Final thoughts:
So no end of days purge, red wedding, return of the beast etc, etc. Just the sort of routine USA win over Guatemala that the teams relative statures would normally indicate.
There’s nothing quite normal about these times though. The USA removed questions about their immediate destiny but the questions still remain about their head coach — a crisis was averted tonight, but the memory of the inept and disjointed side that lost in Guatemala may leave the more indelible image from this international break.
Guatemala were as timid as the USA were positive and committed a rash of defensive errors. They looked better when Pappa and Ruiz came on, though not before conceding the third goal within seconds of the start of the second half to effectively throw away what little chance they had.
So USA go into the final two games a point and six goals clear of Guatemala, and they can secure their spot in the Hex with a win in September over St Vincent. Guatemala not out of it, but from daring to dream coming into tonight — they’re in a familiar place of being on the outside looking in.
Thanks for all your tweets and emails. Sorry I couldn’t use all of them. I’m off to watch the Olympic playoffs. Good night.
Final score: USA 4-0 Guatemala
Final thoughts in a moment.
90 mins +3: This corner curls all the way beyond the far post to the visitors’ relief. Guatemala’s defense poor to the very end of this game.
90 mins+1: We’ll have three minutes added on. just time for Alfredo, who got us started on all this bloody business in the email section, is back:
“Well Graham, looks like the blood spilling is Guatemalan and not American. That being said, the score line doesn’t represent how bobo this US squad is… I’m not impressed by this team at all. I don’t think Jurgen is a bozo deluxe by any means but I do think that there are better options out there for the white, blue, and red.
Meanwhile, Guatemala needs to fix their defensive mistakes and sort the attack out… They’re not going anywhere if they continue like this.”
I think most of the blood being spilled is figurative, thankfully. But I get your point.
Three minutes added on. USA have a corner on the right, and Demspey has a free header, that Hernandez has to improvize a clearance over the bar from at point blank range.
GOAL! USA 4-0 GUATEMALA (ALTIDORE!)
Some justice for that awful offside call a few minutes ago, as Dempsey picks up on a sloppy back pass, dances a little in front of the keeper and then sees Jozy Altidore sprint up beside him to smash the ball home. Officially a rout.
88 mins: Guzan flaps a little at a Guatemala corner, but without any real danger coming of it. Time running out now.
86 mins: In defense of Klinsmann, Anthony Paige writes:
“I think “Jerry Lewis” is is Alexi Lalas’/ MLS’ sock puppet...
folks who think MLS is a competitive league that prepares americans to play at the ‘highest’ levels are living in fantasy land and ignore the fact it is only former European greats who come here to play a year or two in semi-retirement for a significant pay-off...
I trust Klinsmann and the direction he’s taking the national program and the changes he’s pushed from top to bottom... all the resistance comes from MLS suits who are pissed the national team manager has tired of watching the MLS stars start sucking wind about the 55th minute because they do not play at a sufficiently high enough level consistently week in and week out...”
Meanwhile, Ethan Finlay is sent through on a flicked pass from Altidore and cooly takes the ball wide to slot home for a fourth, but he’s called offside. Replays show he was a mile onside, and that’s really cruel on the Columbus player, playing in front of his home fans.
84 mins:
@KidWeil @guardian while we're doing outrageous coach suggestions, how about fat Sam to sort that back line?
— Kyle Brent (@leopoldbloom16) March 30, 2016
Steady now.
Bradley tries to pick a pass inside the center backs in search of Dempsey, but the Seattle man can’t get to the ball.
82 mins: And there comes Pulisic into tha game, just in time to witness a truly ragged clearing of the lines by Guatemala, from an unremarkable looking Bradley free kick. Pulisic on for Zusi by the way.
Pulisic is barged off the ball on his first touch and wants a free kick. Nothing doing. Welcome to Concacaf.
80 mins: We’ll probably see Pulisic come in to the game soon in order to tie the young Borussia Dortmund player to the US.
Back to the game and Guzan has to make a sharp save there as Marquez picks up the ball on the edge of the box to drive a low shot at the US keeper.
78 mins: Altidore, Zusi and Bradley combine to set the latter running into the box, but the ball is always just getting away from him and Motta gathers.
Now Altidore coolly picks up the ball in the corner to earn a throw deep in Guatemala territory. USA inching higher up the field since he’s been on.
