Transitioning to Trinidad

Following last night's win against Cuba, the mood in MNT camp is buoyant. Guys are excited about securing qualification for the Final round and the focus now shifts to Trinidad & Tobago, where the pressure of needing a result is gone.

Last night's crowd was an excited and noisy one, with the Oguchi Onyewu Section providing a particular verve. We say "section" because there were around 100 of Gooch's family and friends in attendance. Undoubtedly they were pleased with Gooch getting on the scoresheet late in the game, and afterwards their favorite player came over and tossed his jersey up into the crowd.



This morning the guys underwent a regen session in the gym, getting on treadmills and moving around a bit before stretching and winding down. With another game in just a few days, preparations have already begun, and that includes wearing compression pants on the flight down.


We've just wrapped up a team lunch and are heading out in a few minutes. We'll be back after touching down in Trinidad tonight!

Starting XI vs. Cuba

Here's the starting XI that U.S. coach Bob Bradley sends out to get the three points that will guarantee the USA's place in the final round of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup:

4-2-3-1: Howard; Cherundolo, Onyewu, Bocanegra (capt.), Pearce; Bradley, Kljestan; Dempsey, Donovan, Beasley; Ching

The lineup remains unchanged from the group that defeated Trinidad & Tobago in a convincing 3-0 win on Sept. 10 in Bridgeview, Ill. Clint Dempsey leads the U.S. attack with four goals in qualifying so far, with Brian Ching right on his heels with three strikes of his own in the campaign. The group is seeking to extend its six-match shutout streak in World Cup qualifying that dates back to 2005.

Around CONCACAF Qualifying

MEXICO, HONDURAS POISED TO ADVANCE: In Group 2, Mexico and Honduras have jumped into the lead as favorites to advance to the Hexagonal. Sven Goran-Eriksson's Mexico squad has three wins, and will clinch advancement with a win at Jamaica on Oct. 11. Honduras can clinch advancement with a win at home against winless Canada along with a Jamaica loss or tie.

Group	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Mexico	3	3	0	0	7	2	+5	9
Honduras	3	2	1	0	5	3	+2	6
Canada	3	0	2	1	3	5	-2	1
Jamaica	3	0	2	1	1	6	-5	1

August 20
Canada 1, Jamaica 1
Mexico 2, Honduras 1

September 6
Mexico 3, Jamaica 1
Canada 1, Honduras 2

September 10
Honduras 2, Jamaica 0
Mexico 2, Canada 1

October 11
Jamaica vs. Mexico
Honduras vs. Canada

October 15
Jamaica vs. Honduras
Canada vs. Mexico

November 19
Honduras vs. Mexico
Jamaica vs. Canada

COSTA RICA, EL SAVADOR IN THE DRIVERS SEAT: Group 3 produced the most lopsided results of the Semifinal Round on the second match day, with Costa Rica cruising to a 7-0 pummeling of Surinam, and El Salvador running past Haiti in a 5-0 win. At the halfway point, Costa Rica sits atop the table with nine points, while El Salvador is primed to advance in the second spot. Costa Rican can clinch advancement with a win at Suriname on Oct. 11. El Salvador can clinch advancement with a win at Haiti along with a Surinam loss or tie.

Group	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Costa Rica	3	3	0	0	11	1	+10	9
El Salvador	3	2	1	0	7	1	+6	6
Haiti	3	0	2	1	3	10	-7	1
Suriname	3	0	2	1	2	11	-9	1

August 20
Costa Rica 1, El Salvador 0
Haiti 2, Suriname 2

September 6
El Salvador 5, Haiti 0
Costa Rica 7, Suriname 0

September 10
Suriname 0, El Salvador 1
Haiti 1, Costa Rica 3

October 11
Suriname vs. Costa Rica
Haiti vs. El Salvador

October 15
Costa Rica vs. Haiti
El Salvador vs. Suriname

November 19
Suriname vs. Haiti
El Salvador vs. Costa Rica

Pre-Game Prep For Cuba

TT Answered

Once again our fans prove to be some of the most resourceful in the biz ...

Landon Donovan made his World Cup qualifying debut at RFK in the 3-2 loss to Honduras on Sept. 1, 2001. He went on to earn the penalty kick that Joe-Max Moore converted to give the U.S. a 2-1 victory against Jamaica on Oct. 7, 2001, catapulting the U.S. into the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Oguchi Onyewu cut his chops in qualifying in D.C. on Oct. 13, 2004, when he entered in the 86th minute of the USA's 6-0 drubbing of Panama. Gooch was involved in the game's final goal, directing a header on goal that was misplayed by a Panama defender and wound up in the back of the net. Gooch still counts that as his first international goal, but despite our best efforts we couldn't convince the referee otherwise.

Good guess about Frankie by the way. We did play Guatemala in D.C. in November of 1996; however, Frankie didn't make his first appearance until the return leg on Dec. 21. Interestingly, that match was played in El Salvador.

