Posted on 06/08/2005 10:58:04 PM PDT by soccer_linux_mozilla
PANAMA CITY, Panama (Reuters) - The United States scored three times in a dominant first half display as they eased to a 3-0 victory over Panama in a CONCACAF region World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.
A goal apiece before the break from Carlos Bocanegra, Landon Donovan and Brian McBride were enough to keep the visitors a point behind Mexico at the top of the six-team final qualifying group for next year's World Cup in Germany. With four victories each from five games, the U.S and Mexico, who lead the standings on 13 points after a 2-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago earlier in the day, look certain to take two of the three automatic places available to the region.
The fourth-placed side will play off against Asia's fifth team for a finals berth.
Fresh from a 3-0 victory over Costa Rica at the weekend, Bocanegra gave a confident U.S. side the lead in the eighth minute when his header from Donovan's corner kick proved too powerful for Panama goalkeeper Donaldo Gonzalez to keep out.
Donovan doubled the advantage 14 minutes later with a superb header from a Steve Ralston cross, notching his 22nd international goal and his third in two matches following a brace against Costa Rica.
Brilliant against the Ticos on Saturday, U.S. keeper Kasey Keller was at his acrobatic best to twice deny Julio Medina and Felipe Baloy with a stunning triple save in the 26th minute.
Ricardo Phillips and Jose Luis Garces both went close for the hosts before McBride struck a killer blow for the U.S. in the 43rd minute, latching on to a deflected Frankie Hejduk shot to fire home from inside the penalty area.
The second half was a far more sedate affair with neither side adding to the scoring, although McBride and Donovan both went close for the visitors.
George Bush senior was captain of the soccer team at Yale.
Now, France may be better off (slightly) than it looks because they've only played 6 matches, as opposed to 7 for Ireland and Israel. If they're sorted by average points per match, the standings are:
Thank you for the ping!!
You must have some interest since you felt the need to click on the link, and then post.
You ever been hit in the testicles by a soccer ball kicked by a world class player?
It takes a lot of guts to just get in front of one of those things, because if it hits you, you will get hurt.
Yeah, I needed something to help put me to sleep.
Solid win. Happy to see a good result on the road. I do think a better performance against Mexico in the home portion of the schedule is necessary. I thought we were poor in that match, they got a goal on a clear handball and we still only lost 2-1.
GulliverSwift wrote: Bad news. Hopefully Mexico will beat the US. Viva la Mexico. (in soccer)
Even if the sport was synchronized swimming, I'd root for team USA.
Salvaging a draw in Mexico City would have been sweet, but we're well on pace to go 8-1-1 or 9-1-0 in qualifying, and that could send a serious message.
as a bar tv-eye-catcher, soccer (like basketball) MOVES in constant motion, unlike american football (like 1/6th time actually playing) and baseball(even less).
after watching soccer on the tube for a few years american football does begin to look like lawyer-ball.
Basketball moves in constant motion? I've never seen a basketball game without foul shots. The amounts of fouls in NBA games is what really destroyed my appreciation of that sport. When 1/3-1/2 (or more) of a team's points come from the foul line, that's really lame.
Good point, obviously i haven't been sitting through many basketball games recently....:)
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