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World Cup Qualifying Preview: United States vs. El Salvador
The USA is primed to gain all three points at home, believes Noah Davis.
Sep 3, 2009 8:17:20 PM
By Noah Davis
Who: United States vs. El Salvador
What: CONCACAF World Cup 2010 Qualifying
When: Saturday, September 5; 8 p.m. EST
Where: Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah
TV: ESPN Classic, TeleFutura
Four weeks after falling 2-1 to Mexico in Estadio Azteca, the United States Men's National Team finds itself in a position where few thought it would be at this point in its attempt to qualify for the 2010 World Cup: a spot of trouble. Although Bob Bradley's squad currently sits tied for second place with Honduras, El Tri lie a single point behind through six of 10 Hexagonal Round matches. Since only the top three teams are guaranteed a place in South Africa, the Americans cannot afford any bad results at home. A victory against El Salvador, which managed a surprising 2-2 draw in San Salvador the last time the pair met, is virtually required if the U.S. hopes to advance. Despite the pressure, the Stars and Stripes should emerge from Saturday's affair with three points against a team that hasn't scored away from home during the Hex. (As my Goal.com colleague Greg Lalas put it, "If the US doesn't get three points against El Salvador at home, they don't deserve to qualify.")
The Rio Effect
The United States Soccer Federation chose Utah's Rio Tinto Stadium, home of Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake, as the site of this match. The soccer-specific venue holds just a shade over 20,000 spectators, making it closer in size to the friendly confines of Crew Stadium than the massive environs of RFK Stadium. Despite the small size, as of yesterday, Rio Tinto hadn't sold out. While this perhaps reflects negatively on the U.S.'s fan contingent, it also means Los Cuscatlecos' supporters aren't exactly clogging the phone lines to secure tickets. The ratio of American to El Salvador fans remains anyone's guess, but the failure to sell out could indicate a relatively pro-U.S. crowd. This, combined with the altitude (don't discount the elevation in Utah!) means Bradley's Bunch could enjoy a decidedly home-field advantage. Add this to the fact that the Americans have failed to win a home qualifier just once since September 1, 2001, and they have to feel confident that three points are theirs to earn.
Where's the D?
The U.S.'s stalwart centerback Oguchi Onyewu, will miss the match due to yellow card accumulation. While losing the A.C. Milan defender's aerial ability will hurt the Red, White, and Blue, it's not a bad fixture for him to sit out. El Salvador creates much of its offense from quick counterattacks, and the biggest weakness of Onyewu's improving game is his play when he's running with a defender towards his own goal.
The bigger blow to the U.S. backline is the injury to Jay DeMerit, who's had a stranglehold on the other centerback position since the Confederations Cup. With the Watford captain sidelined, expect Carlos Bocanegra to return to his center spot along with Chad Marshall, while Jonathan Spector slides in at left back and Steve Cherundolo rehashes his right fullback role.
Spoiling the party
Unfortunately for the small Central American nation, its football team earned just five points in the first six qualifying matches and has been relegated to the role of regional spoiler. After going up two goals on the U.S. at home, but eventually settling for a draw, Carlos De Los Cobos' team would relish nothing more than to put a massive dent in the American's World Cup aspirations. (As, you have to imagine, would their Mexican-born manager.) Led by the attacking trio of Christian Castillo, Eliseo Quintanilla, and former U.S. youth international Arturo Alvarez, El Salvador can score with lightning quickness. Defending could be a weak spot for the squad, especially if the Americans dominate possession as they've shown they can do against weaker teams on their home soil.
Projected U.S. Line Up
---------------------Howard---------------------
Cherundolo--Bocanegra--Marshall--Spector
Dempsey---Bradley---Feilhaber---Donovan
------------Davies----------Altidore------------
Projected El Salvador Line Up
-----------------------Montes-----------------------
Rosales Escobar--Pacheco--Gonzalez--Salazar
----Alvarez---------Romero---------Sanchez----
-----------Quintanilla-----------Castillo-----------
------------------------Zelaya-----------------------
Goal.com Prediction
United States 3-0 El Salvador
Noah Davis covers the United States Men's National Team for Goal.com.
