US vs. Honduras in Olympic Qualifying Final
March 23, 2008 by f4denz.
OK, one more live in match blogging attempt. I tried this during the US vs. Canada match, but had network issues, so hopefully this will go better today. The US roster is now missing their players from Europe, who have gone back to their teams, so no Freddy, no Spector, and Edu, Seitz, Dax, and Jozy on the bench. The first 5 minutes have been fairly typical of the tournament, the US controlling possession, even getting in the box, but having trouble finishing, and with most of the US goals coming from Freddy Adu, who will score for the US today?
15 minutes in and Honduras has actually looked like the better team, unlike the first match with them, this time the passing and attacking of Honduras looks more threatening, I do not believe this one will come down to a 1-0 result.
20 minutes brings us the first yellow card of the match to Molina of Honduras, and both Hunter Freeman and Gaven spending time on the pitch, it looks like Freeman may be done for the day. He is trying to tough it out, but not sure how long he will be left out there. Holden seems to be slower and much less involved than he has in prior matches. Freeman is out and Edu comes in, it was only a matter of time. Honduras is attacking again and a long ball in, but the US clears it out to the middle third and is trying to counter attack.
25 minutes Ah there is Holden, he attacks and takes a shot from just outside the box, but it is easily cleaned up by the moppet headed Hernandez the keeper for Honduras, who has been a star of the tournament. Based on the noise in the stadium you would think this match was being played south of the border, and not in Nashville, where is Sam’s Army, all I am hearing is cheers when Honduras attacks.
30th minute Barrett gets off a shot, but it is just a bit off target and we are still knotted up at 0-0. The US attacks again and a good save by Hernandez again on a great shot by Edu, that results in a corner, and just headed over the bar, some good attacks but no goals to show for it so far.
35th minute Another corner kick for the US, good ball in but the whistle blows for contact in the box before the kick and Honduras escape without a scratch so far, but the tide appears to have turned and the US is playing more aggressively, Edu puts a rocket shot towards goal, but again just wide.
40th minute The US is still attacking but it appears that the lack of goals is going to be an ongoing problem in 4 ½ matches the US has 6 goals, with half that total coming against the Canadian team and 4 of the 6 coming from Freddy Adu.
45th minute Two minutes of stoppage time in the first half and while both teams have had their chances and tried to attack, the reality is that nothing has been that impressive, except the Edu shot just after the 35th minute. A foul on Edu (2nd yellow for Honduras –Sanchez is booked) and a free kick that results in nothing, but a Honduras counter attack. It also ends up in nothing and we end the half just like we started 0-0.
2nd Half Well I don’t notice any changes to either side to start the second half. Honduras get a long ball to drop in the box, but nothing comes of it except a US counter attack, which like the Honduras effort comes to nothing but a lost ball. I will give a bit of credit where it appears to be due; Dunny sure seems to be getting better with his announcing skills. Sturgis has looked good coming forward in the attack and that holds good hope for our season, Findley has been a disappointment, but I wonder how much of it is him trying too hard to impress? With Jozy as your major competition for striker, that has got to be a lot of pressure, but neither Jozy ,or Robbie have impressed me in this tournament, neither has Barrett or Davies.
50th minute Well, Honduras has the best attack of the game, with a save on the line by Ianni to stop a sure goal, Honduras get 3 shots in a couple seconds but the US escape without giving up a goal. The US tries to counter attack, but again a wide shot from too far away and no real threat.
55th minute Honduras free kick from 5 yards outside the box, hits the wall and the US counter attacks, but nothing comes of it again. Damm some great passes from the US and Barrett falls down when the ball comes to his feet, at least we get a corner out of it, and Hill takes a shot but far too wide. Wow I am betting both of these teams are going to have to bring in a real forward before the Olympics, if they want any chance of doing much in China.
60th minute Some good play from the US, a good cross but no one can get a head on it. It leaves me wondering why our guys with some space at the top of the box are so gun shy on taking a shot? They keep on trying to get one more pass, but that really has not worked at any time in the tournament, so why not just put some shots on goal and hope for a either a lucky goal, or a bounce off the keeper and a second chance.
65th minute More attacking from the US, but again nothing to show for it. Yellow card for Holden, for yelling at the official, the Honduras free kick results in nothing. Honduras almost puts a goal in, a great cross and a diving header as Hill loses his guy at the edge of the 6 yard box, the US is lucky to still be even in this match.
