Olympic Qualifying: USA vs. Panama (Running Commentary)
Good evening folks. Tonight is the crucial second Olympic qualifying match for the U.S. national team, which is in dire need of three points after its opening match draw against Cuba.
U.S. coach Peter Nowak has made some wholesale changes to his lineup. Here is what tonight's lineup will look like:
-------------------Altidore------------------
Gaven-------------Adu----------------Holden
-----------Kljestan---McCarty-----------------
Sturgis-------Edu-----Orozco---------Wynne
------------------Seitz-------------------------
I definitely like this lineup better than the Cuba lineup. Gaven and Holden are far more adept at playing wing roles than Charlie Davies and Robbie Findley were. I also think that Kljestan and McCarty looked good in the second half against Cuba and have the vision to get some nice passes to Altidore. The back-line is a bit of an experiment, with Sturgis at left back and Edu playing center back, but Panama's attack wasn't exactly dangerous in its first match of the tournament.
I will be doing a running commentary during the match so feel free to share your thoughts and views on the match (and the U.S. lineup) in the comments section below.
Enjoy the match.
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FINAL- A better performance for the Americans, including more promise from Jozy Altidore in the second half and great showings from Stuart Holden, Michael Orozco and Eddie Gaven. It will be interesting to see what starting XI Peter Nowak uses for the final group match against Honduras.
Thanks for following the match here. Please share your thoughts on the match below.
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FINAL- Game over. USA 1, Panama 0. And the Americans have clinched a place in the semifinals. Now it's a question of whether they can beat Honduras to top Group A.
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93rd minute- Davies and Findley set to come on, they look like a law firm, the law firm of Wecant, Finish and Forsquat.
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92nd minute- Sturgis with a yellow late.
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90th minute- Not sure how much stoppage time is left. And a Panama forward, No. 18, is looking for a penalty call. The only call he's getting is that he looks like the rapper T.I.
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88th minute- There's that Zizzo speed.
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86th minute- Panama with a dangerous chance but Panama's Aguilar sends his chance wide left. Scary moment for the Americans.
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81st minute- Still waiting to see the speed from Zizzo we saw at the U-20 World Cup.
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79th minute- Here's a question. Will the Americans be able to beat Honduras in game three without some of tonight's key players, like Altidore and Holden? Or will we see those players full another full match just two days after tonight's match?
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75th minute- Soft foul on Dax McCarty gives Panama a dangerous free kick.
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72nd minute- Altidore with a great turn and run that draws a foul and yellow card on Panama.
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64th minute- Zizzo in for Gaven.
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63rd minute- Sal Zizzo coming in to the match.
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61st minute- Panama with a dangerous free kick, cleared out for a corner kick.
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60th minute- The number of unforced turnovers in this match is astronomical
Nice run by Gaven in the area, helps create a corner.
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58th minute- Nice to see a referee not fall for a blatant dive. Panama with the yellow for diving.
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56th minute- Wow, Adu gets punched in the chest and no official sees it. Unbelievable play. If that player is identified he has to be out of the tournament.
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55th minute- Holden sends the free kick wide. Apparently a smidge is three yards.
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54th minute- Adu with a nice move to draw a free kick. Dangerous spot.
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52nd minute- Not a good game from Sacha Kljestan tonight. Too many turnovers.
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50th minute- I think it's time for an SBI drinking game. The next time Christian Miles says calamitous everyone has to drink.
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46th minute- And there's Gaven drawing a free kick. Good stuff from him tonight.
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46th minute- And the second half is under way.
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HALFTIME- And THERE'S Giuseppe Franco. Never fails.
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HALFTIME- Hondurah. Apparently it's a country. Who knew?
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HALFTIME- We're 10 minutes into halftime and haven't seen a Giuseppe Franco commercial. Somebody called the Guinness Book of World Records.
And are there any AeroGarden's left after all the potheads buy them? Seriously.
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HALFTIME- You know who has played well tonight? Eddie Gaven. I know he gets so much flack from national team fans but tonight he looks pretty good.
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HALFTIME- USA is up 1-0 at the half. Not a beautiful half but a better 45 minutes than against Cuba.
The midfield is playing well and the Edu (Maurice Edu, not the Christian Miles creation Freddy Edu) Orozco center back tandem is playing well. I must say that Marvell Wynne looks really awkward out there. I kept hearing how his skill had improved at Toronto. Not seeing it tonight.
And another thing, is Dax McCarty officially the Macauley Culkin of MLS? He looks like he's 12.
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45th minute- Is it me or is this Panama team pretty chippy?
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44th minute- And yes, that was Eddie Gaven with the perfect floating ball that found Altidore for the breakaway.
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42nd minute- GOAL USA. Freddy Adu converts the penalty kick.
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41st minute- PENALTY. JOZY ALTIDORE draws a penalty on the Panama goalkeeper.
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34th minute- Altidore isn't having a good game tonight. He needs a second forward alongside him.
