[I meant to put this out on Thursday, but time constraints kept me from doing so. Lesson learned for next time.]
Photo: ISISports.com
USA 2-0 Mexico
The USA's defeat of their arch-rival -- the third consecutive 2-0 result between these two teams in Columbus -- was not a surprise to either camp, and perhaps that is the biggest news of all. Even so, up until the final minutes of the first half Mexico were very much in the game, and could have equalized on a couple of occasions in the second half. As I've said on a number of occasions, we will be hearing more from dos Santos for years to come. Despite Mexico's performance they suffered two blows that turned the match: first, the point-blank save by Howard on dos Santos' effort in the goal area, and second, the forced substitution of Castillo. The poached goal by Michael Bradley deflated Mexico's spirits terribly, and it showed in the second half. Bradley gave an excellent all-round performance and shifted between defensive and offensive roles very well. His second goal at the end was a testament to his opportunistic use of space left by the advancing Mexican midfield. And Bradley didn't get himself carded, which was a bonus.
The USA will savor this performance for a few minutes, but Bob Bradley will remind the side that nine qualifiers remain, starting with a trip to El Salvador that Tim Howard will not be able to make. The midfield played better than in previous qualifiers, but the team as a whole still hasn't played a focused match over 90 minutes. While the strikers have contributed well to defensive duties (Dempsey stands out in this regard), it would be nice to see them contributing to the offense as well. For Mexico, the despair deepens and clouds continue to gather over Eriksson (no matter how often the FMF leadership gives him vocal support). Looking at the match analysis on the Mexican websites, one word that has appeared a lot has been "nervous". It's the kind of adjective that can only appear when Mexico is facing its biggest rival, and it appears for reasons that I fail to understand. On the positive side, Mexico will have eight more matches against opponents who don't trigger such a psychological response. On the negative side, it will open its home Hexagonal campaign without Márquez or Osorio.
Photo: Jose Cabezas/AFP/Getty Images
El Salvador 2-2 Trinidad & Tobago
By the foot of Osael Romero, El Salvador preserved a point in their opening match against Trinidad & Tobago. It's fitting that the match ended in a draw, because there are no winners at the end of the night. El Salvador needed to win this game, and T&T needed a road victory in the only venue where it could realistically happen. T&T did everything possible to win the match in the first half; first Edwards scored after seven minutes, then Yorke converted a penalty. El Salvador was a non-factor in the first 45 minutes as the Soca Warriors midfield reigned. But in football there is a second half of 45 minutes, and T&T took their foot off the gas and ceded territory, and the match, to the Salvadorans.
The match will be costly to both sides in so many ways. Shawn Martín could miss the first half of the Hexagonal after breaking his leg in a collision with T&T 'keeper Clayton Ince. Dwight Yorke will be suspended for at least the next two Hexagonal matches after getting himself a red card after the match had completed. He was already out for the match against Honduras after receiving a yellow, and it was another irresponsible act from a team captain in the Hexagonal.
H/T soccerbyives.net
Costa Rica 2-0 Honduras
It is nice to be proven right by events, even if it doesn't happen too often. Andy Furtado continued his good form with the national team (he was leading scorer of the UNCAF Nations Cup) by firing Costa Rica to a vital win (their first in eight home qualifiers against Honduras). But it might not have happened had David Suazo figured out how to score. Honduras are a very streaky team, capable of either scoring goals in bunches and running out 3-1 or 4-0 winners, and just as capable of missing sitters and hitting the woodwork and losing 0-1. The first half was theirs, but the second half belonged to Costa Rica, who were much closer to their third goal than Honduras to their first. Now Costa Rica will go off to Mexico City, where a merry band of ticos will accompany them. Honduras will go to Port-of-Spain and try to grab some away points.