76 mins: A scare there for the US as Pappa finds Marquez in a tight corner and his low cross deflects awkwardly across the US box, but away from a blue shirt.
US counter, Finlay drives forward down the right and earns a corner as he tries to pick out Altidore at the back post. Birnbaum is in the mix as the corner comes in, but can’t get a head to it to make his first competitive game for the team a truly special one.
74 mins: Setback for the US as a late Bradley challenge gets him a yellow card and a suspension for the next game.
An awful Castrillo header gifts Dempsey the ball now, but the US man is as surprised as anyone, and his own first touch is awful.
Now Martinez comes on to replace Tinoco, for the final Guatemala substitution.
72 mins: Finlay immediately in action as he drives forward and feeds Yedlin outside him. The Sunderland man’s cross loops towards the center of the box and Dempsey just fails to get his head to it before Motta.
70 mins: More blood and guts from the email section:
“George” has this to say:
“I have to say that I agree with two earlier commentators, Mr. Rodriguez Allen from Guatemala, and Luke from New York City. I might actually be more disappointed if the United States tonight wins tonight because it will only avoid discussing the deeper, structural flaws that exist under Mr. Klinsmann’s leadership. After 5 years in charge, with little success, The USMNT is still struggling for World Cup Qualifying. A “Red Wedding” style bloodbath may be the only way to send the message to the U.S. Soccer Federation that this stagnation is unacceptable. We need a leader that’s braver than a matador in a pink tutu, not someone who’s content with mediocrity.”
A mixed bag of references and metaphors worthy of a Klinsmann team selection....
Meanwhile Zardes comes off for hometown hero Ethan Finlay.
68 mins: 4-4-2, as Altidore goes alongside Dempsey up front, as Zusi pushes wide.
Dempsey immediately tries a long ball forward for Altidore, but it’s way, way in advance of his team mate.
now there’s a lovely swerving run forward from Castillo that ends with the ball deflecting into the path of Altidore on the left of the box, but he can’t find the space for either a clear shot or cut back to a team mate. Just a reminder to Guatemala that the US might not yet be done though.
66 mins: The game is in a lull at the moment. Guatemala seeing more of the ball but not yet in dangerous spaces, while the USA look as if they feel the job is done. Here comes Altidore for Wood though, so maybe they’re still looking to add to their total.
64 mins: Altidore getting warmed up. The Toronto man is still only half-fit after a hamstring injury.
USA’s turn to struggle in clearing their lines now, and Guatemala come back with a Morales cross that forces Guzan to come out and dive on the ball as it bobbles across the six yard box.
62 mins: USA beginning to just press a little more again to try and nip Guatemala’s growing confidence in the bud. Pappa and Ruiz have definitely introduced a little more attacking variation for the visitors.
60 mins: Beckerman and Ruiz tangle, and Ruiz is upset at the encounter. He’s a sensitive sort.
Now Wood is dragged down wide left and USA have a free kick. They elect to keep the ball rather than cross one in, but can’t open up the Guatemala defense.
58 mins: Guatemala have a man over on the left and the referee doesn’t notice the offside flag go up. Tinoco can’t get a clean shot off anyway, but this is better from Guatemala, as they start putting passes together.
Jerry lewis writes in, and is not impressed:
“From having watched US Soccer since 1986, I am convinced that we at the worst right now. You need skills, top level competition, heart, and will to win big games. The guys from 1986 to1996, mostly had the latter 2, they fought hard. These guys playing Guatemala are not showing that because that trait comes down from the coach--> an America coach. Bruce Arena is the best we ever had.
This is a no brainer. Get rid of SG and JK and bring in some pride, to the least.”
56 mins: Trinidad are 2-0 up over St Vincent in the other game in the group.
Back in Columbus and the USA pressure has just dropped a little for the moment, as they try to tempt Guatemala out a little. Tinoco gets forward down the left, but his cross can’t beat the first man.
54 mins: Pappa sprints back to quickly take a free kick in his own half, but almost sets up a dangerous US counter instead. Guatemala settle on the ball a little though and look to try and regroup after their terrible start to the first half.
52 mins: Guatemala may need to switch to damage control at this point. The USA looking to add more goals.
Here’s a chance for a break though as Saravia pushes the ball forward for Tinoco, but he’s closed down by Bradley as he tries to pick out Pappa running into the box.
50 mins:
Guatemala look abject right now. USA pressing high up the field from the start. Ruiz tries to instil some urgency by cutting out a loose Beckerman ball, but the US defense recover and move the ball back upfield, where they start pinging the ball around with something approaching glee.
