US 1-0 Barbados - US advances

US 1-0 Barbados

In a game that saw the favorites look tired and even more defensive minded then normal, the underdogs had their chance to run the game. But unlike the Italy-Spain Euro match, the US was able to see their opposition out of the competition.

Yesterday's game was a flashback for me as right from the opening moments, it reminded me of some late-80's games due to the horrible video production. Combine that with the frustration of the US to break through a Caribbean nation's backline and a crowd that was less then present and it was just like the old days (except the broadcast wasn't on some UHF channel that I didn't even know I got nor was the game tape delayed to 3am nor was it dubbed in Spanish).

The good news, unlike the old days, the team on the pitch was not our A-team and that was probably the biggest lesson of the day.

This is the type of match the US men are going to see a lot of over the next 16-months as we begin the full World Cup Qualifying run. The 'lesser' teams of Concacaf are all going to adopt a similar structure to Barbados and play heavy defense while hoping for something on the counter. This is nothing new, but it still gives the US problems.

Overall, it was a boring game that saw Barbados have the better run of play for most of the second half. A few players looked good (Szetela, Lewis, Pearce, Adu), some had their moments (DeMerit, Califf) and some looked a bit under focused (Bradley, Guzan, Beasley, Moor). Nothing came out of this game that is going to cause major changes to Bradley's future lineups (with the possible exception of getting Kenny Cooper on to the pitch).

The US senior men are off till August 20th, when they travel to Guatemala to take on Carlos Ruiz and La Azul y Blanco.

One last thing, great idea by the USL-1 teams to sponsor all the boards during this match.

Other Concacaf World Cup Qualifer results

As much fun as it is to only focus on the great show the US put on yesterday, there were ten other Concacaf Qualifiers over the weekend. So how did they turn out? Most of them went as expected, but there were a couple shocks.

Trinidad and Tobago 1-2 Bermuda - T&T get shocked at home by Bermuda. Could the team's dream of back-to-back World Cups crash out next weekend? If so, will Jack Warner get any heat for the way he destroyed the team?

Haiti 0-0 Netherlands Antilles - Haiti are the reigning Caribbean champions and Antilles held them on the road. Not as big an upset as T&T, but still something to watch.

Suriname 1-0 Guyana - The battle of the South American members of Concacaf ended in a minor surprise as Suriname beat the seeded Guyanese. The return leg is going to be fun.

Grenada 2-2 Costa Rica - This was a much tougher start then Costa Rica wanted. On the plus side, they did come back from two goals down to get the tie, but will this be enough for coach Hernán Medford to keep his job?

Panama 1-0 El Salvador - Panama has to be worried going into their second leg. The rains slowed this game down, which worked for El Salvador.

Belize 0-2 Mexico - Mexico continued their tradition of under performing against teams they do not respect. This match was never in question as Belize pretty much just sat 10 players behind the ball, but it is still a poor game by El Tri.

Guatemala 6-0 Saint Lucia - Looks like the US will have to deal with the little fish again as Carlos Ruiz netted four in this one.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0-3 Canada - Ali Gerba was the hero for Canada as he netted two. Canada should have an easy time at home this Friday.

Jamaica 7-0 Bahamas - The Reggae Boys just smashed their way into group play. Six different players, including Andy Williams, scored so this was an all over effort.

Puerto Rico 2-2 Honduras - This result means Honduras advances to the first group phase with a 6-2 aggregate win. Puerto Rico went down a goal in the 22', but tied is a few minutes later. They then went up one right before the half, but it was not meant to be as Wigan Athletic midfielder Wilson Palacios knotted it up in the 52'.

Cuba and Antigua and Barbuda play their first leg tomorrow.

Olympic Qualifying - Freddy Adu's and team US's are going to Beijing

US 3-0 Canada

This was the game US fans had been waiting for. Finally the play on the field reflected the talent in the roster as Canada was no match for the U23 US men. And although Freddy Adu will deservingly get the headlines, that second goal was pure art, but he was far from alone out there. Altidore, Edu, Holden, McCarty, Spector, Orozco, Wynne, Kljestan, Sturgiz and Seitz all provided key plays that resulted in this victory

Yes, there were little missteps that could still use some tightening, but in the end, last night was as close to a perfect match as anyone can expect to come on the international level. Makes me wonder if all the folks who bashed Peter Nowak after the US's sad sack routine against Cuba last Tuesday are ready to apologize.

As far as Canada is concerned, they have talent, but they were no match for the US on the night. Combine this result with their failure to get out of their group at last summer's U20 World Cup and it points to a youth system that needs some work.

So the US is returning to the Olympics and as of this point, they look like a team that has a chance at a medal.

Goals:
US - Adu 27', 47', Kljestan 78'


Guatemala 0(5)-(6)0 Honduras

And the other Concacaf spot goes to Honduras. Although the game was not as pleasing to watch as the later match, there was plenty of good soccer on display. Both teams would have deserved the win, so it is only fitting that it went to pk.

The question I want to know is what was Honduran goalie Kevin Hernandez yelling before every Guatemalan shot? Something tells me it wasn't words of encouragement.

2008 Concacaf Olympic Qualifying Schedule

Concacaf has two tickets to Beijing for the Olympics this August and eight nations want them. To get there, teams will need to take one of the top two spots in their group and then make it past the semifinals. Both teams in the final on March 20th will represent the region in China.

The Concacaf tournament is taking place in America this time around with games in Tampa, LA and Nashville (Tickets Tampa, LA, Nashville).

Here is the full schedule:

Group A

Team	W	L	T	Pts	GD
USA	2	0	1	7	+2
Honduras	2	1	0	6	+2
Panama	1	2	0	3	+1
Cuba	0	2	1	1	-5

Group B

Team	W	L	T	Pts	GD
Guatemala	2	1	0	6	-3
Canada	1	1	1	4	+4
Mexico	1	1	1	4	+3
Haiti	1	2	0	3	-4

Date	Matches	Venues	Kickoff Times
March 11	Panama 0-1 Honduras	Tampa, Fl	5:30 ET
March 11	USA 1-1 Cuba	Tampa, Fl	8:00 ET
March 12	Haiti 0-1 Guatemala	Carson, Ca	5:30pm PT
March 12	Canada 1-1 Mexico	Carson, Ca	8:00pm PT
March 13	Honduras 2-0 Cuba	Tampa, Fl	5:30pm ET
March 13	USA 1-0 Panama	Tampa, Fl	8:00pm ET
March 14	Canada 1-2 Haiti	Carson, Ca	5:30pm PT
March 14	Mexico 1-2 Guatemala	Carson, Ca	8:00pm PT
March 15	Cuba 1-4 Panama	Tampa, Fl	5:30pm ET
March 15	USA 1-0 Honduras	Tampa, Fl	8:00pm ET
March 16	Guatemala 0-5 Canada	Carson, Ca	5:30pm PT
March 16	Mexico 5-1 Haiti	Carson, Ca	8:00pm PT
March 20	Guatemala 0(5)-(6)0 Honduras	Nashville, Tn	5pm CT
March 20	USA 3-0 Canada	Nashville, Tn	8pm CT
March 23	Guatemala 0(3)-(5)0 Canada	Nashville, Tn	1pm CT
March 23	USA 0-1 Honduras	Nashville, Tn	4pm CT

Fox Soccer Channel (English) and ESPN Deportes (Spanish) will air matches live in the US while ESPN360.com will steam them on the internet.

