remember Guat 4 years ago?

[Bruce S]

We beat them 1-0, and scored in about the 88th minute ( McBride).The US was the better team but not by much in that game.This is a better Guat team, and the US smashed them.The USA is a much better team than 4 years ago-eh?

[grandinquisitor28]

We beat them 1-0, and scored in about the 88th minute ( McBride).The US was the better team but not by much in that game.This is a better Guat team, and the US smashed them.The USA is a much better team than 4 years ago-eh?

Pretty much. I remember watching that game at a sports bar the same time I was watching opening day in the NFL. Running back and forth, I was lucky enough to be watching the game when McBride gave up the body to score the beauty. This US team is pretty much better across the board, think of it this way, this USMNT was missing essentially 3 or 4 starters last night, and essentially annihilated a Guatemalan side that is better. If the ref hadn't been high, the game is 4-0 (we get a PK we probably convert and Donovan's goal disallowed) and that's acknowledging that we would win 4-0 and also blew about 3 sitters in the first half alone not to mention the second half.

I think there was a dramatic overreaction to Sunday's loss just as the Coach and the players have had a dramatic underreaction. I've heard and been greatly annoyed at quotes from Donovan and Arena that have basically suggested that we didn't have a chance anyway because it's so high in the air over there and stinky as hell. So freaking what. Argentina went to Boliva, where Bolivia has one of the most bizarre home field advantages as well (a horrible side, that always manages to seemingly pull off a handful of draws and wins against the top 5 sides in South America), and beat them 2-1 over the weekend. If Bruce felt the Euro players weren't in good enough Altitude conditioning he should have kept them on the bench until the second half. That's my only complaint about Sunday's game, essentially the lineup and the excuse making. We know it's high, we know they have the advantage, but at least put up a fight.

Anyway, we'll take (or should take) Mexico in the US, we'll get at least 20 points out of this tourney and as long as we're healthy and get a relatively good draw, we should have a great run in 2006. Interesting how four years of hopes and dreams will in many ways come down to about a ten day stretch in June fourteen months from now.

Anyway great performance yesterday, terrific performance, we'll know in some ways just how dominant it was when we go down to Guatemala, we should be able to crush them there as well, forget this home win, road draw nonsense. I don't hear England talking about going for the draw in San Marino or Azerbaijan, or Northern Ireland etc.

[PSsoccer123]

Forgive me if I am wrong, but wasn't that game also in Guatemala? Not to say we can't beat them by 2 in Guatemala this time around...

[Joel Kennedy]

Forgive me if I am wrong, but wasn't that game also in Guatemala? Not to say we can't beat them by 2 in Guatemala this time around...

The game I remember was at RFK ... but maybe I'm getting the opposing team confused.

I remember talking to Guatamalan family in the airport waiting to fly into DCA.... using my very broken high school spanish that consisted of stringing together nouns and hoping they could figure out the intended verbs...

"you world cup tomorrow DC?"

lol.

Very nice family and I wished them good luck ...

[helmzgk]

We beat them 1-0, and scored in about the 88th minute ( McBride).The US was the better team but not by much in that game.This is a better Guat team, and the US smashed them.The USA is a much better team than 4 years ago-eh?

Eddie Lewis also got a red card in that match, around the 60th minute if I remember right. Arena didn't call him up for some time after that.

Last night, Eddie Lewis should've had 10 assists. Definitley some improvement at the individual level as well.

[Minnman]

Wasn't it five years ago? Guatemala didn't make the hex.

[scaryice]

Wasn't it five years ago? Guatemala didn't make the hex.

Yeah, five years ago. Well, four and a half. That was the "the building is shaking" goal.

[DCUPopeAndLillyFan]

We beat them 1-0, and scored in about the 88th minute ( McBride).The US was the better team but not by much in that game.This is a better Guat team, and the US smashed them.The USA is a much better team than 4 years ago-eh?

72nd minute, but tense enough considering we were playing with 10. Had we not won that game, we would have missed the Hex and Korea/Japan.

