USA Limp To Win In Unforgiving Territory

By James Tyler

When the dust settles and the blood from Eddie Lewis' forehead is finally wiped clean, US National Team coach Bob Bradley will have plenty of cause for reflection on his team's difficult, dogged victory in Guatemala City tonight, just their second-ever win on Guatemalan soil. The visitors struggled in the heat, humidity and hostility, but captain Carlos Bocanegra's second-half header was enough in a match that was a lot closer than Bradley might have wanted.
 
For all their struggles in the Olympics, the US full team enjoys the comfort of being pacesetters in the CONCACAF region. With such a lively stage tonight, they had the chance to demonstrate the small, but significant, gulf in class they've managed to forge over the last few years. However, their confidence was exerted only in flashes against a Guatemalan team that were up for the challenge from the opening kick.
 
First Half
With Carlos Ruiz up front, a man clearly invigorated by his trade this week from Los Angeles to Toronto, and with the pacy tandem of Jose Contreras and Fredy Thompson in the middle, Guatemala enjoyed the majority share of both possession and goal-scoring opportunities in both halves as the US backline never quite found the pace of the game.
 
Bocanegra was the standout at the back (regardless of the goal), but the speed and inventiveness of wingers Freddy Garcia on the left and Mario "Loco" Rodriguez on the right caused frequent problems for Cherundolo and Pearce, two players more used to the patient, sedate tempo of the Bundesliga.
 
Around the half-hour mark, Pearce was left for dead by Rodriguez's speed, forcing US goalkeerer Tim Howard off his line to close down the danger. It wouldn't be the last time that Guatemala found space and penetration down the flanks, although they rarely provided the venom needed with the final cross.

Pearce was lucky not to be penalized for a handball on 40 minutes, as a long ball to the far post was headed across goal by Rodriguez, clearly striking Pearce's trailing arm on the way back.
 
Second Half
It was more of the same after the break. Ruiz found an inch of space on the edge of the 6-yard-box only to be denied by a last-ditch slide from Bocanegra. Rodriguez found space on the wing and unleashed a shot from the edge of the box that flashed across Howard's goal. And later Thompson had space and time to shoot from 30 yards out, just missing the right post.

With no real counterattacks to speak of, the US looked nervous in possession in the second 45, and never really denied the Guatemalans time or space in midfield. Shots came in from all angles as the space was there to be enjoyed, and, tellingly, Bradley made no significant adjustments until his hand was forced by two major talking points: Cherundolo's dismissal for a childish second yellow card, and a sickening head injury to Lewis that saw Gustavo Cabrera sent to the showers.
 
In the 60th minute, Cherundolo, frustrated and tired, reached out and grabbed Garcia's boot after losing possession to the winger. Garcia made the most of it, but Cerundolo’s impetuous gesture left referee Enrico Wijngaarde no choice.

Equally, just three minutes later, Wijngaarde had little choice in deciding whether or not to send Cabrera off for his vicious, head/elbow challenge on Lewis. The midair collision left Cabrera dazed and Lewis floored and bleeding profusely. As gruesome as it looked, it was relief for the US as it gave Bradley time to regroup, reorganize and shake up the side; off came Lewis and the lifeless Clint Dempsey, on came Beasley and Hejduk.

The switch proved to be the difference, as the US scored their goal just a few minutes later from a set piece. In the 69th minute, Beasley's in-swinging corner caught the defense cold. Bocanegra miraculously slipped in unmarked at the edge of the 6-yard-box to head quick and low past Ricardo Trigueno.

From there, the Americans defended nervously as wave after wave of crosses were put deep into Howard's area, forcing a number of tricky moments in front of goal. Time and again, Howard was forced to dive at the feet of Rodriguez and Ruiz to kill the danger, with little help from his backline.
 
Still, for all the pressure and effort, Guatemala couldn't find a breakthrough, and the final whistle sucked the air out of the home crowd.
 
The US look to Cuba next in their road to World Cup qualification, and the two-week break between internationals gives Bradley and Co. plenty of time to reflect on what went right and what went wrong in Guatemala City. Their chances of qualification are bright, but nights like Wednesday provide timely reminders that there are no guarantees, and that adjustments must be made moving forward.
 
Ching was ineffectual up front, as was Donovan, both forced to spend large portions of the game chasing the ball and chasing possession. Dempsey failed to find his identity on the wing, and the central duo of Bradley and Mastroeni never really asserted themselves on their more inventive counterparts.
 
With three points in the bag, they can rest a little on the flight home, but not too much, as their stature as a coherent, consistent team is far from secure.

James Tyler is a regular contributor to Goal.com and also writes on the Unprofessional Foul blog.