Canada beats Guatemala to book trip to semifinals

Canada 3-0 Guatemala
Canada has knocked the Blue and White out of the Gold Cup in outstanding fashion. They ran that field and force Guatemala to play the games. To Guatemala's credit, they had some good moments but they didn't have the training or skill required due to their usual bunker style of play.

Canada's first touches looked better but their defense still allowed a number of chances to get through. They have a great midfield game so whomever they face in the semifinal is going to have a difficult time.

Goals: Ali Gerba (2) 17', (3) 32', Henry Alexander Medina 44' (Guatemala own goal)

Golden Boot
4 - Carlos Pavón - Honduras
3 - Carlos Costly - Honduras
3 - Walter Centeno - Costa Rica
3 - Ali Gerba - Canada
2 - Julián de Guzmán - Canada
2 - Dwayne De Rosario - Canada
2 - Reynier Alcántara - Cuba
2 - José Luis Garcés - Panama
2 - Blas Pérez - Panama
2 - DaMarcus Beasley - USA
2 - Amado Guevara - Honduras

Canada 3-0 Guatemala at the half

Canada 3-0 Guatemala
Halftime
Canada is taking it Guatemala thanks to two goals by Ali Gerba and a third by DeRosario an own goal by Henry Alexander Medina. The cheeky foul calls are not going Guatemala's way. Canada looks to have this one completely under control as they are running the Guatemalans all over the pitch.

Gold Cup Quarterfinals Previews and Predictions

At long last the Concacaf Gold Cup is at the knockout phase is here. The eight teams playing this weekend are a great mix of what Concacaf has to offer. We have the regulars (USA, Mexico, Costa Rica), the up and comers (Canada, Honduras) and a little surprise (Guadeloupe). None of these games look like blowouts in the making so we should be in for a great couple days of soccer.

Panama vs. USA
Saturday - 4pmET/1pm PT - Foxborough, Mass
TV: Fox Soccer Channel (English), Envision (Spanish)
Panama learned something against Mexico that I think they will use against the US, attack, attack, attack. Just sitting back and waiting for the pain is not a way to win a match against a big team because if you give them enough chances, they are going to beat you. Even with Panama missing some key players (including their captain Rolando Escobar), they have some strong skills in the midfield and some keen eyes on the attack. Also, they know how to beat defenders on the run thus either getting a shot or forcing a foul. The one weakness in their game is their backline as they often miss their marks.

The US will need a great day in the midfield to disrupt the Panamanian service, but they will also need their defense to stay close without over reaching. The US has given away some dangerous fouls in their final third, but has not yet paid for it. If they give Panama a few of those, it will be a long day for the Nats.

The offense for the red, white and blue is coming together. They still don't make the best use out of the set pieces (I think they only have one goal from a set piece so far), which could become a big factor if Panama does decide to bunker down, but they are getting better at setting each other up during the actual run of play. That said, the last game saw a number of good balls sent in by Beasley, but too often their were either not enough US players in the box or they were not in the correct position to connect.

Predicted lineup:
GK: Howard
D: Bornstein, Parkhurst, DeMerit, Simek
M: Beasley, Clark, Feilhaber, Ralston
F: Donovan, Dempsey
I would not start Gooch because he is riding a yellow card and Panama seems like a team that could easily get him another card. Also, I would go with Clark instead of Bradley in the middle because he pushes the ball forward better.

Predictions: Me Panama 0-2 US, Wife Panama 1-2 US

Canada vs. Guatemala
Saturday - 1pm ET/10am PT - Foxborough, Mass
TV: Telefutra (Spanish)
There will be two very different styles of soccer on display in this one as Canada likes to play wide-open games while Guatemala does everything they can do to stop a soccer match from actually taking place. There is talent on Guatemala's team, but their bunker and foul while Carlos Ruiz takes a dive routine wastes it.

Talking about Ruiz, he is really the only offensive threat his side has, so if Canada control him and don't get frustrated by his total disrespect for the game he plays, they should be in good shape. However, Ruiz has this way of sneaking into space and pushing defenders off him. If he gets a ref who turns a blind eye to these sorts of things, he will cause some problems.

The Maple Leafs will need a great day from their double De's in the middle. DeGuzman and DeRosario will need to control the flow and prevent Guatemala from stopping every play at the half way line. Also, Canada's biggest weakness might end up coming in handy during this match. Many of their first touches are weak and often result in the ball getting away from players for a moment. Since Guatemala usually kneecaps players on their first touch, they might end up getting cards because the ball will not be there to provide an excuse for this fouls.

This one will get physical, but if Canada says calm, they will advance.
Prediction: Me Canada 1-0 Guatemala, Wife Canada 2-1 Guatemala

Honduras vs. Guadeloupe
Sunday 3pm ET/12pm PT - Houston, Tx
TV: Telefutra (Spanish)
Los Catrachos has got to be feeling great about their chances in this one. Guadeloupe had a wonderful first match, got a little lucky in the second and fell flat in their third as the team started looking exhausted. The one bit of good news is they have had five days off so they should be in a better place, but their depth is still lacking. To pull out a shock result, they will need to control the attacking duo of Carlos Pavón and Carlos Costly but I haven't seen anything in their defense that suggests such a result is possible.

It is always fun to cheer for the little guy and Guadeloupe, with a population of about 400,000, is the littlest of all, but sadly, I think Sunday will see them get crushed.
Predictions: Honduras 3-1 Guadeloupe, Wife Honduras 1-2 Guadeloupe

Mexico vs. Costa Rica
Sunday 6pm ET/3pm PT - Houston, Tx
TV: Univision (Spanish)
This might just be the game that decides coach Hugo Sanchez’s future. El Tri has looked bad through all three of the group matches and is very lucky to not be facing the USA today. Since they have a very talented squad one must wonder why they are not doing better. That's where Hugo pops in.

Costa Rica has been third best team in Concacaf for a number of years now but their age is starting to show. The flair and speed on the ball is not what it once was so the question is do they have enough for one more run? Los Ticos has the benefit of a Mexican side in disarray and missing a couple starters due to card accumulation. However, they will also have to face Oswaldo Sanchez in goal.