[VioletCrown]

Wasn't it five years ago? Guatemala didn't make the hex.

Not to take anything away from this dominant performance, but there may have been a bit more on the line in that game. I do remember Guat being viscious in it, and deserving a lot more dismissals than they got (0?). I actually have that game on videotape, I believe, and specifically remembering an assault on Jones.

They were a bit cleaner this time. And (at the rate CR is going) I'm looking forward to watching them in Germany.

[Crimen y Castigo]

I believe that was the match of the infamous Jack Edward's / Peter Brady goal call.

[deejay]

Tru dat.

I'm seeing a nice improvement over four years ago. Of course, it's a little bit of a letdown after the quarter-finals of the last world cup.

[mdfc]

Guats will look like Brazil in the return match, and the refs will be tragically disgraceful instead of just downright embarrassing.

[helmzgk]

Guats will look like Brazil in the return match, and the refs will be tragically disgraceful instead of just downright embarrassing.

Would the refs be Berhalter in Costa Rica embarassing or Torsten Frings in the Quarters embarassing?

Either way, we've gone three games and no phantom calls made against us yet. Let's hope that if/when one is made, it doesn't hurt us too much.

[Bruce S]

Would the refs be Berhalter in Costa Rica embarassing or Torsten Frings in the Quarters embarassing?

Either way, we've gone three games and no phantom calls made against us yet. Let's hope that if/when one is made, it doesn't hurt us too much.
I thought the guy in the US-Mex match was rather good.Is he Salvadorean?

[nancyb]

Forgive me if I am wrong, but wasn't that game also in Guatemala? Not to say we can't beat them by 2 in Guatemala this time around...

We tied them in Guatemala last time thanks to Ruiz kicking Keller in the face to get the goal. Ruiz was suspended when we played them at home last round (which was actually the semifinal round - they missed the final round).

[nancyb]

I thought the guy in the US-Mex match was rather good.Is he Salvadorean?

Yes and he called our home match against Mexico last round. He wasn't stellar that game, but he looked like a genius compared to last night's ref.

[Thomas A Fina]

Actually, the kick in the face and the goal were two separate incidents - he should have been tossed.

and yeah that was a much more intense game than last night. I remember

1) 90+ degree heat and humidity.
2) The near orgasmic release I had when we finally scored.
3) The one and only appearance of Project Mayhem (this needs to be resurrected for Columbus).
4) Nancby - what? you no tell about the time you played chicken with the Guatamalan team bus?
4)

[reddog694]

Probably the greatest (well at least most exciting/edge of your seat) MNT game I have ever been to. We were rocking the stands on the far side of the field at RFK, I though they were going to let go. But...

speaking of improvements over the last time we played Guatemala: Guess who was our starting LW then?




Jovan Kirovski!!!

[JBigjake]

72nd minute, but tense enough considering we were playing with 10. Had we not won that game, we would have missed the Hex and Korea/Japan.
5 years ago: 03.09-00 Washington
UNITED STATES 1-0 GUATEMALA
B.McBride 72

[nancyb]

Actually, the kick in the face and the goal were two separate incidents - he should have been tossed.

and yeah that was a much more intense game than last night. I remember

1) 90+ degree heat and humidity.
2) The near orgasmic release I had when we finally scored.
3) The one and only appearance of Project Mayhem (this needs to be resurrected for Columbus).
4) Nancby - what? you no tell about the time you played chicken with the Guatamalan team bus?
4)


Yes, well that was part of the whole thing, too. Quite a memorable weekend for me. Personally, the best thing about it for me was seeing the Guatemalan team's bus, with their police escort, coming up behind me on Constitution Avenue. Luckily, my car was loaded with US flags and my passengers were game to hang them out the windows and make noise as I pulled aside for the bus to pass us. I'm sure the team was thinking, "WTF? It's that crazy lady again." I clearly remember catching the eye of their Israeli security dude looking out through the window. That incident was purely coincidental, but I considered it a very good omen.