RFK Rich in History

While it holds the dubious distinction of being the last place the U.S. Men lost a home qualifier, Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium hosts the U.S. for the 18 times and has been the site of 10 U.S. wins - more than any stadium in the world. Overall, the U.S. is 10-3-4 on East Capitol Street. The last appearance for the U.S. in RFK was in the Semifinal Round of qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and resulted in a 6-0 win vs. Panama fueled by a second-half hat trick by Eddie Johnson. The aforementioned loss came vs. Honduras on Sept. 1, 2001, but that is sandwiched between three wins on either side, including a 1-0 win vs. Argentina in 1999. RFK has hosted five World Cup qualifiers, and the U.S. has posted a 3-1-1 record in those matches. Other memorable wins for the U.S. include a 3-1 win vs. Ireland in 1992, and a 4-0 win vs. Mexico in 1995, the largest margin of victory ever for the U.S. vs. their rival.

For a comprehensive look at the history of this fantastic soccer cathedral, click here

Be Official When You're Watching

What's the next best thing to being at a game surrounded by your fellow screaming fans?
Watching a game at an official U.S. SOccer Bar surrounded by your fellow screaming fans!
Bars across the U.S. are becoming the destination spots to gather and watch your U.S.teams in an atmosphere that is
loud and rowdy.

Check the latest listings for the official U.S. Soccer Bar in your area.

TT - D.C. Debutants

RFK Stadium has been the site of many special events in soccer history, and for two players on the current U.S. roster, it holds the significance of being the site of their first-ever appearance in a World Cup qualifier.

You know the drill from here ...

(We know we've threatenedthis before, but if Amy posts the answer to this question in next 10 minutes again - it's 1:19 a.m. ET, after all - we really are retiring from trivia time ...)

DeMerit Done For Now

U.S. defender Jay DeMerit was diagnosed with a hamstring strain this afternoon following an MRI and will not be available to play in the upcoming qualifiers. The Watford-based defender had not responded to treatment during the first few days of camp after tweaking the hamstring this past weekend in England. DeMerit will continue to rehab with the national team trainers before heading back to England on Sunday.

DA Coaches Getting First-Hand Experience

Claudio wasn't the only guest at training today. Coaches from U.S. Soccer Development Academy teams in the area were invited to watch the session and learn from the nation's top coaches as part of the benefits of the program. U.S. Soccer assistant coach John Hackworth spoke to the Development Academy coaches prior to training, explaining the plan for the session, the purpose of each exercise, and giving a little insight into what the coaches were looking for out of the players. Afterwards, head coach Bob Bradley addressed the group and answered questions for about 20 minutes.

The second season of the highly successful U.S. Soccer Development Academy is well underway. To keep track of the future stars of American soccer, click here.

Reyna Returns

But this time as an observer ...

The team got a welcome surprise today when former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna stopped by training this afternoon. There were plenty of hugs and handshakes between the four-time World Cup veteran and his former teammates. While enjoying his retirement - "I'm enjoying being a dad now, " he told us - Claudio is still clearly up on what is happening with the national team. Unfortunately he can't stay for the game - he's heading back to Jersey to be a fan at his son's soccer tournament this weekend.

T-Ho on FIFA.com

The front page of fifa.com has an interview posted with Tim Howard, where he talks about the USA's defensive prowess in FIFA World Cup qualifying and the way forward for the U.S. national team. Dating back to the Semifinal Round of 2006 qualifying, the U.S. has won six consecutive qualifiers, a record. The team has tied a record set during Final Round qualifying for 2006 with five consecutive wins in one cycle.Tim is as insightful and thoughtful as ever ...

Game Notes

Everything you would want to know - and we think you'd want to know - to get ready for the USA-Cuba showdown on Saturday. Read away!

Let us know if you have any questions....

Trinis Trounce Dominican Republic

The Soca Warriors got a nice confidence boost heading into their all-important qualifier against Guatemala this weekend when they manhandled the Dominican Republic in a 9-0 victory in Port of Spain.

Hat tricks from Jason Scotland and Cornell Glen paced T&T to the win, who welcomed back Dwight Yorke, Chris Burchall and Carlos Edwards into the lineup. The group travels to Guatemala City today in advance of their MatchDay 4 meeting with Guatemala, as both sides sit on four points in the battle for second place in Group 1. Here's the match report from Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Studio 90 News Update - Day 2

A Little from the New Guy

The newest member of the U.S. national team pool is Jose Francisco Torres, who got his first sniff in training yesterday. Born in Longview, Texas, he left high school and his family behind at the age of 16 to join Pachuca. Four years later, he has earned a regular place in Enrique Meza's squad, and all the while he had an eye on fulfilling his dream of playing for the national team. That dream came one step closer to being a reality yesterday, so we asked Jose about his first experience with the U.S. national team.

us: How was your first day?

Jose: "The first day was good. I was really nervous because I didn't know what to expect. Everyone has treated me really well. I started to feel very comfortable, and after the first day of training I'm feeling better and better."

us: With all the anticipation, has camp been different than you expected?