If Mexico's backline continues their resent tradition of leaving huge holes open, Costa Rica will get some great chances, but they will have to place them just right because Sanchez might not have a lot of class, but he can stop just about anything except perfectly placed shots.

Mexico will probably find a way to pull this one out but I think there is going to be one upset this weekend and it will happen in Houston.
Prediction: Me Mexico 1-2 Costa Rica (in overtime), Wife Mexico 2-0 Costa Rica

The quarterfinal winners will advance to the semi-finals in Chicago on Thursday night. The winners from Foxborough will place each other followed by the winners from Houston.

2007 Gold Cup Quarterfinals Schedule

The group stage is done and now it is knockout time. All four of these matches should be interesting to watch because even the underdogs have pulled off a number of surprises.

If you are in or around Foxborough or Houston, why not go see the games in person. One ticket gets you into both quarterfinal games on the day, plus in Foxborough you will also get a MLS match featuring the New England Revolution. It could make a great Father's Day gift.

Anyway, here is a quick look at the four games:
Quarterfinals Day 1 - Saturday - Foxborough
Tickets
Canada (A1) v Guatemala (B2)
1pm ET/10am PT - TV: Telefutra (Spanish)
Canada surprised a few with their top-flight finish in Group C, but still have a few holes to fill. Guatemala played their regular ugly style of soccer and managed to squeeze through. If there is a good ref, Canada should be alright but if the Blue & White get to crap tackle their way around the pitch and do everything they can to prevent a soccer match from breaking out, it will be difficult for the maple leafs.

USA (B1) v Panama (C3)
4pm ET/ 1pm PT - TV: Fox Soccer Channel (English), Univision (Spanish)
The way Mexico has been playing, it would have been something wonderful to face them on Saturday instead of a real hot Panama side. The US should not undervalue Panama, even with two players out due to reds. They will pressure the defense and can be tricky in the middle. If you live in the Northeast and missed out on Germany last year, this match might just make up for it.


Quarterfinals Day 2 - Sunday - Houston
Tickets
Honduras (C1) v Guadeloupe (A3)
3pm ET/12pm PT - TV: Telefutra (Spanish)
Honduras is clicking while Guadeloupe is fading. Of all four matches, this one has the greatest likelihood of being a blowout, but it might also provide a bit of a surprise.

Mexico (C2) v Costa Rica (A2)
6pm ET/3pm PT - TV: Univision (Spanish)
If only Costa Rica had a few younger players with good experience, because that could really come in handy. Mexico has been the biggest underperformer of the tournament and with two or three players out due to yellow card accumulation; this is going to be a difficult outing for El Tri.

Gold Cup Day 7 - US-El Salvador preview, Group B ends tonight

US MNT (6pts) vs. El Salvador (3pts)
7pm ET - TV: Fox Soccer Channel (Eng), TeleFutura (Spanish)
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts (tickets)

One year to the day after the disaster in Gelsenkirchen against the Czech Republic, the US men take the pitch tonight only needing a tie to guarantee first place in the group. The US has played below their top level in their first two matches but still stand tall as the only team with a full six points from two games and no goals allowed. They were tested against Costa Rica and challenged by Trinidad & Tobago, but their hardest game might just be tonight.

Yes, the US is unbeaten in three matches against El Salvador and are 14-1-4 with 10 shutouts at Gillette Stadium, but El Salvador is in a must produce situation. If La Azul want to guarantee a spot in the quarterfinals, they need a win, however a tie might just get them there as well. The team looked good against T&T, but against Guatemala, they suffered.

Look for El Salvador to try and turn this into a physical game, hoping to get the US into card trouble. If the Gooch is back on the pitch for the US, look for players to dive all around him hoping for the ref to give a reputation card.

The US has a bit of a clearer path, push the ball forward. Like Guatemala, El Salvador will try to bunker down in back, but they are nowhere near as tight and do not communicate well. The US should still be able to plop passes behind the line and into openings for the likes of Donovan, Johnson, Ching or whomever. If they start finishing their chances, it is going to be a great night for the US.

The odd thing that might be somewhere in Bob Bradley's mind for this one is the chance, all though it is small, that they might end up playing Mexico in their next match. Depending on the way results go, Mexico could end up being the third place team in Group C, thus setting up a show down on Saturday. Again, it would take a lot of strange results to make it happen, but one never knows.

Predicted lineup:
------Johnson----Donovan------
Beasley----------------Dempsey
-------Clark------Feihaber------
Bornstein---------------Spector
------Onyewu-----DeMerit-------
--------------Howard-------------

Predictions: Me US 3-0 El Salvador, Wife US 2-0 El Salvador


Trinidad & Tobago (0pts) vs. Guatemala (3pts)
9pm ET - TV: TeleFutura (Spanish)
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts (tickets)
The other game should see Carlos Ruiz and the Blue & White get three points against a Jack Warner special version of T&T. However, Guatemala has not looked overly great when they have actually had to play the game instead of just diving anytime a player got near them, so T&T could steal a point here. If Guatemala's organization fails them, T&T has a few options to pop in a shots. Add to it the danger they have shown on free kicks and an outside, outside chance of still getting a third place slot to advance and we might just see something crazy happen in Foxborough.
Predictions: Me T&T 1-2 Guatemala, Wife T&T 1-2 Guatemala

Here are the Gold Cup tables:
Group A

Team	Pts	GP	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD
Canada	6	3	2	1	0	5	3	+2
Costa Rica	4	3	1	1	1	3	3	0
Guadeloupe	4	3	1	1	1	3	3	0
Haiti	2	3	0	1	2	2	4	-2

Group B

Team	Pts	GP	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD
USA	6	2	2	0	0	3	0	+3
El Salvador	3	2	1	1	0	2	2	0
Guatemala	3	2	1	1	0	1	1	0
T&T	0	2	0	2	0	1	4	-3

Group C

Team	Pts	GP	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD
Panama	4	2	1	0	1	5	4	+1
Honduras	3	2	1	1	0	4	4	0
Mexico	3	2	1	1	0	3	3	0
Cuba	1	2	0	1	1	3	4	-1

Golden boot leaders:
3 - Carlos Costly - Honduras
3 - Walter Centeno - Costa Rica
2 - Julián de Guzmán - Canada
2 - Dwayne De Rosario - Canada
2 - Reynier Alcántara - Cuba
2 - José Luis Garcés - Panama
2 - Blas Pérez - Panama

Gold Cup Day 2 - US wins but comes out flat, player grades

USA 1-0 Guatemala

The US got the needed three points from their first match but they looked less then inspiring while doing it. The first half saw the team come together and pressure hard at times, but they missed a number of easy chances. It really should have been 2 or 3 nil going into the locker room but the Nats just could not respond.

