World Cup, Here We Come!

The U.S. U-20s survived a scare against El Salvador coming away with a 2-0 victory and in doing so, punched their ticket to the U-20 World Cup in New Zealand this summer. The U.S. opened the scoring in the first half when Ben Spencer headed home a rebound into an open net, but El Salvador wouldn't go down quietly. Keeper Zack Steffen denied Jose Villavicencio on a penalty kick in the second half to keep the game 1-0 before substitute Paul Arriola slotted home the insurance goal in the 68th minute.

So now the U.S. gets to prep for the June World Cup. It's an interesting list of countries that will be playing in it too. While South America and Africa are still yet to determine their representatives, powerhouses Spain, England, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, France, Belgium, Costa Rica and Australia all failed to qualify. Instead we'll see Myanmar, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Fiji, Hungary and Austria. Now there's still Germany and Portugal and Mexico and whoever comes out of South America and Africa, so it's not like there's nobody there, but you have to think that the U.S. should at least be competitive. The draw will be determined next month, stay tuned.

As for the rest of the CONCACAF U-20 tournament, Honduras defeated Guatemala 2-1 to clinch their World Cup berth while Mexico defeated Panama on penalties 4-2 to win the tournament. The U.S.'s Romain Gall shared the Golden Boot with Mexico's Hirving Lozano while Gall and defender Shaquell Moore both earned spots in the tournament's Best XI. Mexico (4) and Panama (5) filled out the rest of the roster.

 

US U-20s Get Ready for El Salvador

Here's a look at how El Salvador has done so far in the tournament:

1/10 - Tied Honduras 2-2
1/12 - Tied Haiti 1-1
1/15 - Defeated Canada 3-2
1/19 - Lost to Mexico 3-1
1/22 - Defeated Cuba 2-0

They've had goals scored by:

Juan Barahona (Santa Tecia F.C.) - 3
Jose Villavicencio (C.D. FAS) - 3
Bryan Pérez (C.D. Luis Angel Firpo) - 1
Romilio Hernandez (Louisville) - 1
Nelson Moreno (Club Social Ciclón del Golfo) - 1

And if you're thinking that El Salvador is going to roll over for the U.S., just look back to 2012 when the U.S. U-23s missed out on the Olympics when they surrendered a 94th minute equalizer at home to El Salvador's Jaime Alas which knocked the U.S. out of the tournament. And this was a USA squad that had players named Bill Hamid, Perry Kitchen, Freddy Adu, Mix Diskerud, Juan Agudelo, Joe Corona, Brek Shea, Teal Bunbury, Joe Gyau, and Terrence Boyd. Today's match with a trip to the World Cup on the line is scheduled for 5:00 in Jamaica.

Goals, Goals, Goals

Busy week for MLSers around the globe. Here's some of the highlights:

HONDURAS vs CANADA (U-20s)

Lots of MLS action here as Orlando City DP Bryan Rochez scored twice including a stunning game winner from outside the box. Rochez now as four goals in the tournament as Honduras gets set to face Guatemala with a trip to the U-20 World Cup on the line. Rochez wasn't the only MLSer to score in this game either as Toronto's Jordan Hamilton and Vancouver's Marco Bustos both scored for Canada.

U.S. U-20s advance to Knockout Round

The immediate crisis has been averted. The U.S. took the full three points from Trinidad and Tobago yesterday with a 1-0 win thanks to a late goal by LA Galaxy forward Bradford Jamieson IV. With the win, the U.S. clinches second place in Group A, and now waits to find out which opponent will be standing in their way to a berth to the U-20 World Cup. Panama won the group going a perfect 5-0 without yielding a goal in group play while Guatemala took third. Group B wraps up play today.

Superman and the SoccerSmith Q&A, Episode 2

Welcome to Episode 2 of Superman and the SoccerSmith's Soccer Q&A. We're trying out a new format this week, let us know what you think. And without further ado, we bring you the 4-4-2.

MLS

1) Superman (SM) -  The MLS SuperDraft just happened. Considering that college athletics aren't nearly as important in other countries who have much better domestic leagues, and so many kids are going to play abroad (either in lieu of college or sometimes during), how important do you think it is to keep this uniquely American process going?

SoccerSmith (SS) - In a word, the reason we have drafts in professional sports here in the States is to create parity. The weakest teams get the highest picks and it allows more teams to be able to compete on a shorter timeline. You could argue that this makes our top clubs weaker because they can't build a pipeline of top flight talent to constantly replenish their own stocks, but I think it's better for the league as a whole. In 19 seasons, the league has seen nine different champions and ten different clubs win the Supporter's Shield (team with the best regular season record). Compare that to the last 19 seasons in England where there have been only four Premier League Champions (Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City) or Spain where only nine clubs have won a title since 1929.

US U-20s Defeat Jamaica, Inch Closer to Qualifying for the World Cup

Columbus Crew striker Romain Gall converted a pair of penalty kicks as the U.S. defeated host-nation Jamaica 2-0 yesterday to inch closer to advancing to the next round of the CONCACAF U-20 Championships. With 7 points, the U.S. now just needs a draw against Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday to clinch third place in Group A. Gall now has 5 goals in the tournament to lead all scorers, but it should be worth noting that in their three matches against teams that aren't Aruba, the U.S. has scored just once in the run of play, and that was a Cameron Carter-Vickers header off a corner in the opening match against Guatemala. The U.S. offense will have to become more productive moving forward if they hope to reach the World Cup.

