The mass hysteria that is CONCACAF Qualifying could become a bit clearer for the United States tonight as they face Trinidad and Tobago in Port-of-Spain tonight at 6:30 pm EST. The Soca Warriors have disappointed in qualifying and will not be returning to the World Cup as they have already been eliminated from qualifying. Despite that, they are still a dangerous team with a strong group of forwards including Kenwyne Jones, Bobby Zamora, and Cornell Glenn. The Premier League fans know all about Jones and Zamora, while an MLS fan would tell you that Glenn isn't much to deal, but he has done very well with the national team. The US has a full roster available. Jay DeMerit was sent back to Watford with a groin injury, but the regular starting 11 will be able to play. Oguchi Oneywu is back so the threat of Jones, Zamora, and Glenn is much lessened with Onyewu in front of Howard. The question is, how will T&T play? Recently retired Russell Latapy and Dwight Yourke have taken over as manager and assistant, so they are not likely to roll over like they did in a 3-0 loss in Nashville in April. Altidore scored all three in that match. My projected US lineup: GK - Howard DF - Spector, Bocanegra, Onyewu, Cherundolo MF - Donovan, Bradley, Clark, Holden FW - Altidore, Dempsey Normally, I have Dempsey on the right and Davies up top, but since he hobbled off the field against El Salvador, I'll go with Dempsey to start. Holden provides a steadier attack and service on the right, while Dempsey's ability to pop up in the right spots is better suited for a central position.
My bad on the time there. Kick off is set for 7:11 pm on ESPN Classic, Telefutura, and ESPN360.com. Here's the US line-up. ----------------Davies--------Altidore----------- Donovan--------------------------------Dempsey -----------------Bradley-----Clark--------------- Bornstein----Bocanegra---Onyewu----Spector -----------------------Howard-------------------- No surprises on the bench with Guzan, Marshall, Torres, Ching, Cherundolo, Feilhaber, and Holden. Looks like the Davies injury wasn't bad at all. Bornstein with a second chance on the left. Bob Bradley is going with speed vs. speed with Bornstein against Carlos Edwards tonight. Donovan should be able to dominate quite a bit on the left and keep Edwards pinned back, which I'm hoping will help a shaky Bornstein. I can't find info on the T&T line up at the moment.
And here's T&T's lineup. -------------K. Jones-----Glen------------------- Leon--------Noel--------Spann------------Tinto Samuel-----Lawrence--Abu Bakr------Edwards -------------------Ince------------------------ Courtesy of SoccerByIves As Ives added, Lawrence and Abu-Bakr are 6-6 and 6-4 respectively and slow. Altidore and Davies must be looking forward to running at those guys, while Onyewu might be missing some chance on set pieces.
Here's a first. There's a steel drum band playing the US National Anthem. And its one of the better renditions I have heard in a while. ESPN had a close up of Ricardo Clark who looked like he had no idea what was going on. T&T has the same thing going with the steel drums. Its pretty sweet. The PA announcer is also very vigorous, which is different. Seems like a cool pregame presentation.
Fun facts from ESPN, Dwight Yourke and Russell Latapy scored both goals for T&T last time the US was in Port of Spain.
In the second, Tinto sends it into the box, but its a poor pop-up of an effort, scooped by Tim Howard. Hoping for more possession for the US coming soon.
Carlos Edwards is on the left, which is unusual. Looks like Latapy is avoiding the speed game with Bornstein and Donovan and prefers him against the slower right side of the US field with Dempsey and Spector.
Kenwyne Jones with the first shot of the game in the 6th minute. He sent it high, but the US was backing off despite Jones being at the top of the box.
Donovan goes centrally and gains a lot of ground before an overcooked touch gets sent out for a throw. I was waiting for him to send in Davies or Altidore who were on either side.
We're through 10 minutes now and there's tons of speed on the pitch in attack and not a whole lot in defense. The midfield that controls possession will win the game. Through the first ten, that's been Trinidad. 11th minute now and Donovan sends a corner long that Ince takes in goal. Ince sets up a rapid counter, but the US was able to get back. Trinidad can be dangerous tonight if the US isn't careful.
We're in the 15th now and another US corner. Usually a strength for the US, but Trinidad is huge and these aren't very threatening. The Trinidad counter from the corner was looking dangerous again, but an offside call bailed us out.
Between the 18th and 19th, the US got three corners. First was short, second was long, and third was a low line-drive. None looked like threatening Ince in goal.
Davies with a shot from distance. Not sure what Ince was doing, but he just bent over and picked it up with his hands. There was some speed on the shot so it could have lead to quite the blunder, but it worked out for him.
Not a whole lot going on right now. There's a close up of Holden and Feilhaber on the bench and this game is really missing them at the moment. In the 23rd now and Jozy Altidore went up for a header as Silvio Spann undercut him and Jozy landed hard. He got up though. Dempsey ends up with it, but he's been making a lot of negative plays. Poor back passes and turnovers galore. Leon takes a yellow for a questionable challenge on Spector. That leads to another Donovan free kick and it was a poor one. Donovan can cross with some skill, but his set pieces are terrible.
Carlos Edwards pops up on the right going against Bornstein in the 27th. Ball gets laid off for Glenn, who sends a dangerous cross to Kenwyne Jones. Jones snaps an open header down, but Howard makes the save. And since there was a yellow recently, here are the players who will be missing the next match if they take a yellow: Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore, Carlos Bocanegra, Ricardo Clark, Clint Dempsey, Benny Feilhaber and Steve Cherundolo.
Amazing luck there for the US. Trinidad takes a throw-in and Cornell Glenn takes a run as the US stops paying attention to the world around them. Glenn drew Howard out, but his chip hit the cross bar. Counter attack for the US ends with Altidore slamming a shot at Ince from distance. Ince makes a very nice save.
I'm not entirely sure what the US is doing in attack here. There was some good linking play along the ground against El Salvador when Altidore was going against some tiny centerbacks. Now that he's going at 6-4 and 6-6, they're popping the ball up a bit more. I don't get it. Dempsey is down in the 32nd. Looks like a mix of shin pain and hurt pride. Poor performance thus far. He either isn't in the game or he's doing something bad.
Horrific defending on a long throw from Trinidad. Bocanegra misjudges and the ball bounces through the six yard box, between Bocanegra's diving kick and Spector's shoulder barge, both on Cornell Glenn, the US could/should have been called for a penalty.
The US attack looks confused. There are moving decently off the ball, but Donovan ended up in defensive midfield, while Clark was making a run on goal. I'm not sure how such things happen. Its inexplicable.
Donovan takes another shot from distance in the 39th. It takes a deflection of Abu-Bakr and dribbles harmlessly wide. Somehow, there is a goal kick given to Trinidad. The US isn't using their speed advantage through the middle. This result isn't going to be too good if they don't fix that.