Guatemala's plan for the second 45-minutes was obvious about 2 minutes in, play rough and try to force some US mistakes. It worked shockingly well. The US did not know how to play this style of physical soccer. Part of the problem was ref José Pineda who let Guatemala get away with fouls that the US was getting carded for, however a good team needs to learn how to stay calm during such matches.

The perfect example of the frustration of the team was Oguchi Onyewu. His first yellow was a weak call but the second was just stupid play. Guatemala was hoping someone would take their bait and sure enough the Gooch bit down hard. If there was a good bit of news on the night it is that the US calmed down once they went down to 10. Guatemala still pressured at times, but the US was able to kill off the game.

It was an ugly victory, but a victory nonetheless.
Goal: Clint Dempsey (1) 26'

Here are the players’ grades:

Tim Howard (GK) - He didn't have a lot to do, but when he was needed, he was there. A
Frankie Hejduk (D) - Covered for other defenders and was the calmest person in the backline. B-
Oguchi Onyewu (D) - Missed his marks, was not working in unison with the line and let his frustration get the best of him, thus putting his side in a difficult situation. A horrible night all around that makes the US's defensive situation only that much worse. F
Carlos Bocanegra (D) - Was out of position a number of times and could not figure out how to control the counters. C
Jonathan Bornstein (D) - He was getting beat all over the place but did make a few timely clearances. C+
Michael Bradley (M) - Got himself involved in a lot of plays and won more then his share of the 50-50 balls. Still needs to work a bit on the passing - B+
Benny Feihaber (M) - Benny was the center of the team last night. He was all over the pitch setting up or stopping plays. His work rate and technical skill was the best on the field. A
Landon Donovan (M) - His crosses are getting better but still need some work. Good job breaking up plays, but did not create many. Also, he showed very little leadership to calm the game down. B-
DaMarcus Beasley (M) - This was his best game for the national team in awhile. He was doing great getting wide and sending in good balls. However, he, like many on the team, needs to learn to take the shot. A-
Taylor Twellman (F) - How did Twellman not get a goal? He was working himself into position, but he could not finish. Everything else was really good, but forwards need to score. B-
Clint Dempsey (F) - Dempsey as a forward, interesting. He made the most of the situation, but it is not his position. His goal and he made some things happen, but over time, his play slowed. B

Subs
Eddie Johnson (F) - Where is the EJ we have seen in the MLS this season? He was scared out there and not using his talent to push the defense back. C-
Steve Ralston (M/D) - Won some balls but made very little impact on the game. C+
Jay DeMerit (D) - He calmed his side down after the Gooch ejection by breaking up attacks and holding the ball. B+

El Salvador 2-1 Trinidad & Tobago
The other match of the night saw a T&T side lacking in talent almost get a share of the points from El Salvador. T&T looked much better then I thought they would while El Salvador looked a little worse. This was not a very exciting match as most of it was played in the middle third of the pitch but we did learn that T&T has some speed on them, even if it comes with little technical skill while El Salvador will shoot just about ever chance they can.
Goals:
El Salvador: Ramon Sanchez (1) 38', Dennis Alas (1) 81'
T&T: Silvio Spann (1) 8'


Here are the Gold Cup tables:
Group A

Team	Pts	GP	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD
Canada	3	1	1	0	0	2	1	+1
Haiti	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	0
Guadeloupe	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	0
Costa Rica	0	1	0	1	0	1	2	-1

Group B

Team	Pts	GP	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD
El Salvador	3	1	1	0	0	2	1	+1
USA	3	1	1	0	0	1	0	+1
T&T	0	1	0	1	0	1	2	-1
Guatemala	0	1	0	1	0	0	1	-1

Group C

Team	Pts	GP	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD
Cuba	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Honduras	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

US-Guatemala starting lineups

The lists are out and here they are.

US
F: Clint Dempsey, Taylor Twellman
M: De Marcus Beadley, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, Benny Feihaber
D: Oguchi Onyewu, Jonathan Bornstein, Carlos Bocanegra, Frankie Hejduk
GK: Tim Howard

Twellman gets the start, biggest shock of the whole list. Donovan playing a little deeper is a smart move.

Guatemala
F: Carlos Ruiz, Marvin Avila
M: Carlos Quinones, Rigoberto Gomez, Jose Contreras, Leonel Noriega
D: Claudio Albizuris, Gustavo Cabrera, Henry Media, Pablo Melgar
GK: Ricardo Trigueno

Two forwards, maybe they are not going to play as much of a bunker game as we thought.

The game starts in 15 minutes on Fox Soccer Channel and Telefutura.

US v Guatemala - Group B starts tonight

US MNT vs. Guatemala
9:00pm ET
TV: Fox Soccer Channel, Telefutura
Internet: MatchTracker text play by play

Almost a year after their last meaningful match, the US take to the pitch tonight looking to shake off the old and restate their claim as the best team in Concacaf. But to make such a statement, they will need to push past a Guatemalan side that has caused problems for them in the past. The game plan for Guatemala, as it will be for most of the other teams the US faces over the next few weeks, is simple, frustrate and counter.

Guatemala will fill their end of the pitch with as many bodies as they can and hope Carlos Ruiz or maybe Dwight Pezzarossi can catch the US pushing a bit too much. We saw this first hand in Dallas back in March how well this worked out for the blue and white. Of course the US will have a bit of a tougher side this time around, but unless they change their tactics from that Wednesday evening, the result might not change.

In their previous meeting, the US failed to push forward quickly enough, allowing Guatemala to, time and time again, get nine men behind the ball. Since they were also hesitant to throw numbers forward, fearing a counter-attack, it was nearly impossible for them to get anything going. Hopefully tonight we see a different plan.

Guatemala will probably play with five in the middle, so a lot of this game is going to fall on Michael Bradley and Benny Feihaber. If they can pick some pockets and release Dempsey or Beasley up the sides, it will be a great night for team USA.

On the other side of the ball, the US's backline need to keep Ruiz marked, especially on free kicks. Say what you will about 'El Pescadito', but he is great at slipping away from his mark (just ask Jimmy Conrad). Onyewu will probably be posted up against him, but the gooch needs to make sure that the lord of the dive doesn't get him into card trouble early.

This really is a must win game for the US, so hopefully the hunger that a lot of players showed against China last weekend will reappear tonight. If they win big against Guatemala, it will cause other teams to reevaluate their bunker down game plans, thus providing the Nats will more open space in later matches. If they are closed down, the red, white and blue and look forward to more of the same.

Predictions: Me US 3-0 Guatemala, Wife US 2-0 Guatemala

Predicted starting lineup:
------Johnson----Donovan------
Beasley----------------Dempsey
------Bradley-----Feihaber------
Bornstein---------------Spector
------Onyewu---Bocanegra------
--------------Howard-------------

El Salvador vs. Trinidad & Tobago
11:00pm ET
TV: Telefutura
The other Group B match sees El Salvador taking on Trinidad & Tobago. With the best the Soca Warriors have to offer sitting this one out thanks to Jack Warner, El Salvador should have a chance to get a full three points. Look for much of their attack to focus around Ronald Cerritos. There is bound to be some sloppy play in this one which might just lead to a number of goals. The loser of this match is pretty much out of the Gold Cup.

