I thought I would start a separate thread in case anyway is taping the game today. Portugal defeated the Slovenia A team (featuring the majority of the players from its WC team this summer), 3-2. The Portuguese will host the winner of Russia and US Wednesday.
USA ties Russia 1-1 but advances on shoot out. Jacqua scored the lone goal, do not have shoot out information. Looks like we face a strong Portugal side next.
Yeah, we won the PKs 4-1 after it was tied at 1-1 in regulation. We play Portugal in the finals. http://www.rtp.pt/index.php?article=36959&visual=5
Portugal will have there B team but in reality there C team. No Sporting players , two players on loan from Porto, one Benfica player, no players playing overseas, a bunch of veteran players with very few Caps. USA will have a chance to win the tournament. The game will be televise live on the RTPI international, at 5pm/noon time est, on Thursday. Past winners 2000 Romenia 2001 Portugal
Somewhere, there has to be a website that has the rosters for the US game. Anyone have any clues where to look? BTW, nice to see Jaqua score. Given his size, I think he has a better chance than Esky to make the 18 for the 23s in qualifying.
No doubt. B-team, at best. If you pushed me to, today, name an 18 for qualifying this fall, I'd pick the following. Donovan, Buddle, E. Johnson and Quaranta up top. Beasley, Convey, Martino, Clark, Davis and Carroll in mid. Onyewu, Gray, Yi, Lewis, Wingert (surprise!) and Stokes in the back. DJ and Warren in goal. To my knowledge (and I could be wrong), of those 18, only Davis, Carroll, Gray, Wingert, Stokes and the 'keepers are with the team. That's only 7 players, are barely 1/3. So, if we win, it will be great but if we lose, I'm not gonna sweat it as this ain't exactly our Best XI or Top 18.
Guys, there was nothing in the Portuguese sports dailies detailing the US-Russia game. As for A, B or C teams, it matters little to me. As I see it, each team has its own objectives in fielding a squad and sending it to a tournament of this nature. Obviously, Slovenia wanted to get its national team some work, as it seeks to qualify for Euro 2004. I have no idea about the Russian side. The US is looking to ferret out its players for the Olympics, so it chose a young team. Furthermore, players like Convey, who probably would have been on the team, are with the MLS-based national side in Bradenton. Finally, Portugal is taking a look at its talent outside of its core national team. Like the US, Portugal did not bring all of its peripheral natinal team players, because the domestic league is in full swing, and some teams were in action on Sunday and Monday.
I like this list, but I don't think that Carroll makes the team unless he plays alot of minutes for DC United this year......and that ain't gonna happen. Mastro or Beckerman make the team over Carroll.
Mastro doesn't beat out Carroll, or anyone else, for qualifying this fall which, if you read what I wrote, is what the roster I named was for. As for Beckerman vs. Carroll, I see it like this. They are both going to be backups. With only a couple of MLS subs, you need versatility. Carroll is a natural D-mid but he has the wheels to play wide right and has been used there by Mooch several times. Beckerman is a central mid, period. He's a great passer but he isn't that fast and attempts to play him wide in the past have failed. It's why he was dropped by Wolfgang Sunholz. Further, with Donovan, Martino and Convey, the team really doesn't need another playmaker, which is Beckerman's forte. Thus, I think it will be Carroll over Beckerman.
so many critics! so much criticism.Must be alot of National team coaches on these boards.We win and its against subpar players, we lose and its the players!! Every player on this team is working hard and representing the USA well. From what I am reading -just being named to the boards so called "dream team" will mean that we will win it all. Wow! the players won't have to mesh etc.to win! What happened do the boards "dream team" in the last under 20's, and last Olympics? Some of the same names and faces!
If you saw the U.S. Under 20s play in Argentina, you would not put much stock in Mr. Sunholz's opinions. I would think Conor Casey would be in the mix as well.
Vale de Tejo The Russian and USA sides are Olympic teams/U-21 sides. The Russian side is particularly young compared to other teams. The Portugal and Slovenia sides are both very experienced teams. None of the players are U-21 variety. In fact, the Portugal team is older than the team Arena just played against Canada. The tournament is a National B team tournament rather than a U-23 tournament. The Portugal team is filled with experienced professionals. I don't think the US has much chance in the game tommorrow, but it should be a valuable learning experience.
Davide, Good analysis. Once again, it gets back to my point that each team had specific objectives in mind when they were selected. Obviously, the US wanted its potential Olympic team to get battle-tested against a more experienced side. I think it was a wise decision.
