Costa Rica inched 2 points closer to us. With a +7 GD on CR, we are essentially 4 points ahead. We need a win against Panama to assure top 3 assuming CR wins at El Salvador.
Gio and Weah looked best up top. Starting defenders and midfielders looked mediocre to me. Kudos to Acosta for his pass to Reyna. I don’t understand his long shots on goal, but whatever. Weak touches in front of goal by Pefok and Pulisic. Kudos to Gregg for the extra backs at the end. Happy with the point. Let’s win the group now the Canada tried to sabotage us by losing.
First of all, welcome back Gio Reyna! I still don't know exactly what to do with him (well, obviously start him against Panama since Weah will be suspended), but the young man's quality is just too obvious to miss...
The Long sub worked. My issue was how long it took for him to take off Adams and especially Pulisic. Pulisic offered nothing substantive after about the 60th minute, anyway.
Donovan/Dempsey faced significantly better Mexico teams and never came close to having opportunities like that in Mexico. I’d wager to say either guy, today, would have finished at least the Pefok chance. Hell, Clint would have let it bounce off his chest into the net.
Can we old fogeys reflect for a moment on a game at Azteca that we should have won? I am very pleased.
If scoring in the Swiss League is the barometer for getting called in, there’s no reason Brandon Vazquez or Christian Ramirez shouldn’t get a look at striker. They’re scoring in arguably stronger leagues. Pefok is horrendous. Missed sitter aside (which was horrific), he can’t hold the ball up, and has a worse first touch than Zardes, which is saying something.
Actually there is a decision to be made on where Reyna plays. I think he should be in midfield against Panama. I would go with a midfield of Adams, Reyna and LDLT.
Where he was one on one and hit the ball directly at the keeper? Any semi-capable finish is unsaveable.
My English Major level math tells me that if we beat Panama we're still three points clear of CR, at worst. Unless things get really weird with goal differential from here, then, yes, we'd qualify.
Yes, and no one was expecting it. Everyone in the stadium, watching at home, and even Pefok expected Reyna to shoot it himself. And the guy isn’t even in top form right now. Incredible player.
huge point, huge props to gregg for the team he put out. the subs? man, im just gonna keep focusing on the point cause they were inexplicably horrible. if reyna were for acosta i 100% believe we would have taken all 3 but again...we got a point. i would say suck it to all you steffen haters but you probably think he was terrible so whats the point? i think the pulisic and p-funk shows of solidarity with zardes and sargent were really touching tributes bottom line we are in a position where even a draw vs panama still makes it almost certain we qualify- which was the entire point of not writing this one off. bs is somewhere still not getting that, i bet. no weah is a drag, no right back (moore?) is ridiculous. but now, at long last, we are in good shape. (as im typing gregg just confirmed moore, so thats...baseline acceptable i guess.)
"US outplays Mexico again, this time in Azteca in WCQ, disappointed with only a draw" Yawn. What a world we live in.