Dempsey powers into the box at the end of a crisp passing sequence, and ends up on the deck, but still able to get his foot to the ball to try and get a shot off. It goes out for a Guatemala goal kick.
GOAL! USA 3-0 Guatemala (ZUSI!)
Zardes can’t control the ball in the box but it runs clear perfectly for the onrushing Zusi to drive low into the net just 23 seconds after the restart!
Start of second half
Ruiz is on for the second half, as is Marco Pappa. That’ll help...oh hang on...
Updated
Half-time emails:
Daniel Stauss isn’t sure about the suggestions for a Klinsmann replacement:
“As long as we’re offering up obvious duds for the ever more exceedingly less vacant USMNT coaching gig, how about Sigi? If only for the sake of long-suffering Seattle fans, it’s time for Sigi “The People’s Poncho” Schmid to take over the USMNT. #SigiIn”
Meanwhile Luke Norman’s back:
“Am I the only U.S. fan that is utterly shocked and appaulled with how much of a contest this is regardless of the result? In this era of Jurgen Klinsmann poppycock, we are now celebrating home wins against Guatemala. I am flabbergasted with the tactics, player pool, and overall demeanor of this U.S. club.
Scared and Angry for the future of our National Team”
In fairness, Guatemala came to defend, packed their half and dared the USA to break them down. This was never going to be an open spectacle. Route one and a set piece have done the job so far (rather as they did on Friday night, come to think of it, if we’re totally committed to this whole “being fair” concept).
And regardless of the result, I think the mood regarding Klinsmann has moved past any remaining indulgence for his methods and manner. People might be relieved about a possible win over Guatemala, but the doubts over Klinsmann’s selections remain — he’s arguably picked exactly the right team for tonight. The problem is, bitter experience tends to suggest he won’t pick the same team again.
Half-time thoughts
A solid half of soccer from the USA as they pressed, harried and generally bullied Guatemala into giving up two goals. The US will want to push on to try and improve on a net even goal difference against Guatemala, as the visitors clearly look vulnerable to conceding again. Perhaps we’ll see Ruiz come on in the second half just to provide some much-needed guile on the few occasions they get forward — something to keep the US defense on their toes.
Zusi and Bradley did well high forcing the pace high up the field and Wood began to grow into his attacking role as the game went on. Beckerman got stretched a couple of times early on, but generaly he did what Beckerman does best — provide the type of defensive function in midfield that allows his midfield colleagues not to second-guess when they get after the game.
Half-time: USA 2-0 Guatemala
...a Contreras shot drifts wide of the post at the other end and that’s that for the half. Half-time thoughts in a moment.
45 mins+1: WHAT A MISS! A lofted cross finds Wood in the type of space strikers never get in the box. The ball looked to have come off his arm and perhaps its his anticipation of the whistle that’s the cause of what happens next — he dinks the ball carefully past the goalkeeper, the six yard box and the similarly free Gyasi Zardes. Then he holds his head in his hands — which is the only correct decision in the sequence. Should have been three. Instead...
44 mins: Half-time approaching and a great chance for the USA to go 3-0 up as Zardes smartly slips the ball inside for Dempsey who’s briefly free into the box. He checks back looking for an opening, and then pokes his ball behind the secondary runners arriving to support him. Guatemala go up the other end and MArquez goes lunging in on Beckerman, who’s immediately in the referee’s face demanding a card. He gets a bemused look instead.
42 mins: half a chance as a smart Yedlin backheel frees Zusi down the right and he has space to loft a hanging cross into the center looking for a white shirt. A straining Castrillo just about heads clear.
40 mins: Zardes surges into the right side of the box and his looping cross is deflected for a corner. Inswinger from Zusi evades everyone.
Twitter meanwhile, has its own managerial suggestion:
@KidWeil RT: "Out with Klinsman, In with Bruce “The Beast” Arena!!!”" God no.Get the ex-Mexico coach Miguel Herrera--energy, punches, dance!
— Sam Lopez MB (@texascubbie) March 30, 2016
The animated gifs alone would make it worthwhile...
38 mins: Will Guatemala risk coming out of their own half a little more now? Not necessarily — but it is a cue for Moises Hernandez to start running his mouth a little at Bradley. The FC Dallas man was pretty vocal on Friday night as well — with rather more reason, it has to be said. Guatemala’s defense on both goals was awful.