2007 Concacaf Gold Cup - Group B Preview

The Gold Cup's Group B is the home of the USA and luck already seems to be shinning down on the red, white and blue as Jack Warner has effectively neutered Trinidad & Tobago. Still, the US has had troubles with 'minnows' before, so this might not be an easy 'set them up and we'll knock them down' in the end.

El Salvador
Fifa rank - 144
Important players - Ronald Cerritos, Eliseo Quintanilla
Odds of advancing from group - 6 to 1
This side is lacking in known talent as no one on the roster currently plays outside of El Salvador and only a few ever have. In many ways that is bad however it might also give them an element of surprise that could make them dangerous. We can expect them to lose many balls in the midfield thus they will flood their final third. Their best hope of making it through is a hot goalkeeper.

Guatemala
Fifa rank - 87
Important players - Carlos Ruiz, Dwight Pezzarossi, Pablo Sebastian Melgar
Odds of advancing from group - 3 to 1
This group offers Guatemala a great chance to settle a score with Trinidad & Tobago as they just missed their chance of getting to Germany due to the Soca Warriors. They have some good skill in attack but over the rest of the pitch, they are sparse. It should be enough for them to walk out of this group, and into a date with the group A winners.

Trinidad and Tobago
Fifa rank - 67
Important players - Sitting at home
Odds of advancing from group - 6 to 1
Due to their federations desire to screw over their players as much as they can, Trinidad & Tobago is fielding their weakest lineup in a long time. Under normal circumstances T&T would give Guatemala a run for that second place spot and might even find a way to force the US into a bad spot, however with no real power to be found anywhere in their lineup, this will not be their year.

USA
Fifa rank - 29
Important players - Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Carlos Bocanegra
Odds of advancing from group - 5 to 4
Gold Cup Winners - 1991, 2002, 2005
If the US does not own this group, something has gone seriously wrong as they are far better then any of the other three. That said, one the US's biggest problems has been winning games against teams they should destroy. If they have a difficult time against Guatemala, like they did earlier this year, it could be a sign of sad things to come.

Predictions: Me - 1.USA 2.Guatemala 3.El Salvador 4.Trinidad and Tobago
Wife - 1.USA 2.Trinidad and Tobago 3.Guatemala 4.El Salvador

Schedule (all games will air on Telefutura and US matches will air on FSC):
In LA
June 7 - USA v Guatemala (9pm ET/6pm PT), El Salvador v Trinidad & Tobago (11pm ET/8pm PT)
June 9 - Guatemala v El Salvador (3pm ET/12pm PT), Trinidad & Tobago v USA (5pm ET/2pm PT)
In Boston
June 12 - USA v El Salvador (7pm ET/4pm PT), Trinidad & Tobago v Guatemala (9pm ET/6pm PT)

Rosters for all 2007 Concacaf Gold Cup sides

All 12 rosters for the 2007 Gold Cup are out. The Gold Cup runs from June 6-24.

2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final Rosters

CANADA
GK: Robert Giacomi (Beveren FC/BEL), Greg Sutton (Toronto FC), Joshua Wagenaar (ADO Den Haag/NED)

DF: Adam Braz (Toronto FC), Ali Gerba (FC Gothenborg/SWE), Gabriel Gervais (Montreal Impact), Andrew Hainault (Said Most FC/CZE), Chris Pozniak (Toronto FC), Marco Reda (Toronto FC)

MD: Patrice Bernier (Tromso FC/SWE), Julian DeGuzman (Deportivo La Coruna/ESP), Richard Hastings (Inverness CT/SCO), Kevin Harmse (Los Angeles Galaxy/USA), Iain Hume (Leicester City/ENG), Atiba Hutchinson (FC Copenhagen/DEN), Ante Jazic (Los Angeles Galaxy/USA), Nik Ledgerwood (1860 Munich/GER), Issey Nakajima-Farran (FC Vejle Bodklub/DEN), Martin Nash (Vancouver Whitecaps), Antonio Ribeiro (Montreal Impact), Paul Stalteri (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG)

FW: Dwayne DeRosario (Houston Dynamo/USA), Robert Friend (FC Heerenveen/NED)
Coach: Stephen HART

COSTA RICA
GK: Wardy Alfrado (LD Alajuelense), Dexter Lewis (Municipal Perez Zeledón), Jose Francisco Porras (Deportivo Saprissa)

DF: Allan Aleman (Deportivo Saprissa), Gabriel Badilla (Deportivo Saprissa), Pablo Chinchilla (Cash Point SCR/AUT), Victor Cordero (Deportivo Saprissa), Jervis Drummond (Deportivo Saprissa), Jose Freddy Fernandez (Municipal Perez Zeledón), Leonardo Gonzalez (CS Herediano), Alonso Solis (Deportivo Saprissa), Michael Umaña (CS Herediano), Harold Wallace (LD Alajuelense)

MD: Randall Azofeifa (KAA Gent/BEL), Michael Barrantes (Puntarenas FC), Christan Bolaños (Deportivo Saprissa), Walter Centeno (Deportivo Saprissa), Andres Nuñez (Deportivo Saprissa), Rodolfo Rodríguez (Brujas FC)

FW: Rolando Fonseca (LD Alajuelense), Windell Gabriel (Municipal Perez Zeledón), Bryan Ruiz (KAA Gent/BEL), Alvaro Saborio (Sion/SUI)
Coach: Hernán MEDFORD

CUBA
GK: Julio Aldama (Matanzas), Odelin Molina (Villa Clara), Dany Luis Quintero (Cienfuegos)

DF: Yusvanys Caballeros (Ciudad Habana), Jorge Luis Clavelo (Villa Clara), Jaime Colomé (Ciudad Habana), Joel Colomé (Ciudad Habana), Leonel Duarte (Ciego de Avila), Reysander Fernández (Ciego de Avila), Yenier Márquez (Villa Clara), Silvio Pedro Miñoso (Villa Clara)

MD: Osvaldo Alonso (Pinar del Río), Gisbel Morales (Pinar del Río), Enrique Villaurrutia (Cienfuegos)

FW: Reynier Alcántara (Pinar del Río), Alain Cervantes (Ciego de Avila), Pedro Adriani Faife (Villa Clara), Ariel Martinez (Sancti Spírtus), Lester Moré (Ciego de Avila), Adonis Ramos (Granma)
Coach: Raúl GONZALEZ

EL SALVADOR
GK: Juan Jose Gomez (CD Luis Angel Firpo), Miguel Angel Montes (Chalatenango), Dagoberto Portillo (Alianza FC)

