I’m assuming we’re using spoilers for those who might be watching the game later.
27’ - after lots of generally craptastic play by the USMNT, Honduras gets a chance and a cross into the box is headed home as the U.S. defense is apparently oblivious to the play that’s ongoing.
HON 1-0 USA
1H - the good news: it’s only 1-0. The bad news: we can only sub 5 players off that fairly shitacular group that masqueraded as U.S. players in the first 45.
48’ - after 3 subs to start the 2nd half and what hopefully was an ass-chewing during the intermission, Honduras is unable to foul Pulisic and it leads to an eventual cross that’s whacked home by Robinson. HON 1-1 USA
62’ - Roldan on for Pulsic after #10 gets fouled hard for the 57th time in the game and the referee letting play go. One sub left for USMNT.
What? You can only have 5 consecutive replies, then someone else has to post? What a stupid …
73’ - Yedlin in for Sands. That’s the last substitution. Honduras makes one here, has 3 left.
75’ - Yedlin pays instant dividends as his cross goes to the 18-year old Pepi, who heads it inside the post. HON 1-2 USA
86’ - Aaronson buries the clincher. Pepi with a goal and 2 assists on the night. Qualifying disaster averted, but still questions that need to be answered before we play again in a month. HON 1-3 USA
90+3 - a 4th goal? Why not? Lletget scores in extra time to give us a bonus that puts us into 3rd, even with Panama on goal differential but ahead on goals scored. HON 1-4 USA
I am hoping that anyone saving the game to watch later will avoid this thread. I would suggest we don’t use spoilers moving forward. That said, I forget how to use spoilers on this site and I’ll wait til tomorrow to post.
Done now.
I thought I recorded the match on my TiVo in Espanishyol. then I noticed the main box downstairs had no red light on.
Started watching just after the second USA goal.
And, yes, piling on is important in tournaments.
I want Miles, Adams, and Pepe in the XI starting every match this WC cycle (barring injury)
First half looked awful for the US. Glad they came together in the second half. Pepi was huge
That first half was dreadful. Brooks and Sands were so awful out there. Sargeant did nothing. There was no connection between defenders and attackers. Pulisic was our only player creating anything and was being swallowed up for the most part.
2nd half shows why Antonee Robinson is our LB. He has to be. He’s consistently the best defender on Fullham who are going to run away with the Championship this season.
Aaronson is essential. He brings so much energy and can finish.
Maybe Pepi will be the answer to our striker woes. Let’s hope.
This game shows why a player like Lletget is important to us.
Let’s hope Pulisic is okay. He’s our best player and the way we’ll be able to beat decent teams outside CONCACAF. Need to build a game plan that includes him, not is him. That’s on Berhalter.
5 points while playing 1 good half of soccer across 3 games. I’ll take it.
This version of 3 CBs was a disaster. Adams can’t play RB for this team, he needs to be in the middle. Sands was turrible. Brooks is now a depth guy imo, not a written in pen starter.
I know that US Soccer wouldn’t have pulled the trigger, but Gregg should have been canned had we lost. Hell, if we don’t get at least 6 points in a month I would let him and his “system” go.
My 1st choice starting XI
Turner
Yedlin - MRob - ??? - ARob
McKinnie - Adams - ???
Aaronson - Pepi - Pulisic
I have no clue who the other CB should be. But it shouldn’t be Brooks.
I can hear arguments for Dest over Yedlin.
Not sure who the 3rd mid should be. Reyna? Aaronson started in that spot with Reyna on the RW in the SLV game, but Aaronson seems much more dynamic on the wing.
Pepi needs to be the starting 9 in 2 of the 3 October games.
Next games
10/7 vs Jamaica (Austin)
10/10 @ Panama
10/13 vs Costa Rica (Columbus)
Standings
1 Mexico 7 pts / 2-0-1 / +2
2 Canada 5 pts / 1-0-2 / +3
3 USA 5 pts / 1-0-2 / +3
4 Panama 5 pts / 1-0-2 / +3
5 Costa Rica 2 pts / 0-1-2 / -1
6 Honduras 2 pts / 0-1-2 / -3
7 El Salvador 2 pts / 0-1-2 / -3
8 Jamaica 1 pts / 0-2-1 / -4
Mexico did us no favors drawing with Panama. Need them to win every game except when they play us.
----------------Turner--------------
Dest—McKenzie—MRob—ARob
------McKinnie-----Adams------
Aaronson—Reyna-----Pulisic
-----------------Pepi----------------
Yedlin is as big a liability on defense as Dest, but Dest has much more upside imo. Brooks has played himself out of a starting role right now. McKinnie needs to be on the field as long as his teammates trust and endorse him after his shenanigans. Reyna is incredibly important and will work great together with Pulisic. Pepi because we don’t have a striker and that position is a ‘what have you done for me lately’ type role.
I need Acosta on the field vs Mexico and Costa Rica. He is our most CONCACAFy player by far and is always moving.
I thought Turner had a nice save today but looked awkward. His distribution was pretty meh, and a couple of times it seemed like he went to ground too early to save a shot and got lucky it didn’t bounce on him. I’m not sold on any of our 3 being the starter yet, but Turner has it now.
I can get behind this, but I don’t think we’ve ever seen the 4-2-3-1.
And I would still have a ??? next to MRob at CB.
Walker Zimmerman for first choice CB alongside MRob, imo
I’d love to throw Reyna in this 4-3-3 somewhere but not enough of a tactician to know if you can get all those folks on without some midfield issues. But ideally I’d have Reyna in your other ??? slot for sure.
Reyna is likely out for his club games before the next window which means we may not get him for the next qualifiers either, and if not game fitness will likely still be an issue
So, how will the players and the teams “divide FIFA money equally”?
Well, put it all in a pool. At the end of each year, everyone who participated gets an “equal share” which will depend on some formula: On roster for match, game time, play/not play, etc, I guess. Is that what will be “fair”?
Honestly, the tie between USWNT/WSL/USSF has to be terminated in order to get "fair treatment. It was bad enough when the women were pretty much forced to play in the WSL or risk not being on the National team, where the money really is. That was the unintended consequence of such a contract.
USWNT practically running a lay-up drill on 50th-ranked Paraguay. Lloyd has 2 goals in the first 6 minutes, the hat trick at 34’, and 5 goals so far to move past Kristine Lilly into 3rd all-time for the women.
That’s nice. No medal in doing that, though. Just tallying up games for the money.
Meanwhile, the USMNT drops a few ranking spots. No way they were #10 in the first place, though.