Note: I apologize for the delay in posting the game recap and the Hex update post (coming in the next couple of days), work has been pretty rough going.
This was a difficult game to watch. Not because of aesthetics (well, at times perhaps), but because of the pressure, because of what this game meant, and how different a 1-0 win would look compared to a 0-0 tie. It's funny, because going into this game, with 6 points secured already in the first 2 June games, any result here was considered gravy. But while the "most challenging Hex ever!"storyline has been put irrevocably to bed (more on that in a later post), there was still cause for concern at the top of the Hex, where 3 points separated the top-4 teams and 4 points separated the top-5.
So, yes, this game had plenty of pressure, and it showed. In an extremely hot environment against a wounded team packing itself in and hoping for a draw, the USA did not look crisp in the first half. Again, they dominated possession. Again it led to very little in the way of dangerous scoring chances. Against Panama, this looked like complacency (the US was content to play possession, that possession didn't have to be in the attacking third of the field). Against Honduras, it was more that the final pass in the string simply wasn't up to par. We saw mistimed jumps leading to straight-out whiffs on headers, plenty of too-cute pass attempts, and lots of miss-communications.
The main difference between the Honduras game and the Panama one? Against Panama the US got a goal in the first half against the run of play. Honduras was too good in the midfield and too committed defensively to allow that. As a result, the pressure on the US didn't dissipate at halftime and into the second half, instead it continued to build up. Jurgen Klinsmann undoubtedly hammered home his point at halftime about pushing the pace, forcing Honduras back on their heels in the face of a continuous assault (not that kind of a assault, Jermaine).
His team got the message. But the scoreboard remained blank due to a combination of luck, Honduran hustle, and their commitment to defending in playing for the tie.
Then...
Look at how this ball got there: Bradley. Dempsey. Zusi (sort of). Fabian Johnson. And finally, Altidore. Who got this team thru June with 9 points? That's your list right there.
After that, it was essentially over. Honduras wasn't playing for the tie because they are outclassed, but with their injuries getting a goal was going to be a tall order. The US avoided the late game shennanigans that sprung up against Panama, and in the end, the USA ended the game with a 1-0 win.
Player Ratings:
Tim Howard - 6.5 Another strong showing from Howard in a game where he didn't have to do much. Closed down a Honduran breakaway just before half and came off his line to snuff out a cross attempt right at the end of the game.
Fabian Johnson - 7 Did tremendously coming forward and (unlike against Panama) his crosses were good. His grade would be higher except he stopped coming forward much for a 30-40 minute stretch in the middle of the game.
Omar Gonzalez - 5 Had a terrible give-away within 20 yards of his goal in the first half, leading to a yellow card for Jermaine Jones and a free kick from 20 yards out, and was okay in the face of very little pressure from Honduras.
Matt Besler - 6 His terrible give-away was 50 yards from goal but led to Honduras' only big threat of the night. Otherwise he was good back there, constantly in good position to thwart the sporadic Honduran attacks.
Brad Evans - 5 He was significantly better than he was against Panama, but that's not saying much. Didn't get forward much at all.
Jermaine Jones - 4 Can we have the referendum on the midfield spot next to Bradley now? Jones picked up an entirely unsurprising yellow 10 minutes into the game, didn't support Bradley nearly as well as Cameron did versus Panama to allow Bradley to roam and control the game, and had multiple give-aways in his own half of the field. Why is he seemingly a surefire starter on this team?
Michael Bradley - 7.5 Spent the whole game doing Bradley things controlling the game, completing his passes, and setting the US up with strong chances (including their goal).
Eddie Johnson - 6 After last game you had hopes that Eddie could be a contender for the winger spot, but where Fabian Johnson cleaned up his issues from the Panama game, Johnson's issues were more pronounced, if anything. He had a strong shot on goal in the first half, but he's simply a forward, and it's going to be very difficult to unseat Altidore on this team.
Clint Dempsey - 6.5 Whether it was lingering injury issues, or the heat, or something else entirely, Dempsey was a bit off for most of the night. He had at least 3 chances he didn't really do anything with, which is rare for the US captain. Still, he got the hockey assist on the US goal and was a threat Honduras had to deal with all night.
Graham Zusi - 7 Played much better after he got the stuffing knocked out of him late in the first half. Most of the strong US chances in the second half materialized thanks to Zusi in some way.
Jozy Altidore - 7 Took him awhile to find the space in this game, but once he did (about 30 minutes in), he was a constant force for the US. His distribution with his feet was still a little subpar in this one, but he held the ball well, forced the issue constantly, and in the end, scored for his fourth straight game in June.
Subs
Geoff Cameron - 5.5 Settled nicely into the midfield role alongside Bradley. Bradley looks more comfortable with Cameron there as he seems to know where Cameron will be, unlike when he's playing with Jones.
Brad Davis - 5.5 Kept the pressure on from his midfield spot after replacing Zusi.
Edgar Castillo - NR Not enough time on the pitch to make an impression. But that in and of itself sends a message that Castillo is not part of the audition for the starting left back spot.
Jurgen Klinsmann - 6.5 He made two changes from the Panama match: one worked out very nicely (F Johnson in for Beasley and moving E Johnson to left mid). The other? Not so much (bringing a healthy Jones back in for Cameron). Still, Klinsmann prepared the team well, and used halftime to drive home his (correct) message to push the pace harder. Used his substitutions before the 80th minute this time, which was nice to see as well.
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