Big Match-Ups This Weekend in U-20 Tourney

With just two match days remaining in group play, today's matches in Group A and tomorrow's matches in Group B carry some serious long-term implications. Here's a breakdown of how things could shake out for each team:

Group A

Panama - Perfect through three matches, Panama is in the driver's seat in Group A, and can clinch the top seed, and a berth to the U-20 World Cup with a win and a Guatemala loss or draw. They take on Trinidad and Tobago today and Guatemala on Wednesday.

Guatemala - Currently in second place, Guatemala can advance to the next round with a win over Aruba today. If they can follow that up with a win over Panama on Wednesday, they'll win the group.

United States - The U.S. currently sits in third place by virtue of the goal differential tie breaker. They face the Jamaicans today and Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday, and a loss to either club with likely result in their elimination from the tournament due to the first tie breaker being head-to-head results. That said, the U.S. controls their own destiny, so if they're eliminated, they'll have no one to blame but themselves.

Trinidad and Tobago - Trinidad and Tobago takes on Panama today, but for them, advancement will all come down to their finale against the United States. A win over the U.S. will put Trinidad and Tobago through as long as Jamaica doesn't beat the U.S. and demolish Aruba, in which case goal differential would likely be in the Jamaicans favor.

Jamaica - Despite earning just one point through three matches, Jamaica can still make a push for the final spot. If Trinidad and Tobago wins just one of their final two matches, and Jamaica beats the U.S. AND puts up a big number against Aruba, Jamaica could go through. That said, a loss to the U.S. will eliminate the hosts.

Aruba - Aruba has been outscored 17-1 through three matches. They have been virtually, if not mathematically, eliminated.

Group B

Mexico - Mexico, the tournament favorites, have outscored their opponents 14-1 through three matches. A win against El Salvador tomorrow, or Haiti on Thursday, will clinch the group and a spot in the U-20 World Cup.

El Salvador - Currently in second with five points, El Salvador have a tough match with Mexico before finishing up against cellar dwellers, Cuba. A win and a draw would be enough to put El Salvador through to the next round as they own the head-to-head tie breaker against Canada.

Honduras - Honduras's ability to advance will pretty much come down to their final match with Canada on Thursday provided they avoid a slip-up against Haiti tomorrow.

Canada - Canada gets cellar dwellers Cuba tomorrow in a match they should win, but their advancement will likely hinge on an ability to beat Honduras in their Group B finale.

Haiti - Haiti hasn't been eliminated, but they'll have a tough road ahead with matches against Honduras and Mexico and to have a realistic chance, they'd probably need to come away with wins in both.

Cuba - Like Aruba, Cuba is really just along for the ride at this point and they'll wrap up with matches against Canada and El Salvador.

MLSers Bag 6 Goals as US U-20s Achieve First Victory

The U.S. finally broke out of their offensive slump with an 8-0 win over my native Aruba this afternoon. Columbus's Romain Gall scored three times in the game's first 32 minutes, LA's Bradford Jamieson IV scored on each side of the intermission and San Jose's Tommy Thompson added another as the U.S.'s MLS contingent was well represented on the scoreboard. The U.S. now once again controls its own destiny as it currently sits ahead of its two remaining opponents, host-nation Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. The U.S. will take on Jamaica on the 18th and finish group play against Trinidad and Tobago on the 21st. The U.S. currently trails both Guatemala and Panama in Group A. Only the top three teams will advance. Emerson Hyndman and Amando Moreno also scored for the United States.

U.S. U-20s in Serious Trouble

Two days after a draw with Guatemala, the U.S. found themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 loss to Panama. The U.S. now finds themselves in 5th place out of the 6-team Group A and in serious jeopardy of missing a trip to the U-20 World Cup. If they have any hope of advancing, they're going to have to figure out a way to score some goals. With just one goal in two matches, the U.S. offense is tied for the worst in the tournament. The U.S. plays Aruba on Wednesday in what has become a must-win match.




In other tournament news Orlando City's Bryan Róchez (Honduras) scored against El Salvador on Saturday while Toronto FC's Jordan Hamilton scored twice against Haiti.

U.S Opens with Draw vs Guatemala

For about 89 minutes, the U.S. had the upper hand and seemed destined for a win and 3 points, but FC Dallas Academy product Andy Ruiz hit a blistering volley from outside the box in the 90th minute to salvage a draw for the Guatemalans. Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, who currently plays in the Tottenham Hotspur system, had given the U.S. a lead earlier in the second half with a header off a corner. MLSers Matt Miazga (New York), Kellyn Acosta (Dallas), Tommy Thompson (San Jose), Bradford Jamieson IV (LA) and Romain Gall (Columbus) all started for the U.S. Here are the highlights.