GOAL! USA 2-0 Guatemala (CAMERON!)
36 mins: Wood’s run is brought to a stop by JImenez, who’s booked. USA have a free kick some 25 yards out and wide. Bradley over it...
...and he sends in a beautiful inswinger to where Cameron, in a sinful amount of space is able to glance the simplest of headers high past Motta for a 2-0 lead. Crisis? What crisis?
Updated
34 mins: Cincotta finds some space wide left and cuts inside Yedlin, before curling a tame shot straight at Guzan. It was one of the few moments we’ve seen Guatemala get anything like numbers forward.
32 mins: The USA have had 63% of possession thus far, though in fairness they saw a lot of the ball on Friday night too.
Meanwhile, Luke from New York, wants the “There will be Blood” scenario:
“Graham, I have to say I think I am with Alfredo from Guatemala. ...I believe we need a loss like this to kick gulati in pants and cut ties with Jurgen Klinsman. Remember the days when we had a solid core of players playing at the highest level. The days of Brian McBride, Claudio Reyna, a young Clint Dempsey, etc...I just feel like the talent pool has gone down hill extremely fast and I wouldn’t mind a “Red Wedding” style “Bloodbath” (As Alfredo so eloquently described it) to get Jurgen out.
While I do not think we necessarily need an American coach to be successful, I do believe that someone like Bruce “The Peoples Champ” Arena would get more results than Klinsman and company. Never thought I would be rooting against the U.S. in a qualifier, but a loss in this game is the only thing that will facilitate heavy change and in turn, success in the future.
Out with Klinsman, In with Bruce “The Beast” Arena!!!”
30 mins: Another slight scare for USA as Icute tries to spin into space in the box to meet Tinoco’s cross. It’s quickly closed down, but it’s a reminder that for all the USA’s apparent control of the game, they’re still only one goal up.
28 mins: Lovely touch from Wood, picking up the ball wide left. He surges down the touchline then lofts a cross over the six yard box, but too close to the diving Motta, who claims it. Now he’s involved again, laying off the ball for Zusi, who tries to give and go with Dempsey (who gets clattered for his troubles).
26 mins: Dempsey, Zusi and Bradley take it in turns to force their way past Guatemala defenders on the right of the box, without ever quite making a clear chance. Eventually Bradley’s shot squeezes off the last man and straight to a grateful Motta.
USA squeezing Guatemala rather than carving them open, but they’re being helped by some really nervy touches from the Guatemala defense.
24 mins: Zusi and Bradley have been causing problems high up the field for Guatemala — now Bradley earns a free kit just inside the Guatemala half. He’s looked particularly urgent this evening. “Urgency” being one of Klinsmann’s requested buzzwords for today.
22 mins: Bradley finds himself in way more space than he anticipated about 25 yards out. He pauses and picks his shot — a delicate chip that’s never troubling the keeper. You’d have put money on him blasting it from there.
20 mins: Cincotta gets up to a high ball forward and looks to have got clear of Yedlin, but is called back for a foul. Looked pretty innocuous at first viewing. Yedlin’s level of concentration will be key tonight.
Pause in play now as Birnbaum gets an accidental boot to the face from Tinoco. He’s being assessed on the sideline as play continues.
18 mins: Wood tries to flick a header into the path of Zardes and is impeded as he does so. He earns a free kick near the right front corner of the box. Zusi tries to curl one in but can’t clear the wall. Not the best advert for his vaunted set pieces.
USA pressing high up the field and retrieving the ball well now, but still needing to be patient against this bunkered Guatemala side.
16 mins: You have to say that the Guatemalan defense made the type of mess of that that we haven’t seen since the USA defense conceded on Friday night.
That was Dempsey’s 6th career goal against Guatemala and he is now the all-time leading scorer for the USA in World Cup qualifying games.
GOAL! USA 1-0 GUATEMALA (DEMPSEY!)
Huge goal for the USA. Zardes sprints forward and drags the center backs with him as he goes for a ball over the top from Geoff Cameron. He can’t get a clean touch but the ball falls to Dempsey, following up and unmarked. He fires a first time shot low into the corner and the USA have a nerve-settling lead!
12 mins: Bradley comes deeper to pick up the ball, and now inches up the field as the US defense look for an opening to force the ball forward. Guatemala happy to watch them pass the ball along the center line.