DF: Luis Alonzo Anaya (CD Aguila), Ramiro Ernesto Carballo (Alianza FC), Alexander Escobar (Isidro Metapán), Leonel Guevara (CD Vista Hermosa), Jose Mardoqueo Henriquez (CD F.A.S.), Alfredo Alberto Pacheco (CD F.A.S.), Manuel Alejandro Salazar (CD Luis Angel Firpo), Jose Rolando Torres (CD Aguila)

MD: Dennis Jonathan Alas (San Salvador FC), Francisco Jovel Alvarez (Alianza FC), Jose Orlando Martinez (Alianza FC), Vicente Januario Melgar (Chalatenango), Carlos Alberto Menjivar (CD F.A.S.), Victor Hugo Merino (CD Luis Angel Firpo), Eliseo Quintanilla (San Salvador FC), Ramon Alfredo Sanchez (San Salvador FC)

FW: Juan Alexander Campos (CD Aguila), Ronald Cerritos (San Salvador FC), Cesar Alexander Larios (CD F.A.S.), Julio Enrique Martinez (Isidro Metapán)
Coach: Carlos DE LOS COBOS

GUADELOUPE
GK: Marius Fausta (Evolucas), Franck Grandel (FC Utrecht/NED), Fabrice Mercury (CS Moulien)

DF: Miguel Comminges (Reims/FRA), Philippe Durpes (Romorantin/FRA), David Fleurival (FC Tours/FRA), David Sommeil (Sheffield United/ENG), Michael Tacalfred (Dijon/FRA), Alain Vertot (Etoile de Morne-à-l'Eau)

MD: Jocelyn Angloma (Etoile de Morne-à-l'Eau), Stéphane Auvray (Vannes FC/FRA), Lery Hannany (Racing Club), Jean Luc Lambourde (Amical Club), Dominique Mocka (JS Vieux-Habitants), Marving Onestas (J/Evolution), Ludovic Quistin (Tamworth FC/ENG), Constant Therezine (AS Gosier)

FW: Aurélien Capoue (FC Nantes/FRA), Cédrick Fiston (A.J.S.S.), Ludovic Gotin (CS Moulien), Loic Loval (FC Utrecht/NED), Fabien Raddas (Poissy/FRA), Richard Socrier (Brest/FRA)
Coach: Roger SALNOT

GUATEMALA
GK: Luis Pedro Molina (Deportivo Jalapa), Paulo Cesar Motta (CSD Municipal), Ricardo Alberto Trigueño (Deportivo Marquense)

DF: Claudio Albizuris (CSD Municipal), Gustavo Cabrera (CSD Comunicaciones), Yony Flores (Deportivo Marquense), Nestor Martinez (Deportivo Marquense), Henry Alexander Medina (CSD Municipal), Pablo Sebastian Melgar (Antofagasta/CHI)

MD: Jose Manuel Contreras (CSD Comunicaciones), Hector Saul De Mata (CSD Comunicaciones), Carlos Figueroa (CSD Municipal), Rigoberto Gomez (CSD Comunicaciones), Leonel Noriega (Deportivo Marquense), Carlos Quiñones (Deportivo Marquense), Mario Rodriguez (CSD Municipal)

FW: Jairo Arreola (CSD Comunicaciones), Marvin Tomas Avila (Deportivo Suchitepequez), Dwight Pezzarossi (CSD Comunicaciones), Carlos Ruiz (FC Dallas/USA), Gregory Lester Ruiz (Deportivo Marquense), Hernan Sandoval (CSD Comunicaciones), Edwin Villatoro (CSD Municipal)
Coach: Hernan Dario GOMEZ

HAITI
GK: Gabart Fenelon (Miami FC/USA), Peterson Occenat (Violette AC), Jonas Simeon (Tempete)

DF: Frantz Bertin (Athletico Madrid/ESP), Pierre-Richard Bruny (Don Bosco), Frantz Gilles (Cavaly AS), Stephane Guillaume (Miami FC/USA), Windsor Noncent (Sans Club), Jean-Jacques Pierre (Nantes/FRA), Ednerson Raymond (Baltimore de St-Marc), Olrish Saurel (Don Bosco)

MD: Jean Sony Alcenat (Aigle Noir AC), J. Michel Alexandre Boucicaut (Violette AC), Mones Chery (Racing Club Haiten), Brunel Fucien (Aigle Noir AC), Peter Germain (Baltimore de St-Marc), James Marcelin (Racing Club Haiten), Turlien Romulus (Cavaly AS), Pierre Roland Saint Jean (Baltimore de St-Marc), Alain Vubert (Baltimore de St-Marc)

FW: Cadet Éliphene (Tempete FC), Noel Fabrice (Sans Club), Ricardo Pierre-Louis (no club)
Coach: Luis Armelio GARCIA

HONDURAS
GK: Donaldo Morales (CD Motagua), Adalid Puerto (CD Platense), Orlin Vallecillo (Real CD España)

DF: Edgar Alvarez (Messina/ITA), Oscar Bonieck Garcia (CD Olimpia), Jorge Samuel Caballeros (Changchun Yatai/CHN), Maynor Figueroa (CD Olímpia), Emilio Izaguirre (CD Motagua), Erick Vallecilo (Real CD España)

MD: Jorge Aaron Claros (CD Motagua), Ivan Guerrero (Chicago Fire/USA), Amado Guevara (Chivas USA/USA), Julio Cesar Leon (Genova/ITA), Emil Martinez (CD Marathon), Sergio Mendoza (CD Olimpia), Wilson Palacios (CD Olimpia), Mario Rodriguez (Real CD España)

FW: Carlos Costly (GKS Belchatow/POL), Jairo Martinez (CD Motagua), Walter Martinez (Shanghai Shenhua/CHN), Carlos Oliva (CD Marathon), Carlos Pavon (Real CD España), Luis Santamaría (CD Marathon)
Coach: Reinaldo RUEDA

MEXICO
GK: Jose De Jesus Corona (Tecos UAG), Guillermo Ochoa (Club América), Oswaldo Sanchez (Club Santos Laguna)

DF: Jose Antonio Castro (Club América), Rafael Marquez (FC Barcelona/ESP), Jose Jonny Magallon (CD Guadalajara), Ricardo Osorio (Stuttgart/GER), Fausto Pinto (Pachuca CF), Francisco Rodriguez (CD Guadalajara), Carlos Salcido (PSV Eindhoven/NED)

MD: Fernando Arce (CA Monarcas Moreila), Jose Andres Guardado (Atlas CF), Jaime Lozano (Tigres UANL), Alberto Medina (CD Guadalajara), Ramon Morales (CD Guadalajara), Pavel Pardo (Stuttgart/GER), Gerardo Torrado (CD SC Cruz Azul)