In other action, Panama took an early lead in group A with a 4-0 win over Aruba behind a pair of goals by Ismael Diaz (Tauro FC) while host-nation Jamaica rallied for a 2-2 draw with Trinidad and Tobago after falling behind 2-0. Junior Flemmings' 94th minute free kick was the equalizer. Group B opens play today with Mexico taking on Cuba, Honduras taking on El Salvador, and Haiti taking on Canada.

Canada, U.S. Set U-20 Rosters

The U.S. and Canada both announced their rosters today for the upcoming CONCACAF U-20 Tournament and both are well-represented by young MLSers. Here's a rundown of who your MLS reps are, and what they've done in the league so far. First, the Americans:

Matt Miazga - Defender - New York Red Bulls - 8 appearances, 6 starts, 1 assist
Tyler Turner - Defender - Orlando City SC - No MLS experience
Kellyn Acosta - Midfielder - FC Dallas - 28 appearances, 20 starts, 1 assist
Romain Gall - Midfielder - Columbus Crew - 3 appearances
Bradford Jamieson IV - Striker - LA Galaxy - 2 appearances, 1 assist
Tommy Thompson - Striker - San Jose Earthquakes - 13 appearances, 8 starts

And the Canadians:

Marco Carducci - Goalie - Vancouver Whitecaps FC - No MLS experience
Samuel Adekugbe - Defender - Vancouver Whitecaps FC - 5 appearances, 2 starts
Manuel Aparicio - Midfielder - Toronto FC - No MLS experience
Louis Béland-Goyette - Midfielder - Montreal Impact - 1 appearance
Marco Bustos - Midfielder - Vancouver Whitecaps FC - No MLS experience
Kianz Froese - Midfielder - Vancouver Whitecaps FC - 1 appearances
Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé - Midfielder - Montreal Impact - 5 appearances, 3 starts
Jordan Hamilton - Striker - Toronto FC - 1 appearance

5 Thoughts for Sunday - 1/4/15

1) The big news in MLS this weekend is that the legendary Steven Gerrard, of Liverpool and English National Team fame, is coming to MLS. The New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC have been previously been linked to Gerrard, but the LA Galaxy appear to be the frontrunners at this point. Gerrard, who turns 35 in May, is just shy of 500 appearances for Liverpool with whom he's played since 1998. He also logged 114 CAPs for England scoring 21 goals including one against the U.S. at the 2010 World Cup. And yes, he'd probably be the perfect fit to replace Landon Donovan.

 

2) We're less than a week away from the start of the CONCACAF U-20 Championship. The tourney kicks off on January 9th with the U.S. grouped with Aruba, Guatemala, host-nation Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Panama. The U.S. opens with Guatemala on the 9th. A number of MLS players expect to be appearing in the tournament, but the final rosters aren't expected to be posted before tomorrow.

3) DC United keeper Bill Hamid, the reigning MLS goalkeeper of the year is rumored to be drawing interest from Europe. Hamid has been the starter for DC for the last 4 seasons, but posted career numbers for United in 2014 setting highs in saves (110), shutouts (10, and wins (14). If DC were to lose Hamid, they still have Andrew Dykstra who backed up Hamid in 2014 going undefeated in 4 starts. DC already lost Joe Willis this offseason in a trade with the Houston Dynamo. With just 2 keepers on their roster and the Champions League quarterfinals looming, expect DC to add another keeper before the season starts.

4) The Chicago Fire continue to make moves this season most recently signing Brazilian defender Adaílton. Chicago has already added African strikers Kennedy Ignoananike (Nigeria) and David Accam (Ghana), Trinidad and Tobago National Team midfielder Joevin Jones, and ex-Galaxy midfielder Michael Stephens fresh off his stint in Norway. On the heels of a 6-win season (that included a record-setting 18 ties), it's no surprise that the Fire are looking to shake things up a bit.

5) 17 year old Arsenal midfielder Gedion Zelalem became a U.S. citizen this week after several years with the German Youth National Team. U.S. Soccer has already started the process to make him eligible to play for the U.S. Men's National Team. Here are some highlights of him with Arsenal.

One For the Road

So I didn't mention this guy the other day when talking about top offseason acquisitions partly because he's headed to an expansion team in Orlando City, but let's talk a little bit about Bryan Róchez. One of the youngest designated players in MLS history, the now 20 year-old Honduran helped lead Honduras's U-20s to a gold medal at the 2013 Central American Games, already has 6 CAPs for the Honduran Senior National Team, was the Liga Nacional de Honduras's second leading scorer during the 2013-14 season while scoring 20 goals for Real C.D. España, and he'll be a member of Honduras's U-20 Squad in the upcoming CONCACAF U-20 Championship. 

In parts of 3 seasons in Honduras, Róchez amassed 30 goals for Real España. He also scored in the Group Stage of this year's CONCACAF Champion's League in Real España's 1-1 home draw with Municipal (Guatemala).



Now with a chance to play alongside a big time playmaker in Kaká, Róchez, a natural scorer, should have no shortage of opportunities. Keep an eye on him during the upcoming CONCACAF tournament. Honduras is grouped with Cuba, Canada, Haiti, Mexico and El Salvador.