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31st minute- It isn't every day you see someone knock Jozy Altidore to the ground on a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge.
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30th minute- Nice job by the Panama No. 10 trying to start something and then backing away hoping to get the ref's attention.
The Americans are piling on the pressure now, with several chances in the area.
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24th minute- The Americans with a little more productive possession but we're still waiting for a serious scoring chance.
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19th minute- The referee is handing out yellow cards like he's getting paid by the dozen.
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18th minute- Marvell Wynne with one of his trademark runs, and by trademark I mean when he beats two defenders who are amazed he doesn't lose the ball only to lose the ball to the third defender.
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14th minute- Marvell Wynne with a clumsy challenge, giving Panama a dangerous free kick.
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12th minute- By the way, the definition of a good ball whipped in is NOT a cross that is blocked two feet from the guy delivering it. That would be a crap cross.
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9th minute- Apparently the mini-mullet is the national haircut of Panama.
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8th minute- Wow, Panama just missed a clear header on goal. USA dodged one there.
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7th minute- Still waiting for the U.S. to come out flying. Okay, so it isn't happening. I'll settled for organized.
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PRE-GAME- Yes, this is essentially a must-win game for the U.S. national team. Now that Honduras has two wins and six points, the Americans must get three points tonight to still have a chance at first place in the group.
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PRE-GAME- FSC is showing the US lining up in this formation:
-------------------Altidore------------------
---------Gaven-------------Adu----------------
------Holde-----Kljestan---McCarty-----------
Sturgis-------Edu-----Orozco---------Wynne
------------------Seitz-------------------------
Ives Galarcep is an American soccer columnist for ESPNsoccernet.com and creator of SoccerByIves.net.
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What happend to Zizzo. I think he should of been starting instead of Gaven.
Posted by: LUIS | March 13, 2008 at 07:43 PM
Zizzo is a sub,
Posted by: Dominghosa | March 13, 2008 at 07:51 PM
Hill and Spector not dressed
Posted by: Dominghosa | March 13, 2008 at 07:52 PM
Ives,
When will you start the MLS fantasy league?
Public or private?
Posted by: NYRB | March 13, 2008 at 07:54 PM
Oddly enough, I'm kinda excited to see Gaven start. He looked on form during his brief appearance against Cuba.
Posted by: Braden | March 13, 2008 at 08:01 PM
Um, why isn't there anyone seated on the other side of the stadium?
Posted by: Dominghosa | March 13, 2008 at 08:02 PM
Wow, there is absolutely nobody on the tv view side of the stadium and why in god's name is Christian Miles calling this game...
By the way, with all of the experimenting that Novak has doing, he must have one set of balls, hopefully he comes out looking like a genius.
Posted by: Chase | March 13, 2008 at 08:04 PM
Too late... He'll end up looking like a passable coach if he wins today.
Posted by: Braden | March 13, 2008 at 08:05 PM
Where's Max?!? How can we trust that all these Panamanian names are precisely pronounced?
Posted by: eric | March 13, 2008 at 08:06 PM
Guys:
Please give me one more chance. I promise we will win this game and the next!
Posted by: Peter Nowak | March 13, 2008 at 08:08 PM
Altidore looks lost out there, keeps getting the ball on the wing with guys in front???
Posted by: eric | March 13, 2008 at 08:10 PM
Ugly game so far...
Posted by: Chase | March 13, 2008 at 08:11 PM
Ugh... I'm not so sure about Edu playing center back.
Posted by: Braden | March 13, 2008 at 08:12 PM
Ives - SO far from what you seen do, with a shaky Mexican team and a US team that still hasnt shown what it can do how would u rate honduras chance of making it to the final?
Posted by: Jerry | March 13, 2008 at 08:15 PM
Matchtracker isn't working for me...sucks.
Did anyone hear more info about Altidore's "injury?"
Posted by: Steve | March 13, 2008 at 08:15 PM
Does Holden play on the right in Houston? Anybody know?
Posted by: Braden | March 13, 2008 at 08:18 PM
So obviously Nowak told them to get the ball out on the wings (good), but let's not forget to run it through Adu
Posted by: eric | March 13, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Wow, did Miles just call that a "good" ball...
Posted by: Chase | March 13, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Another bad effect of this formation and lineup is that Freddy is going to see little of the ball unless the team makes a concerted effort to get him the ball or he goes looking for it. That's not what I want when he was our best player on Tues. I'm having flashbacks to Nowak's tenure at DC with Adu on the wing.
Posted by: Forrest | March 13, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Braden -
Holden started on the right, but has also filled in very well for Brad Davis last year on the left. I don't know which one is his preferred side.
Posted by: eric | March 13, 2008 at 08:19 PM
Sitting in class, following Ives' live blog. His comments are priceless...
