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Jozy Altidore Focused On Qualifying Prize
Despite putting in the game winner, the USA and Hull City striker is only concerned about qualifying.
Sep 6, 2009 1:33:22 AM
SANDY, Utah. --Jozy Altidore figures to play a key role in the future of U.S. Soccer, and he did that tonight in the team’s World Cup qualifier victory over El Salvador at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.
Altidore scored the game winner to give his side the 2-1 win, and gave all of the credit to teammate Landon Donovan for the cross that set the goal up.
"Landon played two great balls," Altidore said of the LA Galaxy attacker's brace of assists. "The first one was perfect, he put it on a platter for Clint. Clint did a great job of staying onside and putting it away. The second one was the same thing, I just tried to put myself in the box. He plays very good balls, Landon, so if you take it upon yourself to get in a good spot, he'll find you."
Here’s how Landon Donovan described Altidore’s game-winner, "[It] was right in the half; we were putting them under pressure. I got the ball on the left and I wanted to put a good ball in the box. I hit it well and Jozy headed it well. Sometimes you see a guy making a run and you put it in a spot where he can get to. Other times you're just trying to put it in a dangerous area. Tonight I was trying to put it in a dangerous area."
Although many fans came into tonight’s match assuming that the El Salvador opponent would be a cakewalk, Altidore didn’t feel it was going to be that way.
"It’s not easy, man," he said. "It doesn’t matter who you are playing against. It’s just about winning your home games, basically. You’ve got to capitalize on that. I’m thankful we did that tonight."
When asked about his fitness and where he is at personally, Altidore again deflected the attention from himself, making a point of putting the spotlight on the team.
"I don’t like to make it about me," he said. "I’m gonna do what I can to help this team in any way that I can. If you play as a team the individuals will do what they’ve got to do. About myself - it’s just a matter of getting myself going. I’ve got just a little bit to go, but I’m almost there hopefully."
Altidore is very focused on the goal at the end of their current journey,
"It’s never easy qualifying for the World Cup. We know that. We just need to get Wednesday (against T&T) out of the way, and hopefully qualify for the World Cup."
Randy Davis, Goal.com
Talk all things soccer with the rest of our readers in the Goal.com Forums
Altidore scored the game winner to give his side the 2-1 win, and gave all of the credit to teammate Landon Donovan for the cross that set the goal up.
"Landon played two great balls," Altidore said of the LA Galaxy attacker's brace of assists. "The first one was perfect, he put it on a platter for Clint. Clint did a great job of staying onside and putting it away. The second one was the same thing, I just tried to put myself in the box. He plays very good balls, Landon, so if you take it upon yourself to get in a good spot, he'll find you."
Here’s how Landon Donovan described Altidore’s game-winner, "[It] was right in the half; we were putting them under pressure. I got the ball on the left and I wanted to put a good ball in the box. I hit it well and Jozy headed it well. Sometimes you see a guy making a run and you put it in a spot where he can get to. Other times you're just trying to put it in a dangerous area. Tonight I was trying to put it in a dangerous area."
Although many fans came into tonight’s match assuming that the El Salvador opponent would be a cakewalk, Altidore didn’t feel it was going to be that way.
"It’s not easy, man," he said. "It doesn’t matter who you are playing against. It’s just about winning your home games, basically. You’ve got to capitalize on that. I’m thankful we did that tonight."
When asked about his fitness and where he is at personally, Altidore again deflected the attention from himself, making a point of putting the spotlight on the team.
"I don’t like to make it about me," he said. "I’m gonna do what I can to help this team in any way that I can. If you play as a team the individuals will do what they’ve got to do. About myself - it’s just a matter of getting myself going. I’ve got just a little bit to go, but I’m almost there hopefully."
Altidore is very focused on the goal at the end of their current journey,
"It’s never easy qualifying for the World Cup. We know that. We just need to get Wednesday (against T&T) out of the way, and hopefully qualify for the World Cup."
Randy Davis, Goal.com
Talk all things soccer with the rest of our readers in the Goal.com Forums
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