If you follow the U.S. Men's National Team, you'll love the dedicated page on Goal.com
Who: United States vs. El Salvador
What: CONCACAF World Cup 2010 Qualifying
When: Saturday, September 5; 8 p.m. EST
Where: Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah
TV: ESPN Classic, TeleFutura
Four weeks after falling 2-1 to Mexico in Estadio Azteca, the United States Men's National Team finds itself in a position where few thought it would be at this point in its attempt to qualify for the 2010 World Cup: a spot of trouble. Although Bob Bradley's squad currently sits tied for second place with Honduras, El Tri lie a single point behind through six of 10 Hexagonal Round matches. Since only the top three teams are guaranteed a place in South Africa, the Americans cannot afford any bad results at home. A victory against El Salvador, which managed a surprising 2-2 draw in San Salvador the last time the pair met, is virtually required if the U.S. hopes to advance. Despite the pressure, the Stars and Stripes should emerge from Saturday's affair with three points against a team that hasn't scored away from home during the Hex. (As my Goal.com colleague Greg Lalas put it, "If the US doesn't get three points against El Salvador at home, they don't deserve to qualify.")
The Rio Effect
The United States Soccer Federation chose Utah's Rio Tinto Stadium, home of Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake, as the site of this match. The soccer-specific venue holds just a shade over 20,000 spectators, making it closer in size to the friendly confines of Crew Stadium than the massive environs of RFK Stadium. Despite the small size, as of yesterday, Rio Tinto hadn't sold out. While this perhaps reflects negatively on the U.S.'s fan contingent, it also means Los Cuscatlecos' supporters aren't exactly clogging the phone lines to secure tickets. The ratio of American to El Salvador fans remains anyone's guess, but the failure to sell out could indicate a relatively pro-U.S. crowd. This, combined with the altitude (don't discount the elevation in Utah!) means Bradley's Bunch could enjoy a decidedly home-field advantage. Add this to the fact that the Americans have failed to win a home qualifier just once since September 1, 2001, and they have to feel confident that three points are theirs to earn.
Where's the D?
The U.S.'s stalwart centerback Oguchi Onyewu, will miss the match due to yellow card accumulation. While losing the A.C. Milan defender's aerial ability will hurt the Red, White, and Blue, it's not a bad fixture for him to sit out. El Salvador creates much of its offense from quick counterattacks, and the biggest weakness of Onyewu's improving game is his play when he's running with a defender towards his own goal.
The bigger blow to the U.S. backline is the injury to Jay DeMerit, who's had a stranglehold on the other centerback position since the Confederations Cup. With the Watford captain sidelined, expect Carlos Bocanegra to return to his center spot along with Chad Marshall, while Jonathan Spector slides in at left back and Steve Cherundolo rehashes his right fullback role.
Spoiling the party
Unfortunately for the small Central American nation, its football team earned just five points in the first six qualifying matches and has been relegated to the role of regional spoiler. After going up two goals on the U.S. at home, but eventually settling for a draw, Carlos De Los Cobos' team would relish nothing more than to put a massive dent in the American's World Cup aspirations. (As, you have to imagine, would their Mexican-born manager.) Led by the attacking trio of Christian Castillo, Eliseo Quintanilla, and former U.S. youth international Arturo Alvarez, El Salvador can score with lightning quickness. Defending could be a weak spot for the squad, especially if the Americans dominate possession as they've shown they can do against weaker teams on their home soil.
Projected U.S. Line Up
---------------------Howard---------------------
Cherundolo--Bocanegra--Marshall--Spector
Dempsey---Bradley---Feilhaber---Donovan
------------Davies----------Altidore------------
Projected El Salvador Line Up
-----------------------Montes-----------------------
Rosales Escobar--Pacheco--Gonzalez--Salazar
----Alvarez---------Romero---------Sanchez----
-----------Quintanilla-----------Castillo-----------
------------------------Zelaya-----------------------
Goal.com Prediction
United States 3-0 El Salvador
Noah Davis covers the United States Men's National Team for Goal.com.
If you follow the U.S. Men's National Team, you'll love the dedicated page on Goal.com
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