A buddy of mine is on the USSF's mailing list and sent me the game report on the US-Russia game that the US Soccer sent out. - U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team Game Report - Participants: United States vs. Russia Competition: International Friendly Venue: Almerim, Portugal Date: Jan. 21, 2003 – 3 p.m. ET Weather: 45 degrees; cold, clear Attendance: 500 (approx.) Scoring Summary: 1 2 F PKs Russia 0 1 1 1 USA 0 1 1 4 RUS – Alexander Belozerov (unassisted) 55th minute. USA – Nate Jaqua (Alecko Eskandarian) 67. Penalty Kick Summary: USA: Alecko Eskandarian (goal), Jose Burciaga (goal), Kelly Gray (goal), Adolfo Gregorio (goal). RUS: n/a (goal), n/a (saved), n/a (saved). Lineups: RUS: 12-Maxim Kabanov; 3-Raml Shagaremftov, 4-Denis Kolodne, 6-Alexander Gorme, 7-Amzor Alarov; 8-Alexander Belozerov (Capt.), 10-Oleg Trihonov, 14-Sergei Smitnov, 15-Alexi Mukin; 18-Sergei Vinoradov, 19-Timur Khanblov. Subs Not Used: 1-Sergei Ivanov, 2-Alexander Amoukov, 5-Ruslan Nakuushev, 11-Vlad Volkov, 13-Igor Vbourne, 16-Vladimir Bystrov, 17-Vladimir Tshonok. Head Coach: Andrej Tchernyshjov. USA: 1-D.J. Countess; 22-Chris Wingert, 6-Kelly Gray, 23-David Stokes, 16-Jose Burciaga; 2-Kyle Beckerman, 7-Brian Carroll, 21-Seth Trembly (7-Adolfo Gregorio, 57), 8-Logan Pause; 6-Nate Jaqua, 5-Alecko Eskandarian. Subs Not Used: 8-Seth Stammler, 9-David Testo, 13-Andres Rota, 14-Scot Thompson, 18-Doug Warren. Head Coach: Glenn “Mooch” Myernick. Statistical Summary: RUS USA Shots 2 - 7 Saves 6 - 1 Corner Kicks 4 - 2 Fouls 22 - 28 Offside 0 - 3 Misconduct Summary: USA – Alecko Eskandarian (caution) 74th minute. Referee: Darko Ceferin (ESL) Assistant Referee #1: Jose Manuel Cardinal (POR) Assistant Referee #2: Luis Costa Marcelino (POR) Fourth Official: J. Paulo Paraty (POR) --www.ussoccer.com-- I'm trying to figure out how the midfield configured - 2-Kyle Beckerman, 7-Brian Carroll, 21-Seth Trembly (7-Adolfo Gregorio, 57), 8-Logan Pause, - I'm guessing that Beckerman was the playmaking mid and Carroll the holding mid with Pause, who has a nice left foot, playing left mid and Trembly on the right. But... Pause could have played D-mid, Trembly on the left and Carroll on the right. Or, I could be wrong. Basically, I have no clue! Also, interesting that Wingert gets the start at right back over Thompson. While some here disagree, I really think that despite staying in school Wingert will be a factor on this squad as Mooch appears to be really high on him. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes to the Pan-Am Games and the fall qualifying roster.
I'm looking on dishnetwork.com right now, and they don't seem to have the game listed. It's on Thursday at 12 Eastern right?
I'll be surprised if Wingert makes the final cut, he'd have to have raw skill in the Conor Casey realm to even be included on the team. I have a hard time justifying him since there are (or will be) other professionals available.
It was definitely a major match for two recent Superdraft picks. http://mlsnet.com/content/03/us0122under23.html Aside from Wingert, are there any college players that you guys see as having a chance to make the U-23 team even if they don't turn pro this year but perhaps do in early '04?
First off, I don't see Wingert starting over Convey. Heck, I don't see Wingert starting. But, I do think he has a pretty good chance of making the 18 as a backup wing back who can play either side, and in a pinch play central defense, D-mid and flank mid. Mooch has had 5 camps so far since taking over - 1 last January in Cali, a trip to Portugal and Italy last February, the trip to England last August, the Florida camp last month and this trip to Portugal - and Wingert, Eskandarian, Carroll and Warren are the only players selected for all 5 camps. The bottom line is that Mooch really likes Wingert and really likes his versatility. BTW, I don't see Convey starting for the 23s at left back even though that's where Bruce is using him. I think Mooch uses him somewhere in the MF. Regarding the question about current college players who could - and that's the key word - still make the Olympic team if they turn pro next year, besides Wingert, I think Steve Cronin has a chance, albeit slim, to beat out Doug Warren, Adolfo Gregorio has a chance to grab a right midfield position because that spot is such a question mark for the 23s, and Chad Marshall or Ryan Cochrane could grab a center mid spot, but it will be tough with the likes of Stokes, Akwari, Gray, Whitbred and Simek out there.
Sandon, Since I never see those guys play, what is the difference between Wingert and Ricky Lewis? Even though Eskandaran is in every comp, he still will have trouble to secure that small forward spot because if Donovan wants to play there. So if Bruce wants to use Olypmics as a preview for USA 2006, then we may see Donovan starts in center midfield with an overage d-mid--Mastronei (if Clark isn't come up age yet). Then there are two spaces left for everyone fight to the death. So I guess that someone like Convey, Davis, Mapp, Alvarez, and even Gaven, will not object to play in the left back.
Mooch has had 5 camps so far since taking over - 1 last January in Cali, a trip to Portugal and Italy last February, the trip to England last August, the Florida camp last month and this trip to Portugal - and Wingert, Eskandarian, Carroll and Warren are the only players selected for all 5 camps. The bottom line is that Mooch really likes Wingert and really likes his versatility. __________________________________________ I'm not sure about the above mentioned players, but Beckerman was on all of the trip with Mooch and Akwari was up until this trip.