Gold Cup: USA vs Guatemala - PBP - In-Game thread (cont'd)[R]

[moreno9]

Please continue...mods, please delete if the normal 500 post count is not in effect for the current in game thread.

[Dave216J]

The US looked arrogant in this game - fought hard, got a goal, and then seemed shocked that Guatamala kept playing. Of course the ref didn't help, letting lots of upper body jostling on long balls go, but still it was quite a lesson for us, and hopefully we'll take it to heart: these games matter to the opposition, and they will never roll over for you, even if you score first.

[Brandon313]

bad second half...seemed like a biased official...booked us for things that Guatemala had done just seconds earlier, then gives them a token yellow card in the 85th minute... REALLY dissapointed in EJ's play today...after an AMAZING start to the MLS season i was really looking forward to this..

[Etienne_72772]

bad second half...seemed like a biased official...booked us for things that Guatemala had done just seconds earlier, then gives them a token yellow card in the 85th minute... REALLY dissapointed in EJ's play today...after an AMAZING start to the MLS season i was really looking forward to this..

EJ didn't seem to help himself today, but he was really thrust into an impossible situation. I hesitate to call a ref biased, but man did I wonder on a few of those calls--at least horribly inconsistent.

Getting back to EJ, he's placed into the match as basically a lone front runner and we're playing a man down for a lot of the time he's in. Once we lost the player, the midfield looked ragged. I think removing Dempsey was a huge mistake, as he was a calming factor in the first half, and allowed us to maintain our composure up top and in the midfield. His falling back as more of a withdrawn forward really helped stabilize the midfield.

Our two young guys in the middle didn't do horribly, but they didn't do great either. There were glimpses of greatness in the first half, but they disappeared in the second half.

Twellman just can't catch a break for the nats. I don't know what it is--the pressure of the situation, whatever, but he played EXACTLY like I thought he would. A few chances, none really threatening. Missed sitters, ugh. His setup on the goal was great, though, so that props an otherwise pedestrian performance.

Now, to the guats. Man do I hate this team. Behind Mexico, they have got to be our biggest rival in the region. And it's too bad that Ruiz has had such an influence on this team. I get so freaking tired of watching him flop around with his back to goal to earn free kicks. Now he's got the rest of his team doing it as well.