Results tagged “Honduras” from 100 Percent Soccer

U.S. 1 Honduras 3

How to sum this one up Saturday in Carson?

Here's one way.

In general, there was way too much of this from Honduras and forward Jerry Palacios, seen here celebrating what was a sweetly taken second goal for the Central Americans (Photos by Steve McCrank).

And there was far too little of this
from the likes of second half sub Conor Casey, seen here making one of very few U.S. efforts on goal (the U.S. finished the night with all of two shots on target).

Here's another, from the always understated coach Bob Bradley:

"It wouldn't be a game where we're picking players who stood out."

Um, no.

He called the passing "poor," observed that the U.S. put itself in a "bad" position to start the game (joke your way out of that one, Jimmy Conrad) and that it was a "big task" for this particular group of (10) players to come back from behind.

And let's face it, any game where your most effective offensive threat is central defender Clarence Goodson is not going to be remembered as a vintage attacking performance.

Here's left winger Robbie Rogers, who moved to left back (a position he has practiced in the last few U.S. camps, BTW) when Jonny Bornstein moved into the middle after Conrad was sent off:

"I'm kind of bummed we started the year this way, but we'll keep our heads up, we'll keep moving forward.

"I thought we let them pass the ball, get a little bit too comfortable. It's tough when you play a team who are good technically and tactically. They can move the ball around and you're playing a man down.

Here's Rogers on why he took the 35-40 yard shot that hit the post:

"(I) just felt it. (I'm) kinda mad it went the other way. Wish it would have hit the post and went in."

Game story.

A wider view.

Check out Steve McCrank's photo gallery from the game here.

By the way, was this not the best performance by former Galaxy forward Carlos Pavon at the HDC?

For a lot of these players it will be the last time we see them in a national team camp, if previous January camps are any guide.

But some who attended, like 35-year-old former Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, back in camp for the first time since starting the first two games of 2006, at least had realistic goals while there:

"It was a great opportunity to stay in shape, stay sharp and get back in with the team. I was excited about it and had a great time."

The Wizards open preseason training Monday. Hartman was off to make a phone call to see if he needed to be there right away.

Finally, I'll leave you with this thought.

The new 2010 USMNT media guide was handed out before the game today. Among the player profiles (surprisingly) included: Schalke 04 midfielder Jermaine Jones. But it's too late for him to make the roster given his recent injuries and the lack of USMNT games before Bradley names his World Cup squad. Isn't it?

The U.S. regroups in Carson in early February with a camp before traveling to Florida for the Feb. 24 game against El Salvador.

There are sometimes I'm glad to be sitting on my butt in LA.

Here's the Twitter feed from SI's Grant Wahl Friday night in Honduras:

"F------ hell. Got robbed at gunpoint in Tegucigalpa in broad daylight. I'm OK, but they took wallet/iPhone. Amateur hour from GW!

"Talk about crazy extremes. Just got off the phone with the de facto president of Honduras. He apologized for the robbery. Talked soccer too.

De facto Honduras President Roberto Micheletti: "Honduras 4, USA 0! ... The heart of the Hondurans is bigger than ever!"

Here's a game preview:

SAN PEDRO SULA - (AP) For Hondurans, Saturday night's World Cup qualifier is an opportunity to unite during a political crisis that's stretched on since June. For U.S. players, it's a chance to clinch a spot in next year's 32-nation field in South Africa.

"For me personally, and I think would I speak for the guys who were in Germany in 2006, this would be an opportunity at redemption in some ways," forward Landon Donovan said Friday as the United States prepared for the big match in Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.

Everything was pretty much normal at the U.S. hotel, with the usual amount of security but
nothing extraordinary. A few American fans were in the lobby seeking autographs

While police fired tear gas and a water cannon at protesters in the capital of Tegucigalpa,
that is about a 4-hour drive across mountains from San Pedro Sula, Honduras' No. 2 city.

"It's obviously of interest to those of us who pay attention to world news in general," Donovan said, "but that part aside, the only interest from a soccer standpoint is making sure that it's safe and that everything's OK for us. And, like we've said, we rely on our security team, on the coaching staff, on U.S. Soccer to do that. It's not something we worry about. And they've never put us in harm's way, and I don't think they every would."

A police official told The Tribune newspaper that there will be about 1,000 police and 350
soldiers to provide security at the stadium, establishing a series of perimeters rotating out
from the field.

The United States (5-2-1) leads North and Central America and the Caribbean with 16 points with two games left, followed by Mexico (5-3) with 15, Honduras (4-3-1) with
13 and Costa Rica (4-4) with 12. The top three teams qualify, and the No. 4 finisher meets
South American's fifth-place team in a home-and-home playoff.

The U.S. would clinch with a win, if Costa Rica loses at home to already eliminated Trinidad and Tobago (1-5-2) or with a tie combined with a Costa Rican loss or tie. If the Americans don't clinch Saturday, they could assure themselves a berth on Wednesday
with a tie or win against Costa Rica at Washington, D.C.

"We go into this game with an opportunity to go for it," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. "The
idea is to go for three points, to be aggressive and leave it all on the field."

Coming off first-round elimination at the 2006 tournament, the 11th-ranked U.S. is seeking its sixth straight World Cup berth.

Trying to make it to the World Cup for only the second time and first since 1982, 42nd-ranked Honduras boasts several Europe-based players, including Wilson Palacios of
Tottenham, Maynor Figueroa and Hendry Thomas of Wigan and David Suazo of Inter Milan.

"We're two games away from being able to make history," said former Galaxy forward Carlos Pavon, who turned 36 Friday. "I'm very close to being able to accomplish my dream."

The Catrachos are 8-0 at home in qualifying, outscoring opponents 22-3 in those matches.

"Because they're not big names like the Spains or Russia or England," defender Oguchi Onyewu said, "that doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to be an easy outing every time you go out there."

Street vendors were out in force selling blue-and-white Honduran flags, both small and the
full-sized banners, for fans to exercise their patriotic fervor. When the U.S. team bus came
in from the airport on Thursday, local media followed trying to get photos and video.

"Here in Honduras, football feels different because of that social factor that it represents
for the people, the fans, the emotions, the passion that there is," coach Reinaldo Rueda said. "It's something that you don't get in other countries."

And the hot, humid weather will be different for many of the players, used to a temperate
October climate in the United States and Europe.

"You can feel the air," Donovan said. "It's probably hard to walk a few minutes in that heat
much less run around in it."

Honduras will be missing captain Amado Guevara and Elvis Turcios, both suspended for yellow card accumulation, and the U.S. is without midfielder Clint Dempsey, who sprained his right shoulder last weekend and will be replaced by Benny Feilhaber or Stuart
Holden.

Eight U.S. players have yellow cards and would miss the match against Costa Rica if they get another: Donovan, Feilhaber, Jozy Altidore, Carlos Bocanegra, Conor Casey, Steve Cherundolo, Ricardo Clark and Frankie Hejduk.

Bradley will take that into account in his lineup, and players will think about that, too.

"Maybe you think about it for a second, but you don't want to let it dictate how you play,"
Donovan said. "If we can win tomorrow, then it doesn't matter how many yellow cards we pick up. If we win, it's done."

NOTE: U.S. players were disappointed the match will be available only on closed circuit in
bars and restaurants. The Honduran federation owned the rights as the home team and sold them to a company that made that decision. "It's pretty sad," said Bocanegra, the U.S. captain.