Eduardo Verdugo/Associated Press
Mexico's Jesus Zabala, left, collides with United States goalkeeper Brad Guzan, center, during the qualifying match.
MEXICO CITY — It is one thing to beat Mexico at Azteca Stadium in a friendly match, as the United States did last summer. It is something much more rewarding to forge a tie in a World Cup qualifying match, as the Americans did, 0-0, on Tuesday night.
A United States team that endured criticism of its coach both internally and externally only a week ago is now 1-1-1 in the final round of regional qualifying and in an inviting position with four of its final seven matches to be played at home.
With Costa Rica defeating Jamaica, 2-0, on Tuesday and Panama winning by the same score over Honduras, the United States is now in third place — on goal differential — in the North American, Central American and Caribbean region.
The top three teams in Concacaf will automatically qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, while the fourth-place team will enter a playoff against New Zealand. The United States will play its next match in Jamaica on June 7.
The Americans will take heart from a composed and gutsy performance on Tuesday with yet another makeshift lineup, this one including Matt Besler — making only his second international appearance, and his first in a qualifier — in central defense after Clarence Goodson was scratched with a strained hamstring.
Besler and Omar Gonzalez settled in with calm professionalism, impeccable communication and timely interventions as Mexico (0-0-3) failed to win for a third consecutive match in this qualifying round before an impatient crowd of more than 100,000 at the Azteca.
The Americans have played 15 qualifying matches in Mexico, losing 13 and drawing twice. The other draw came in 1997 when the Americans played a man down for the final 58 minutes after Jeff Agoos drew a red card.
The United States received some good news hours before the match when FIFA, soccer's world governing body, denied a request by Costa Rica to replay Friday's game, which took place in blizzard-like conditions outside Denver. Costa Rica had filed a protest, saying the playing conditions were impossible in its 1-0 defeat. FIFA said the protest was not filed according to its rules and rejected it.
The conditions at Estadio Azteca on Tuesday were about as favorable as the United States could expect. Kickoff came at 8:30 p.m. instead of mid-afternoon. The temperature was mild, dropping through the 60s. The smog was not what it has been in the past. And the Americans had trained for nearly a week at altitude.
For the 25th time in 25 matches, Jurgen Klinsmann used a different lineup, inserting Maurice Edu in midfield for Jermaine Jones, who has an ankle injury. And Besler started in central defense for Goodson.
Even with a depleted roster missing nine regulars, Klinsmann appeared confident, even defiant before Tuesday's match, especially since he had led the United States to its first win on Mexican soil here last August, a 1-0 victory in a friendly.
Asked yet again about a recent story in The Sporting News in which some players anonymously questioned his tactics and leadership, Klinsmann said: "My job is to help them to reach the next level and to challenge them. I'm not here to pamper anybody. So maybe we have a little argument down the road. But in order to hopefully elevate the program — we want to break into the best 10-12 nations in the world one day down the road — I have to challenge them, and maybe some players are not always complimentary."
As Tuesday's match opened, Andres Guardado and Giovani Dos Santos probed the left wing for Mexico. Then El Tri switched to the right flank and DaMarcus Beasley struggled with the runs of wing Javier Aquino. In the eighth minute, Beasley pushed Aquino down from behind and drew a yellow card.
The Americans played a high line and cluttered the middle of the field in vigilance against the darting creativity of Javier Hernández, who entered the match with 30 goals in 45 matches for Mexico. In the 12th minute, Hernández went down in the penalty area and El Tri demanded a penalty kick after a push by Michael Bradley. The assistant referee waived his flag but was brushed off by the referee, Walter Lopez of Guatemala, who let play continue.
With the United States on its heels after Besler picked up the Americans' second yellow card in the first 20 minutes, Mexico kept rushing down the flanks, seeking out Hernández as he slashed inside. Twice he headed the ball over the net, once tumbling into the goal.
In the 15th minute, Geoff Cameron headed a corner kick just wide for the United States, but was whistled for a foul. In the 52nd minute, Clint Dempsey finally managed his first shot, but his left footer went feebly wide. In the 55th minute, the Americans made their first substitution, with Eddie Johnson replacing Jozy Altidore.
Mexico had an inviting chance in the 69th minute, but Jesus Zavala's shot was snuffed by a gaggle of defenders in the penalty area. In the 71st minute, midfielder Brad Davis entered for the United States, replacing Herculez Gomez, as Klinsmann slowly shifted his team into a more defensive posture, hoping to preserve the vital point.
Mexico had another opportunity in the 72nd minute as Angel Reyna waited dangerously alone on a cross from Guardado, but Graham Zuzi made a long sprint to head the ball away to safety just as it arrived. In the 76th minute, Edu took down Aquino with a crunching tackle from behind 10 yards in front of the goal, but again Lopez waved away furious Mexican appeals for a penalty.
Mexico had a flurry of chances in the final minutes, but none of them found the net.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
United States 0, Mexico 0: For U.S., Tie in Mexico Feels a Lot Like Victory
Dengan url
https://dunialuasekali.blogspot.com/2013/03/united-states-0-mexico-0-for-us-tie-in.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
United States 0, Mexico 0: For U.S., Tie in Mexico Feels a Lot Like Victory
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
United States 0, Mexico 0: For U.S., Tie in Mexico Feels a Lot Like Victory
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar