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World Cup Qualifying Preview: United States vs. Honduras
Goal.com's Noah Davis is down in Honduras to bring readers all the action of the match-up with the USA - but first, he breaks things down in a preview.
Oct 8, 2009 9:34:29 PM
By Noah Davis
Who: United States vs. Honduras
What: CONCACAF World Cup 2010 Qualifying
When: Saturday, October 10; 10 p.m. EST
Where: Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano; San Pedro Sula, Honduras
TV: Pay per view
Eighteen months of CONCACF qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa comes down to two matches over the span of four days. With eight of 10 matches played, the United States Men's National Team sits atop the standings on 16 points, with Honduras a mere three behind in third. On Saturday, the two teams battle in San Pedro Sula's Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano, a venue where the Catrachos haven't lost during this qualifying cycle. A victory for the Red, White, and Blue would guarantee a berth in next summer's main event, while three points for the home side would leave them needing just a draw in El Salvador on the final match day to earn one of the region's three automatic qualifying slots. When the final whistle blows on Saturday night, expect Honduras' roughly eight million residents to be celebrating a win, rather than focusing on their county's tenuous political climate.
Debating the defense
For the third match in a row, U.S. manager Bob Bradley enters the fixture missing at least one member of his first-choice backline. During the Confederations Cup, Jonathan Spector, Oguchi Onyewu, Jay DeMerit, and Carlos Bocaneagra proved they could handle some of the best attacking sides in the world, but the A.C. Milan defender missed the match against El Salvador and Watford's captain was ruled out for that game and the one in Trinidad and Tobago with an injury. Once again, DeMerit will be absent from the Starting XI after suffering a freak eye injury that may require surgery. Bocanegra will return to his centerback position alongside Onyewu to help stabilize a defense that will be under pressure all night long. Spector could play on the right as Bradley likes his crossing ability, but the American coach will go with in-form Steve Cherundolo -- who is the only player on the U.S. roster to figure in the team's last trip to San Pedro Sula, a 2-1 victory in 2001. As always, left back remains the biggest question. Jonathan Bornstein, who struggled at Rio Tinto but redeemed himself in T and T, will probably get the nod, but experienced late call-in Frankie Hedjuk could figure there as well.
The Dempsey Dilemma
The news that Fulham's offensive fulcrum wouldn't play against Honduras clouded the situation in the American midfield a bit more. Dempsey has been a fixture in the Starting XI, although he's been criticized in some quarters for his recent run of poor form at the international level. Stuart Holden or Benny Feilhaber will take his place, with my money on the two-way Houston Dynamo midfielder -- who's impressed in recent stints off the bench -- to be Bradley's choice. (One question: If whoever starts plays well on the right, will he overtake Dempsey as the first choice?) Additionally, there's the ongoing debate as to who will partner with Michael Bradley in the center of the American formation. Given the Catrachos attacking prowess, the defensive-minded Ricardo Clark will join the younger Bradley in an attempt to disrupt Honduras' build-up through the middle of the pitch.
Home is where Honduras wants to be
A lot has changed in the eight years since these two squads last battled in Olimpico Metropolitano. The Central American nation has produced some of its best soccer players ever, including David Suazo, Hendry Thomas, Maynor Figueroa, and Wilson Palacios. Although the Catrachos fell to the U.S. 2-1 in Chicago in World Cup qualifying earlier this year, Colombian coach Reinaldo Rueda instilled a confident swagger in his side, especially at home where they are 8-0-0 during the past two years of World Cup qualifying. Midfield general Amando Guevara is suspended for the fixture, but Honduras should still have enough to beat the U.S. and move within a solid 90 minutes of securing a World Cup bid.
Projected U.S. Line Up
--------------------Howard--------------------
Cherundolo--Onyewu--Bocanegra--Bornstein
Holden-----Bradley-----Clark----Donovan
------------Davies----------Altidore----------
Projected Honduras Line Up
-----------------Valladares-----------------
Sabillon--Chavez--Izaquirre--Figueroa
Thomas----Palacios----Leon-----Nunez
-----------Pavon----------Suazo-----------
Goal.com Prediction
United States 1-2 Honduras
Noah Davis covers the United States Men's National Team for Goal.com.