FW: Adolfo Bautista (CD Guadalajara), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Club América), Jared Borgetti (CD SC Cruz Azul), Omar Bravo (CD Guadalajara), Nery Castillo (Olimpiakos/GRE), Jose Francisco Fonseca (Tigres UANL)
Coach: Hugo SANCHEZ

PANAMA
GK: Jose Calderon (Chepo FC), Donaldo Gonzalez (Atlético Veragüense), Oscar McFarlane (Tauro FC), Jaime Penedo (CA Osasuna/ESP)

DF: Reinaldo Anderson (Deportivo Árabe Unido), Felipe Baloy (CF Monterrey/MEX), Amilcar Henriquez (Deportivo Árabe Unido), Luis Henriquez (Tauro FC), Luis Moreno (Independiente Santa Fe/COL), Carlos Rivera (Tauro FC)

MD: Alberto Blanco (CD Plaza Amador), Rolando Escobar (Tauro FC), Gabriel Gomez (Independiente Santa Fe/COL), Victor Herrera (Puerto Rico Islanders/PUR), Engin Mitre (CD Plaza Amador), Juan Perez (Tauro FC), Ricardo Phillips (San Francisco FC), Juan Ramón Solis (CD Aguila/SLV)

FW: Edwin Aguilar (Tauro FC), Jose Luis Garces (OS Belenenses/POR), Nicolas Muñoz (CD Aguila/SLV), Blas Perez (Cucuta Deportivo/COL), Roman Torres (CD La Equidad/COL)
Coach: Alexandre GUIMARAES

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
GK: Marvin Phillip (North East Stars), Daurance Williams (San Juan Jabloteh), Jan Michael Williams (W Connection FC)

DF: Dwayne Jack (San Juan Jabloteh), Thomas Nickcolson (W Connection FC), Anthony Noreiga (Joe Public FC), Trent Noel (San Juan Jabloteh), Seon Power (Joe Public FC), Keyeno Thomas (Joe Public FC), Glenton Wolffe (North East Stars)

MD: Romauld Aguillera (United Petrotrin), Christon Baptiste (Defence Force), Kerry Baptiste (Joe Public FC), Keon Daniel (United Petrotrin), Andrei Pacheco (W Connection FC), Silvio Spann (W Connection FC), Densill Theobald (Caledonia AIA)

FW: Gary Glasgow (Joe Public FC), Kendall Jagdeosingh (North East Stars), Errol McFarlane (Superstar Rangers), Darryl Roberts (Sparta Rotterdam/NED), Andre Toussaint (W Connection FC)
Coach: Wilhelmus RIJSBERGEN

USA
GK: Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC/ENG), Kasey Keller (Borussia Moenchengladbach/GER)

DF: Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham FC/ENG), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC/ENG), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege/BEL), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Frank Simek (Sheffield Wednesday/ENG), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United/ENG)

MD: DaMarcus Beasley (Manchester City/ENG), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen/NED), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC/ENG), Benny Feilhaber (Hamburg SV/GER), Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), Steve Ralston (New England Revolution)

FW: Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Ed Johnson (Kansas City Wizards), Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
Coach: Bob BRADLEY

US 0-0 Guatemala - Review and player grades

Well that was a bit disappointing. All credit to Guatemala, they did what they setout to do and they did it well. They proved, yet again, that the US is bad in games were they have to work quickly in tight situations. One and two touch soccer is not our strong point and never has been. However, now that we are one of the big dogs of CONCACAF, we are going to need to change that or keep getting the same result as last night. That said, for the most part, everyone had a good performance, they just couldn't finish (as seen by the about 80 minutes when the ball was under US control). Anyway, here are the player grades:

Starting Lineup
Kasey Keller (GK) - Didn't have a lot to do on the night, but did a good job organizing the backline. I like his quick release style, but he still over kicks the ball way too often. Grade: B

Frank Simek (D) - A good first night on the job for Simek. He was instrumental in getting a lot of the plays started. B

Jay DeMerit (D) - Another good debut. His work rate was great. Wonderful at positioning himself to stop the play. B

Jimmy Conrad (D) - Better then Sunday, but he still let Carlos Ruiz get loose on a corner kick. When a team only really has one offensive option, you need to stick to him on corners. Still, he was very productive overall, especially with his long balls and shut Ruiz down for the rest of the night. B

Jonathan Spector (D) - He made a few key stops that made the rest of the defense's job easier and man does he know how to force a team offside. B-

Clint Dempsey (M) - The Deuce grew during the match and once Cooper came in and the field shuffled, he was in a much better position. He was busy forcing himself in the box and almost got on the end of more then a few balls. I really loved it when he exchanged words with the Guatemalan keeper late in the game for time wasting. He started playing mind games, just which he did it earlier. A-

Benny Feilhaber (M) - Feilhaber is making a name for himself. Not as amazing as Sunday, but with a flooded midfield, he did a fine job of keeping the ball moving. B-

Michael Bradley (M) - He can play in tight situations and he, much like Feilhaber, kept the ball moving. Still, he needs to work on his passes. B

Justin Mapp (M) - Wow, he took over parts of this game. He was the only player to make multiple long runs and cut his way through the defensive line. Now he just needs to work on his centering. If he had got a couple of those crosses off a little quicker, the game would not have ended 0-0. A

Landon Donovan (F/M) - Landon is not a forward. He was lost up there. Watching him try and use his head was just painful and why did he keep going into the center of the pitch? Once he shifted, he got much better, but he needs to improve his corner kicks. B-

Eddie Johnson (F) - Everyone wanted last night to be Eddie's night, but it just wasn't to be. He had a couple good chances and he even took the shots, but they were both to the keeper. He could have had a few more good chances, but his first touch was usually not a good one. C

Subs
Kenny Cooper 59' (F) - His addition took the wait off Donovan and opened up the field. He worked outside, great thing, but he still doesn't seem to use his size enough to force problems for the defense. A little more physical play could go a long way. B

Brian Mullan 67' (M) - His addition allowed Dempsey to attack further. That said, he didn't seem to move around the field enough to open up passing lanes. B-

Wade Barrett 74' (D/M) - In his few minutes, he didn't really get called on much. B-

Other Grade
ESPN2 - More coverage of the game with better explanations of who the players are and what lies ahead for the US team. Would have liked to hear them talk more about the Gold Cup (especially since tickets went on sale today), but I guess since they will not carry those games, they don’t care much about them. B

Bob Bradley - His hands were tied a bit due to the late scratches of Twellman and Beasley, but he should have found some way to move Donovan back quicker. The fact that the team came out after halftime with the same plan of attack as they had in the first half, makes me wonder. C+

Guatemalan team - The did a great job clogging up the field and accomplished more of their goals then the US did. However, they showed a real lack of class with all the 'injuries' late in the match. I know, Italy won a World Cup using this strategy, but it still makes for crappy soccer. B+