70th minute It is another US attack, a header from Findley but it hits the bar and bounces out by inches. US corner kick is short and the US again fails to convert a golden chance. If anyone else had been on the attack with Robbie the US would almost surely have a goal from the last set of plays. The way it looks we may get 30 additional minutes of play and then to PK’s, because neither team appears to be able to get their chances converted into goals. US appears to be slowing it down a bit and trying to control possession and work the ball forward slowly vs. the Honduras long ball attack, another US effort ends up in the box, but results in nothing, not even a shot on goal as the defense of Honduras gets the ball clear and tries to counter attack.
75th minute Honduras still is trying to set up their attack by launching long balls from the midfield and see what can happen, the US tries that and the defenders keep Findley at bay and nothing comes from it. The US is attacking once again, and a weak shot from the edge of the box by Gaven is stopped with little effort by Hernandez again. Well here comes Jozy who comes in for Barrett, who once again has been a ghost, how does he end up getting any playing time?
80th minute Set piece for Honduras, and it results in nothing and the US tries to counter attack and a foul just a couple yards outside the box and another yellow card for Honduras. This may be the best chance the US gets, Holden is over the ball and can we get a ball into Jozy? Nope he gets the ball in, but too many US players on the far post and none on the near, and the ball gets cleared out, but the US press the attack again and Gaven puts a good cross into the box but nobody is there. Honduras counters and a weak effort and the US gets the ball back again.
85th minute Honduras gets a good shot, but nothing, the US once again is on the attack and keeping good possession at this point, a cross into the box punched away by the keeper. I think everyone is anticipating extra time, will either team be able to step up in the final minutes? US brings in Wynne for Holden, and that is the final change the US can make, but going to extra time and possibly PK’s is it a wise move? Honduras makes a final attack, and gets a corner kick as the clock nears 90, and it is a horrible shot that goes out without every coming close to anyone.
90th minute Time for a final US attack, a foul on Jozy about 30 yards out, as the 4th official holds up 3 minutes of extra time, the kick is good but cleared and the US keeps the attack on in the Honduran third of the pitch, damm Sasha and Jozy both get the ball at their feet at the edge of the 6 yard box and neither one can get off a shot. That has been far too typical of the US attack in the entire tournament, they attack again and a foul at the very edge of the box, can the US do something here, nope Sasha’s shot hits the wall and we now go to extra time.
Extra Time I Well for a match that may not mean anything, we do not know if the results of this will impact the seatings when the Olympics start, but it could so I guess that is the motivation. The US attacks, and for once Hill doesn’t take the shot, but Sasha has no such hesitation and puts another one wide of goal. The US has got the ball into the box time and time again, but just can not finish it off, they have controlled the majority of possession and chances in all their matches, and considering they have no loses, one tie, and three wins it is hard to complain, but we have come to expect more and so far this team has not shown that they are really a world class side, with the exception of Freddy. A shot from Jozy, it is a rocket that is just wide by a foot or so, but the keeper had it covered, still it was nice to see the shot. Sasha takes another shot, but again it is too high, but he is getting closer this time it was only 3 feet over the bar. Some great shots of the fans supporting Honduras, they sure seem to be very festive, I know they are loud because I have not heard the US fans. So the US gets the ball in the box, Gaven gets taken down (it should be a penalty) but they Jozy tries to get a shot, bodies are falling all over but no shot on goal for the US. You have to wonder why a player who is taken down clearly in the box while he has possession of the ball, but nope, and at this point there is not anything that can be done about it.
Jozy dives in the box, on minimal contact, the US is really attacking with all they have, but still can not get a goal. Honduras is trying a counter attack and they get the ball into the back of the net, it is Georgie Welcome. 1-0 Honduras at the 110th minute, want to bet he gets a couple MLS offers after having a good tournament. The US is trying to fight back, but can they do anything to get the ball in the back of the net in the last 15 minutes of extra time?
Extra Time II This is it the US has 15 minutes to get a goal or lose their first match of the tournament, and it is the first time I have heard the US fans make any noise. US corner kick, after once again the US fails to take a shot, when they have an opening, and once again nothing comes of the corner kick. The US keeps trying to attack, but they appear to be loosing steam, which give Honduras time to counter attack, but the US gets it back and once again coming on the attack, but another save by Hernandez. The US gets another corner kick, but nothing to show from it, but another Honduras counter attack. The play is breaking down as both teams get desperate to put this one in the books. The US has had plenty of attacking chances, but without Freddy and no PK’s called they have not been able to get anything really on goal, very little that has caused Hernandez to worry about. 5 minutes left in the match and the US does appear to really want to get a goal but I have a feeling it is too little too late. And now we get the players from Honduras spending as much time on their backs as they can, and who can blame them it has been a long hard fought match. A yellow card for Wynne on a push from behind on Welcome, as expected it is getting rough and perhaps a bit ugly and dirty. That is it, the whistle blows and the US goes down in the final match and Honduras wins the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
That is it for now.