10 mins: Tinoco gets turned again, off Beckerman, and Yedlin has to be quick to make sure he covers the danger.
Now Birnbaum tries to get Bradley and Demspey going on a break down the right. He did well, but the ball never quite fell to US feet.
8 mins: Yedlin fails to bring down a long ball over the top, and that will be a goal kick.
Now a glimmer of a look for Guatemala after a sloppy touch by Zardes in midfield, but Beckerman is back helping the defense, and Guatemala are reluctant to commit men forward in support of Tinoco.
6 mins: It’s been a solid enough start for the US, though no clear chance as yet. They’re pressing with much more energy than Friday night though, and Zusi harries Saravia into a mistake at the back, then chases Hernandez down to pin the Guatemalans back.
Wood again fails to pick a short pass through traffic on the edge of the Guatemala box and the visitors break. The ball runs safely through to Guzan however.
4 mins: A couple of sweet little touches on the edge of the box almost set up Zardes, but a last ditch tackle intercepts Bradley’s one touch pass.Bradley playing high up the field with Beckerman covering him. Now Bradley floats a tempting little cross in from the right looking for Dempsey, but it goes harmlessly out. Right idea though.
2 mins: Zardes gets a couple of early touches and is fouled by Saravia. US circulate the ball rather than booting the free kick forward. Wood tries to force his way through down the left, but his touch is poor and he’s crowded out.
Kick Off
We’re off! “Our Team! Our Heart! Our Home!” says a tifo raised by the US fans.
Guatemala kick off and immediately the US players are pressing in on them.
Anthem watch
Guatemala singing: Lusty
USA singing: Master Sergeant Alyson Jones delivers a rather lovely version of the Star Spangled Banner while the US players mouth along slightly awkwardly behind her.
Are you ready? Let’s do this...
More thoughts on line up
Guatemala set up to be compact and defend deep — the result they got in Guatemala means they can in effect sit in and dare the USA to break them down. For the USA, this is, for the most part, a practical looking line up — though now would be a great time for Zardes to make good on his intermittent promise in attack.
Also it’s listed as a 4-3-3 — and Klinsmann just described it as such, but at times it could in effect by a 4-4-2 with Zardes and Zusi as the wide men and Bradley slightly in advance of Beckerman in the center of midfield.
@KidWeil I definitely picked the wrong week to stop drinking during the week #USAvGUA
— JR Flanders (@jrobertflanders) March 29, 2016
We’ll see. National anthems playing now. We’ll be underway very soon.
Klinsmann speaking to TV cameras
“We want to avoid an early goal to concede”
He also says that he hopes Zusi’s set pieces can be “really helpful”.
Twitter is nervy too
@KidWeil @guardian does it come with a whiskey chaser?
— Melissa Swenson (@mjswenson71) March 29, 2016
It will be alright.
@KidWeil This lineup actually makes sense, right? Or is this Stockholm Syndrome?
— Chris Barker (@barker_cm) March 29, 2016
It will be alright.
Stadium filling up
USA are unbeaten at Mapfre Stadium — the first soccer specific stadium in the country, and home to some memorable victories over Mexico in particular. They’ll see the crowd in Columbus as a big advantage, but there is also a healthy contingent of Guatemala fans in the crowd, and if their team can get a good start, we’ll see how well a nervy “home advantage” holds up.
The stadium looks to be filling up nicely though.
Banquo’s Ghost
Scott Bassett takes us all the way back to July 29th 2011:
“How sad is it to yearn for that stable foundation of Bradley puling the strings behind the attack? Bob Bradley, that is.”
Meet your heroes
Tonight’s game offers the chance for plucky young D.C. United defender Steve Birnbaum to meet real live Premier league player Geoff Cameron. The pair have never played together. In between taking self-conscious selfies, they will also be the starting center backs for the USA tonight...
Stakes
Matthew Doyle, aka MLS Analyst, is not a man given to hyperbole, when he can draw a tactical diagram instead. This is what he reckons is at stake this day, the 29th of March 2016:
However, if both #USMNT and US U-23s lose, it's the worst day for soccer in the US since March 28, 1985, when the original NASL folded.
— Matthew Doyle (@MLSAnalyst) March 29, 2016
The U-23s remember, are in a qualifying crisis of their own. They did well to earn a 1-1 draw in Colombia last week, and now host the Colombians in Dallas directly after this match, for the right to go to the Olympics.