Jose: "It's better than I expected. I thought my teammates might be different, because sometimes in Mexico your teammates can be difficult. But here everyone treated me well. I felt comfortable with everyone very quickly. The coach is really cool, and everyone on the staff has been great. I'm really excited."

us: You've said that this has been a lifelong dream. How does it feel to now actually be wearing the colors of the U.S. National Team?

Jose: "When I put on the shirt I get the chills, because it's a dream. I think it is everyone's dream as a kid to be on the national team. Right now I think I'm living it, and when I put the shirt on I'm very excited and motivated to start playing. My choice was always to come here and represent the country was where I was born."

Perkins Back in Town

Training at RFK evoked a sense of deja vu for goalkeeper Troy Perkins, the former D.C. United netminder having spent four seasons in Washington, D.C. Joining the squad as an undrafted rookie, he went on to post a league best 16-6-7 record en route to earning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year honors in 2006. Perkins joined Valerenga IF in Norway this past January, and while his career continues to move forward, he is certainly enjoying his time back in the United States.

us: What's it like being back in your old stomping grounds?

Troy: "It's weird. You go from the biggest city in Norway, which you think is good sized, but it wouldn't even be a third of the size of DC. Seeing old faces, the old club ... It's a walk down memory lane."

us: You made an appearance at D.C. United's training yesterday. How was it seeing the fellas?

Troy: "Yeah, I showed up to say hi to some of the guys . I didn't get a chance to say goodbye before I left for Norway. Many of them didn't travel to Costa Rica (for the Champions League match against Saprissa), so I should get a chance to seem them again."

us: How did it feel walking out the tunnel underneath RFK and on to the stadium field?

Troy: "Neat. I have a lot of good memories on that field. We left on really great terms, and you never know in this game where you are going to wind up."

us: So what's the first thing you did when you got back?

Troy: "I went to Starbucks coffee. And I was very disappointed. It wasn't as good as I thought in my head. I also went to some of the back country outfitters that you only find on the east coast, like REI and couple other place. I've been seeing some old friends and family. D.C. is an impressive city. Very neoclassical."

us: You've been in with national team a couple in times in the past, but were you surprised by the callup?

Troy: "I know the national team coaches are always keeping an eye on players all over the world, and they are very good about giving players opportunities. I just try to focus on playing well and getting better, and letting the other things take care of themselves. I'm very pleased to get the chance to be here, so I just plan on working hard and hopefully showing enough to continue to get called in when there are opportunities."

us: Biggest difference living in Norway?

Troy: "The expenses! Norway has a lot of good things. The culture is centered around the family. We are about working and making money all the time. A full time job there is considered 35 hours a week, with five weeks guaranteed vacation. So in those terms, the lifestyle is quite nice."

Homecoming

The Maryland Terrapins had a special guest at their 2-1 overtime win against Charlotte at Ludwig field last night: none other than former Terp and current Rangers midfielder Maurice Edu. Mo managed to avoid the pomp and circumstance, watching the game from behind the Terps bench. A member of the 2005 NCAA National Championship team, he played with many of the seniors and some juniors on the team, so for the former Olympian, it was a nice reunion.

Restaurant Picks

Last night was the night the players got a chance to have dinner on their own. For those Washingtonians in search of restaurant recommendations, here's a sample of where our guys spent their evening:


Oguchi Onyewu - Some Italian Restaurant in Georgetown (We're pretty sure he meant Paparazzi). He recommends the stuffed crabcakes.


Brad Guzan (Michael Bradley and Sacha Kljestan) - BLT Steak. "It's the bomb-diggety!" (Feel free to send in your translations).


Troy Perkins - Legal Seafood. Let's just say his favorite part of the meal was the company.


Frankie Hejduk - Mate. "Solid sushi."


Jay DeMerit (Heath Pearce) - Chipotle. [Editor's Note - Holy cow ...]


Danny Califf (Tim Howard) - We went the non-traditional route and had different things at different places. We started at Capital Grille, moved on to J Pauls (joined by Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo), and finished at Clyde's. We were just enjoying the Georgetown scene.

(For the record, the MNT bloggers went to the District Chophouse. Great steaks).

Getting after it

The first nearly-full training session for the national team in D.C. was a lively one. Minus Tim Howard (dentist appointment) and Charlie Davies (somewhere over the Atlantic), the rest of the group engaged in an intense and focused 90-minute training that had a great buzz about it. After a 25-minute warmup, they went straight into a possession game of 7 v. 7 plus two. It's fair to say the ball was pinging all over the place, with crisp passing and fine spacing off the ball. Next was 8 v. 8 to big goals, where both teams were able to create good scoring opportunities and finish several off as well. The day ended with a crossing and finishing exercise.



"It was a good day. From start to finish, there was a good mentality, sharpness and competitiveness, said U.S. coach Bob Bradley. We believe that the camps add up and eventually you get to the point where, when you come in, you don't start over; you start from where you left off. More and more, that is the case."

Stay tuned for video of the action ...

Listen to Bob Bradley's quotes