Visit the U.S. national team page on Goal.com for more
Who: United States vs. Honduras
What: CONCACAF World Cup 2010 Qualifying
When: Saturday, October 10; 10 p.m. EST
Where: Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano; San Pedro Sula, Honduras
TV: Pay per view
Eighteen months of CONCACF qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa comes down to two matches over the span of four days. With eight of 10 matches played, the United States Men's National Team sits atop the standings on 16 points, with Honduras a mere three behind in third. On Saturday, the two teams battle in San Pedro Sula's Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano, a venue where the Catrachos haven't lost during this qualifying cycle. A victory for the Red, White, and Blue would guarantee a berth in next summer's main event, while three points for the home side would leave them needing just a draw in El Salvador on the final match day to earn one of the region's three automatic qualifying slots. When the final whistle blows on Saturday night, expect Honduras' roughly eight million residents to be celebrating a win, rather than focusing on their county's tenuous political climate.
Debating the defense
For the third match in a row, U.S. manager Bob Bradley enters the fixture missing at least one member of his first-choice backline. During the Confederations Cup, Jonathan Spector, Oguchi Onyewu, Jay DeMerit, and Carlos Bocaneagra proved they could handle some of the best attacking sides in the world, but the A.C. Milan defender missed the match against El Salvador and Watford's captain was ruled out for that game and the one in Trinidad and Tobago with an injury. Once again, DeMerit will be absent from the Starting XI after suffering a freak eye injury that may require surgery. Bocanegra will return to his centerback position alongside Onyewu to help stabilize a defense that will be under pressure all night long. Spector could play on the right as Bradley likes his crossing ability, but the American coach will go with in-form Steve Cherundolo -- who is the only player on the U.S. roster to figure in the team's last trip to San Pedro Sula, a 2-1 victory in 2001. As always, left back remains the biggest question. Jonathan Bornstein, who struggled at Rio Tinto but redeemed himself in T and T, will probably get the nod, but experienced late call-in Frankie Hedjuk could figure there as well.
The Dempsey Dilemma
The news that Fulham's offensive fulcrum wouldn't play against Honduras clouded the situation in the American midfield a bit more. Dempsey has been a fixture in the Starting XI, although he's been criticized in some quarters for his recent run of poor form at the international level. Stuart Holden or Benny Feilhaber will take his place, with my money on the two-way Houston Dynamo midfielder -- who's impressed in recent stints off the bench -- to be Bradley's choice. (One question: If whoever starts plays well on the right, will he overtake Dempsey as the first choice?) Additionally, there's the ongoing debate as to who will partner with Michael Bradley in the center of the American formation. Given the Catrachos attacking prowess, the defensive-minded Ricardo Clark will join the younger Bradley in an attempt to disrupt Honduras' build-up through the middle of the pitch.
Home is where Honduras wants to be
A lot has changed in the eight years since these two squads last battled in Olimpico Metropolitano. The Central American nation has produced some of its best soccer players ever, including David Suazo, Hendry Thomas, Maynor Figueroa, and Wilson Palacios. Although the Catrachos fell to the U.S. 2-1 in Chicago in World Cup qualifying earlier this year, Colombian coach Reinaldo Rueda instilled a confident swagger in his side, especially at home where they are 8-0-0 during the past two years of World Cup qualifying. Midfield general Amando Guevara is suspended for the fixture, but Honduras should still have enough to beat the U.S. and move within a solid 90 minutes of securing a World Cup bid.
Projected U.S. Line Up
--------------------Howard--------------------
Cherundolo--Onyewu--Bocanegra--Bornstein
Holden-----Bradley-----Clark----Donovan
------------Davies----------Altidore----------
Projected Honduras Line Up
-----------------Valladares-----------------
Sabillon--Chavez--Izaquirre--Figueroa
Thomas----Palacios----Leon-----Nunez
-----------Pavon----------Suazo-----------
Goal.com Prediction
United States 1-2 Honduras
Noah Davis covers the United States Men's National Team for Goal.com.
Visit the U.S. national team page on Goal.com for more
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