayton Ince. It was just the second goal in 25 international appearances for the Houston Dynamo midfielder, who also scored against Paraguay in the Copa America two years ago.
"It's huge. It's huge. It gives a little bit of space when things are getting tight in our group," Clark said. "We knew we had to come out in this game and get a win."
Donovan also assisted on both U.S. goals in Saturday's 2-1 win over El Salvador at Sandy, Utah. He holds American career records with 41 goals and 41 assists in 118 international appearances.
"He's just a machine out there, man. He's on his game," Clark said. "He's just a big-time player doing big-time things."
The United States (5-2-1) moved into first place in the final round of North and Central American and Caribbean qualifying with 16 points, two ahead of Honduras (4-2-1) and four in front of Mexico and Costa Rica (4-3).
Mexico hosted Honduras later Wednesday and Costa Rica was at El Salvador.
At the time Clark scored, U.S. coach Bob Bradley was getting ready to replace him with Stuart Holden.
"I had a feeling that it was going to be me," Clark said.
Bradley then decided to leave Clark in.
The U.S. could clinch when it plays at Honduras on Oct. 14. The Americans close four days later at home against Costa Rica in Washington, D.C.
The top three teams qualify for the World Cup, and the No. 4 nation goes to a playoff against the fifth-place team in South America.
Trinidad, which made its first World Cup appearance in 2006, was mathematically eliminated from qualifying for the 32-nation field in South Africa next year.
 

jerry

Guest
From the LA Times today:
Clark, the Houston Dynamo midfielder, fired in a fierce shot from 25 yards or more in the 62nd minute as the U.S. overcame Trinidad and Tobago at Hasley Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

The win sent the Americans to the top of the six-nation regional qualifying group with 16 points. It also eliminated the Soca Warriors, who made it to Germany 2006 but fell far short this time.

Blanco, the Chicago Fire playmaker, banged in a 75th-minute penalty kick for Mexico at rain-soaked Azteca Stadium to send the Mexico City crowd into raptures and earn El Tri the three points against a game but outclassed Honduras.

The win sent the Mexicans to second place in the group with 15 points. Honduras, in first place when Wednesday dawned, dropped to third with 13 points.

Corrales, the CD Aguila striker, achieved the most improbable of the day's results. His last-minute injury-time goal at Cuscatlan Stadium in San Salvador not only kept El Salvador mathematically alive, albeit barely, but also consigned plummeting Costa Rica to its third consecutive shutout loss.

The Ticos, once in first place, are now fourth with 12 points and facing the very real possibility of being forced into a playoff against the fifth-place South American finisher.

That team could be two-time world champion Argentina, which was beaten, 1-0, by Paraguay in Asuncion on Wednesday and whose hold on that position is a precarious one. Maradona's team is only one point ahead of Uruguay and Venezuela and only two points ahead of Colombia.

El Salvador, incidentally, has eight points. It can achieve a maximum of only 14 and plays away to Mexico next. Say goodnight, Rudi.
 

jerry

Guest
I don't know Wahoo Algeria beat Egypt and will be playing a near home game.England will be glad to play us but as a guy on my soccer blog says" a fair slice of luck for the United States.We dodged the Group of Death in yesterday’s World Cup draw. Mexico too managed to get into a very manageable group by being drawn with the hosts, Uruguay, and France. So with by far the two best teams from the draw’s weakest pot out of the running we have to like this draw."
 
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