Refs - Was it just me or did other people think Jorge Larrionda was on the pitch last night? (For those who might not remember, Larrionda was the ref for our Italian World Cup match.) Our player is on he ground and gets the ball kicked into his chest repeatedly while being surrounded by Guatemalan players and the call is a hand ball against the US? Meanwhile, Guatemalans are diving all over the pitch and getting free kicks because of it? Then there was the obvious time wasting, yet Benito Archundia did nothing. And what about when Guatemalan coach Luis Suarez was interfering with a US throw in? No card, just a talking to by the fourth official? Makes no sense. F

US v Guatemala starting lineup

US MNT vs. Guatemala
Tonight, 9pm ET
TV: ESPN2

The starting lineup for tonight's US match is out and here it is:

GK: Kasey Keller
D: Jonathan Spector, Jimmy Conrad, Jay DeMerit, Frank Simek
M: Clint Dempsey, Benny Feihaber, Michael Bradley, Justin Mapp
F: Eddie Johnson, Landon Donovan

Both DeMerit and Simek are getting their first caps.

My guess was way off in the middle and I got both forwards wrong. I'm surprised that Mapp got the start over Beasley, but it is fully justified. Bees came to life towards the end of his time in Sunday's match, but overall, it was not a good afternoon for him. Giving Mapp a chance is a great move by Bob Bradley.

I'm a little surprised that Cooper did not get a start, but I guess Bob wants to see if Johnson can continue to improve with Donovan as his partner and with Michael Bradley and Feihaber giving him support.

Here is Guatemala's lineup:
GK: Ricardo Trigueno
D: Pable Melgar, Henry Medina, Gustavo Cabrera, Claudio Albizuris
M: Jose Contreras, Carlos Figueroa, Freddy Thompson, Carlos Quinonez, Leonel Noriega
F: Carlos Ruiz

Not unexpected for Guatemala. Ruiz will have a difficult task ahead of him tonight.

US v Guatemala - Preview & what players need to perform

US MNT vs. Guatemala
Tonight, 9pm ET
TV: ESPN2

The US Men see action again tonight in Frisco 'Just North of Dallas', Texas, as they take on Guatemala. Bob Bradley has already released five players, and with Heath Pearce now out due to a bruised foot bone, his roster is looking a little thin. Actually, there are 18 guys available, so everyone except for goalkeeper Brad Guzan will probably get some playing time.

At least that is the way it should be.

With Guatemala being a little less then a top tier team, Bradley should use this match to explore as many options as he can. Try moving some players around and seeing what pairings work better then others. No place else is this more relevant then in the backline.

With two of the likely Gold Cup starters already sent back to their clubs (Onyewu & Bocanegra), it is time to find their backups. This means Jay DeMerit and Frank Simek should see some good minutes.

The other place to watch is up top. With Ching gone back to Houston, Taylor Twellman & Kenny Cooper have their chance to push for a Gold Cup spot. Twellman has been playing second fiddle to Ching for a while now. If he hopes to grab that first spot ahead of this summer's tournaments, he'll need to show why tonight.

My prediction: US 3-1 Guatemala

So what players need to perform most tonight? I've broken them into three categories.

High Pressure
Taylor Twellman (F) - As stated above, Twellman is in Ching's shadow. If he wants to step out from there, he needs to start doing something tonight.

Kasey Keller (GK) - Just seven months ago, he was the man, but with the team now looking more towards 2010, he needs to prove that he still has it and will continue to have it. Also, with the possibility of not having a club after this season, he needs to show well.

Wade Barrett (D) - Left fullback is a good position to try and capture on this squad, but he will only get a few minutes to make something happen (I'm guessing second half sub).

Eddie Johnson (F) - He is getting better, but the US needs a true striker. If Johnson is afraid to shoot or too quick to get ride of the ball, he will not fit that roll. He needs to show that he is continuing to improve.

Jay DeMerit (D) - With his club team in serious trouble, DeMerit needs to make the most of his debut. Who knows, some good games with the national team might lead him to a bigger club then Watford, but he won't get those minutes if he doesn't prove strong in center back.

Frank Simek (D) - Much like DeMerit, Simek needs to prove that he belongs on this team and do so in his debut. He'll need to use his speed and physical play to stand out.

DaMarcus Beasley (M) - Beasley needs to show that the last 15-minutes on Sunday are more his style then the first hour.

Medium Pressure
Landon Donovan (M/F) - With his hat trick and all around great play on Sunday, he has a bit of a breather till the summer, but there is still that question of consistency.

Kenny Cooper (F) - He's big and talented, but he doesn't throw his weight around much. I put him in medium because I think he's chance of making the summer rosters still has more to do with others performing poorly. That said, if he had a breakout game, the lists could change.

Kyle Beckerman (M) - Busy midfield means little chance for Beckerman as far as this summer goes, still he can move up the ranks of those on the bubble.

Michael Bradley (M) - The game changed on Sunday when Bradley stepped onto the pitch. His ability to make other players better makes him a great weapon. Combine him with Feihaber and oh this could be good.

Benny Feilhaber (M) - Finally he got his moment and he made it happen. As noted above, him and M Bradley really hit it off, however he was looking solid even before Michael came in as a sub. Now he needs to prove that he is not a one game wonder.

Brad Guzan (GK) - With Matt Reis not yet certified as the MLS based national team keeper, Guzan has an opening to work his way into the spot. However, I'm guessing he will not get any time during the game, so hopefully he had a good camp.

Jonathan Spector (D) - Good showing against Ecuador (even if only for 10-minutes) takes some of the pressure off, but the options for the backline are growing, so he shouldn't get that comfortable.

Justin Mapp (M) - His few minutes on Sunday were weak, but he has lots of talent, as anyone who has watch the MLS can tell you. Even with a large number of midfielders available, Mapp is normally ranked somewhat high. Tonight he needs to show that he should be one of the top 8 Americans in the position.

Brian Mullan (M) - Unlike his Dynamo teammate and fellow late roster add Wade Barrett, Mullan isn't playing a position with few other options. Mullan will see little time, but should use those minutes to prove he should be called in for another camp.

Low Pressure
Clint Dempsey (M) - Questions are starting to be asked concerning his play over the last couple matches, but with his mind more on making the first team at Fulham, which should come soon, these matters are easily explained away.

Steve Cherundolo (D) - Has a great clam about him. I'm a little surprised Bradley didn't send him home.

Jimmy Conrad (D) - Hot against Mexico, very mild against Ecuador, still as long as he is healthy, he is on the team.

Now for my guess at a starting lineup:
F: Cooper, Twellman
M: Beasley, Feilhaber, Donovan, Dempsey
D: DeMerit, Conrad, Spector, Simek
GK: Keller