A Guatemala fan writes
Alfredo Rodriguez Allen sounds in cheerful form:
“Hola Graham,
Alfredo writing here from Guatemala! I sure am hoping for a bloodbath tonight, would be epic to see Guatemala beat a team that calls itself a ‘powerhouse’. The blood of the gods is going to flow like the ancient rivers of Babylon if Jurgen manages to mess this one up.”
You suspect he’ll get a vote of confidence from Sunil Gulati instead. Indeed as I said to a friend last night, you suspect that with the respective personalities involved, Klinsmann would likely show up to work the day after being fired as if nothing had happened and Sunil Gulati would serenely pretend not to notice.
Twitter has opinions on the starting line ups:
@KidWeil Darlingon Nagbe, miss you 😘
— Russ (@bussruckley) March 29, 2016
It’s not a line up designed to dance its way through Guatemala. Let’s put it that way.
Team News
USA: Guzan; Castillo, Cameron, Birnbaum, Yedlin; Beckerman, Bradley, Zusi; Zardes, Dempsey, Wood
Guatemala: Motta; Morales, Hernandez, Castrillo, Jimenez; Marquez, Saravia, Contreras, Cincotta, Icute; Tinoco
No Carlos Ruiz in the starting line up for Guatemala. Possible he spent the entire flight sticking his elbow into the Federation President over the top of the arm rest, before having the President arrested by airport security on landing. Tinoco is the lone striker for Guatemala in his stead, and Castrillo comes in to the starting line up in defense.
As for the USA, it’s an unchanged team.
Actually, some slight tweaks — both center backs and goalkeeper have been replaced, Zusi joined the squad on Sunday and is starting, and Kyle Beckerman is back to anchor the midfield in a 4-3-3 or 4-1-2-3. Other than that, unchanged side.
And Gyasi Zardes is starting.
In fairness, it’s the type of solid looking midfield that the USA tend to need in Concacaf battles, like against, for example, Guatemala on the road.
Updated
Et tu Landon?
In possibly the least surprising development of the Klinsmann era, Landon Donovan said today that Klinsmann should go if his team loses to Guatemala tonight. Admittedly, he did so under some severe prodding by Dan Patrick on his morning show, but he also appeared on Soccer Morning with Jason Davis later and spoke of talking with current US players and there being no confidence because there is “no stability”. Donovan is of course retired and hardly had the exit he might have dreamt of, with Klinsmann dropping him from the World Cup roster — he has nothing to lose by speaking out. What’s perhaps more telling are the recent comments from the likes of Sporting KC’s Benny Feilhaber, which seem to have a rather different interpretation of having nothing to lose — namely that Klinsmann is vulnerable right now.
Runway to Russia
Seems that Carlos Ruiz flew in to Columbus by private jet, along with the current head of the Guatemalan Federation, Adela Torrebiarte — hope they’re not running against each other in the election or that’s an awkward plane ride...
Now Twitter has questions:
@KidWeil why is JK insistent on playing MB in an advanced position? 1/2
— The B⭐️ss (@RobertWCross) March 29, 2016
@KidWeil seems like he has an opportunity place him back in deep lying MF role, offer support with Nagbe at 8, and insert Nguyen upfield.2/2
— The B⭐️ss (@RobertWCross) March 29, 2016
Possible answers to this sensible suggestion include:
“Yes, but...(pinches bridge of nose)...I. Am. Trying. To. Grow. The. Game.”
“I like the look on Bradley’s face when he’s out of optimal position.”
“Wibble.”
Guatemala
Before Friday night’s game it looked like Carlos Ruiz would not be making the trip to Columbus. Facing charges over a legal disagreement with a landlord, Ruiz was unable to clear a visa through the courts in time to make the second game.
That was before Ruiz raced free of a somnambulant US back line to slot the ball under Tim Howard to give Guatemala a 2-0 lead it would not relinquish. With a real chance to finish the job in Columbus, Ruiz’s visa has miraculously materialized, and the 36 year old will be rolling around in agony/waving imaginary yellow cards making the customary nuisance of himself tonight. He’s said to be running for the presidency of the Guatemalan Federation — another performance like Friday’s and there’ll be no need for an election.
All credit to head coach Walter Claveri as well, though. Rather than starting crowd favorite Marco Pappa on Friday night, Claveri trusted that the combination of Gerson Tinoco and Stefano Cincotta would be the more appropriate hardworking option to start against the US, and by the time he introduced Pappa as a substitute, Guatemala were already up 2-0 and looking comfortable.