Posted by: briguy | March 13, 2008 at 08:20 PM
And the problem with wing play when you have a sole striker is that everyone knows the ball is going to go to Altidore. It becomes too easy to shut him down
Posted by: Braden | March 13, 2008 at 08:20 PM
NICE!
the rare, but always hilarious, "shot that goes out of bounds for a throw in"
Posted by: Javier | March 13, 2008 at 08:20 PM
i cant stand Christian Miles.... the other guys bearable, though
Posted by: anthony bouts | March 13, 2008 at 08:22 PM
Big collision, but a yellow? Wynne was going after that ball.
Posted by: Dominghosa | March 13, 2008 at 08:24 PM
I agree, whoever this other guy is, he is a huge upgrade on Caligiuri.
And I reiterate my point from earlier, this game is ugly and pretty unentertaing thus far...
Posted by: Chase | March 13, 2008 at 08:25 PM
So, how many players have time to get into the box while Adu does his little dance? Sometimes simplicity and speed is much more important than watching Freddy dance.
Posted by: Braden | March 13, 2008 at 08:26 PM
One of these guys is pronouncing Adu and Edu exactly the same, it's annoying as hell.
So Braden...you don't want players in the box when the cross comes in? That seems a bit counterproductive.
Posted by: kpugs | March 13, 2008 at 08:28 PM
You know what? I just don't think this US team is very good. Sloppy passes. Lack of creativity. Other than Adu, they look poor again. Once is a fluke, twice is a pattern
Posted by: ADG | March 13, 2008 at 08:29 PM
Our passing is shockingly poor...
Posted by: Chase | March 13, 2008 at 08:30 PM
Does Jozy even want to be at this thing?
Posted by: Phillip | March 13, 2008 at 08:30 PM
This team really needs to find a way to get Jozy involved. The kid does have skill on the ball and can combine on passes.
Posted by: Dominghosa | March 13, 2008 at 08:30 PM
Man! Has Dax done anything BUT screw up simple passes? Get him outta there.
Posted by: Danny | March 13, 2008 at 08:30 PM
Except that time. ha.
Posted by: Dominghosa | March 13, 2008 at 08:31 PM
You want your players in the box, but you also don't want to dwell on it long enough for both of the other team's center midfielders to clog the box.
Posted by: Braden | March 13, 2008 at 08:31 PM
- some very nice passes, but just as many sloppy passes
- i don't feel Wynne's challenge was clumsy, let alone even a challenge
- Panama deserved 2 separate yellow cards right before Wynne got his
Posted by: Javier | March 13, 2008 at 08:31 PM
You think it is a problem when Marvell Wynne has seen this much of the ball...
Posted by: Chase | March 13, 2008 at 08:31 PM
Is there a point to the US corner kicks?
Sorry about the stream of negativity but...well, what else can you say?
@ Philip. Good question. Right now the answer appears to be No
Posted by: ADG | March 13, 2008 at 08:34 PM
Phillip - I was thinking the same thing about Altidore, especially on that balloon "cross" that Wynne hit, he jumped, but it sure looked out of obligation. More frustration than fire was what I was seeing.
Posted by: eric | March 13, 2008 at 08:35 PM
Ouch! What a whiff!
Posted by: Dominghosa | March 13, 2008 at 08:36 PM
Damn FSC, was that E or A du who missed?!?
Posted by: eric | March 13, 2008 at 08:36 PM
Must, must do better on those deadball kicks from the corner, the Panama GK has been getting to them all night.
Posted by: Dominghosa | March 13, 2008 at 08:37 PM
Does anyone else think that Klejstan is looking stellar today? He seems to be the only player who can see the seams and make that productive pass.
Posted by: Braden | March 13, 2008 at 08:37 PM
Even at this level, Wynne looks out of his depth - sad.
Posted by: Ilya | March 13, 2008 at 08:38 PM
OK, yes I agree, Miles is pissing me off now.
Maurice "Eh-doo" and Freddy "Ah-doo", dude.
Posted by: Dominghosa | March 13, 2008 at 08:38 PM
I'm seeing a lot of comments that I was making about the last game while so many were on the "Let's kill Nowak" to resolve this problem.
This team just doesn't seem very good, and worse, a lot of them don't even seem to want to play.
Posted by: aristotle | March 13, 2008 at 08:38 PM
I don't think Christian Miles is capable of saying anything that is not a cliche.
He also cannot distinguish, in terms of pronunciation, between Edu and Adu. It's maddening.
Posted by: Jon | March 13, 2008 at 08:39 PM
So what was the no call on the Adu penalty? The defender went for the ball and missed and did make contact with Freddy. It wasn't very hard, but he hit Freddy. If Adu dove why didn't the ref give him a yellow?
Posted by: Forrest | March 13, 2008 at 08:41 PM
To be fair to team USA, this officiating is god-awful.
Still, it's Panama. They should be able to overcome bad officiating and win. Although some of these calls near the Panamanian goal are maddening.
Posted by: kpugs | March 13, 2008 at 08:41 PM
Orozco is tough
Posted by: Alex | March 13, 2008 at 08:43 PM