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U.S. IS IN!!!!

Ok before you start saying it’s because of Honduras’s missed chances (cue Carlos Pavon who better get out of Honduras) or the U.S. struggled in midfield just take a deep breath.
It doesn’t matter right now. The U.S. became the only team to beat Honduras in Honduras in this phase and have qualified for a World Cup.
So congratulations to Bob Bradley and his squad and lets celebrate and enjoy the moment. Loosen up a bit. By the way, did you see the U.S. Soccer guru Sunil Gulati celebrating on the sideline……?
Ok on to the game which I caught via the beauty of pirate satellite or whatever you want to call it.

Five second half goals rained down in Honduras and fortunately for the U.S. they had three of them.
Chances abounded for both sides and with Rambo De Leon scoring first for Honduras early in the second half before the U.S. scored three straight goals getting two from Conor Casey and one from Landon Donovan. Donovan set Casey up beautifully on his second goal and then hit a free kick.
DeLeon would get another for Honduras to make it 3-2 and it got a bit dicey at the end for the U.S.
A handball on Jonathan Spector brought Carlos Pavon to the penalty spot with minutes left but Pavon blew his penalty over the top . Moments later he would miss a clear header from five yards out.
Donovan again remains on another level for the U.S….rarely giving the ball away, always making the right decisions and making the right plays. Again he is involved in almost every U.S. goal!!! A relief and off to the World Cup for the U.S.
Thank you Landon and thank you Carlos!

Mexico got it’s ticket punched as well winning over El Salvador 4-1 at Azteca Stadium in front of 100,00 . An own goal forced by Cuauhtemoc Blanco started things off.
Then Blanco scored followed by Paco Palencia and Carlos Vela as El Tri got revenge on El Salvador whom had beaten them in San Salvador earlier.
Mexico was dominant in this one and became the first team to punch a ticket to South Africa followed a few hours by the U.S.

Argentina had the gods of soccer shining on them in Buenos Aires. After taking a 1-0 lead(after Peru hit the crossbar) through Gonzalo Higuain early in the second half they were tied amazingly in stoppage time during a heavy downpour by last place Peru and Hernan Regifo. Boca Jrs. legend Martin Palermo (out of national team for 10 years) then found himself at the back post to tap in the game winner only a minute or so later to continue his lore.
This goal elicited a running belly slide by coach Diego Maradona of Argentina on the rain soaked field …..off the kick-off Peru from half field fired a long range shot that hit the crossbar without Argentina’s goalkeeper Sergio Romero (shaky) getting a hand on it. Now lots of reports missed this and stopped at Palermo but it was an amazing moment…Argentina wins 2-1 by the skin of their teeth but so did Uruguay whom they play next in Montevideo on Wednesday.
Chile qualified for their first World Cup since 1998 with former Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa in charge.

Others like Denmark, Germany booked their places as well today. So what stood out to you on a World Cup qualifying Saturday?

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I have had the good fortune of calling soccer matches in both Mexico and Central America. They have all been astounding experiences in their own way. Different cultures, different soccer and always monster pressure with a chance to beat the United States or a team from the United States.
In the earlier rounds of World Cup qualifying along with John Harkes we called the U.S. vs. Guatemala game in Guatemala City which ended up a 1-0 win for the U.S. on a Carlos Bocanegra header.
I described the match as a “street fight’ because that is exactly what it was and Guatemala spurred on by their fans morphed into a different team.

One thing that I am hoping for from the U.S. is an agressive, alive and confident start. I am hoping the brains are switched on right from the start.
Go back to El Salvador and Costa Rica and these were less than impressive starts. When the U.S. played in Chicago against Honduras it also was a slow start.
Honduras has a number of players that have European pedigree and the support of an entire nation who needs something to be happy about after a June military coup.
Is this game politically charged and could a win over the U.S. unite a nation? Absolutely. It is a rare for a U.S. team in any sport to land in Honduras a fact that is lost on so many of our short-sighted sports media. Think it is pressure at a Rockets, Astros or Texans game. Walk in the park compared to a situation that you feel your safety as a player can be endangered.
So 1350 police and military will be on hand and when I was in Guatemala you go through the process of security and you don’t ask questions. By the way, the Guatemalan people were muy simpatico.
Ok back to tonite, Honduras has EPL players in Maynor Figueroa and Hendry Thomas of Wigan, Wilson Palacios of Spurs not to mention others with a name like David Suazo and the ageless Carlos Pavon at 36 who couldn’t score a goal to save his life in MLS but is a different player in WCup qualifying.

The U.S. will need to rely on the experience of those that have played in these matches and I believe Stuart Holden could get a start in this one as well as Rico Clark.
The teams sound as though they will collide like runaway trains and football might be limited. Landon Donovan has been a god-send for this team and has re-affirmed himself to the U.S. public as the maker of plays on this squad.
What are your thoughts/

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All kinds of interesting matches abound today in World Cup qualifying and I am wondering what games you will be watching. Of course many of you will be watching MLS tonite and or the Mexican national team as the U.S./ Honduras match can only be seen on cctv at places like the RICHMOND ARMS.
I will have an eye on Argentina and Peru, Chile with a shot at qualifying and will watch Sweden and Denmark this afternoon.
What games are you focused on today and what will you be watching?