Interesting to see how he sends his side out tonight — a lively start and an early goal and an already nervy US crowd could turn on an already nervy team.
Updated
Twitter stirs:
@KidWeil the #USMNT need to ensure they, at the bare minimum, do the simple things right tonight. A loss would (obviously) be catastrophic
— John Stephens (@JohnStephens07) March 29, 2016
“At the bare minimum, do the simple things right” — I sense a new team motto coming on...
USA
Jürgen Klinsmann had a very clear idea of what the ideal schedule would be for his team between the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, but like the photoshopped proposals for stadiums, the ideal has been somewhat compromised by reality — namely other teams, and what happens when they play his team.
The under-23s will play immediately after this game to try and ensure Olympic qualification, but should never have been in a playoff series with Colombia in the first place. Likewise, a struggling Mexico walked off with the Gold Cup then Concacaf Cup last summer, after the US imploded against Jamaica, so there’s no Confederations Cup slot for the USA in 2017. And...basically, you know the story. After a modestly successful World Cup the USA look to have regressed, not progressed, and now find themselves in a mess of their own making.
Of course, Klinsmann sets great value by competitive games, so it’s possible that this is an elaborate training scenario where he told his team to lose in Guatemala just so that they could experience the thrill and pressure of a must-win game on US soil, but...given that Jamaica, Panama and Mexico recently beat the US in competitive games on US soil, he might want to think that one through a bit.
Klinsmann’s supposedly ringing the changes for tonight. No change there then — though Friday night’s performance at least gives him more of a mandate than usual. Apparently D.C. United’s Steve Birnbaum will be starting in place of Michael Orozco, and of course Graham Zusi and 17 year old Cristian Pulisic (who recently defeated Julian Green in single-handed combat for the coveted title of “savior of the US national team until the next savior of the US national team”) have been called in to the squad since Friday. That should fix it.
Preamble
Evening all. Welcome to the Road to Russia. For the USA, that’s a sleek autobahn potholed dirt track with a knocked out bridge. For Guatemala, fresh off their first World Cup qualifying win over the USA, it’s a yellow brick road through Columbus, OH. If the Chapines could somehow pull off another win in what’s traditionally been a US stronghold in World Cup qualifying, then the USA would be all but eliminated at the semi-final stage of said qualifying. I’m no Jürgen Klinsmann, but that would seem to be a setback in terms of improving on a final 16 finish in 2014.
Now, the USA have been here before, sort of. In the last World Cup qualifying cycle they had a similar points total at this stage, but with a couple of crucial differences. First of all, the teams around them weren’t in a position to take their destiny out of their own hands with a loss, and secondly, they weren’t such a dispirited shambles as they currently are under Jürgen Klinsmann.
So the USA really need a win tonight to do something to reset morale before a big summer of (possible) Olympic and (definite) Copa America action. Ideally Klinsmann would like to have already wrapped up qualification for the next round of the World Cup by then, but no matter what happens tonight, that’s not to be. So the US coach is left with the rather more modest ambition of still being alive and walking the Road to Russia, albeit with a pronounced limp.
I’ll be back shortly with more build up, angst and some of the tales of a 36 year old Carlos Ruiz that excessively worried coaches scare their children with. Until then, get your tweets coming in to @KidWeil or emails to graham.parker@theguardian.com and I’ll be back to reassure you that it was all just a dream.
Updated
Graham will be here shortly, in the meantime here are his thoughts on last week’s defeat for the US:
The most alarming thing about the USA’s 2-0 loss in Guatemala City might not have been the result – though that in itself will have ramifications that will ripple through at least the rest of the year. It was how routine it has come to feel for the USA, under Jürgen Klinsmann, to underwhelm when they need a result.
Instead of revealing new talent, or new combinations for existing talent, Klinsmann’s post-World Cup experimental selections and formations (seemingly in pursuit of an endlessly deferred first-choice team) have become the default mode for the USA.
The team feels as if it exists in a permanently provisional state. That’s true even in the competitive scenarios (a Gold Cup semi-final, a Concacaf Cup playoff, a World Cup qualifying road game) where you’d feel a team should at very least know itself.
Down 2-0 in Guatemala on Friday night, and needing to impose themselves on a compact home defense, the USA didn’t seem to know what they were trying to impose – indeed, who they were trying to impose.
