Just the Facts

Part of the fun of being a fan of any sport is being able to analyze what your favorite team did well and what can be improved on. In a lot of sports, opinions can be based around detailed statistical breakdowns - like a hitters batting average with runners in scoring position for instance. That didn't used to be the case with soccer, but now you can see - in remarkable detail - how the players fared against Cuba on Saturday night thanks to ProZone.

Some highlights of the statistical analysis:

• Not only did midfielder Michael Bradley attempt the most passes with 89 (not surprising for a center mid), he also completed 97% of them. Impressive stuff from the 21-year-old. Brian Ching also completed 97% of his 38 attempts.
• Central defender and Sierra Mist Man of the Match Oguchi Onyewu won nine headers and intercepted 19 passes on the night. What more could you ask for from your center back than 19 interceptions?

You can see it all for yourself, including video clips of every shot, here.

Not Too Shabby...

If you're reading this, you've probably heard by now that with Saturday's win in Cuba, the U.S. has won three straight road qualifiers for the first time in history. Road qualifiers, and qualifiers in general, aren't always the most glamorous games and the best team doesn't always win.

To give you a better idea of what it means to play in a place like Guatemala, Cuba or any of the other CONCACAF nations, we caught up with a few people who know a thing or two about it.

“One time before a game, we got stuck in an elevator because they turned off the power, said one former U.S. MNT star. “Another time they had horns and radios blaring outside our hotel all night. Sometimes the fire alarm goes off at 3 a.m. and keeps going off all night.”

To read more about what life on the road in CONCACAF is like, click here.

USA vs. T&T Viewing Parties and Tailgates

All 22 Bars in the U.S. Soccer Official Bar Program are having viewing parties during tomorrow's U.S. vs. Trinidad & Tobago match from Bridgeview, Illinois. The game, which kicks off at 7 p.m. CT, will be shown live in all the venues (that includes newest member Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub in Portland, Oregon) so be sure to swing by if you're looking for a place to watch the game with a bunch of other routy fans cheering for the U.S.

And if you've got ticket to the match, the three U.S. Soccer Official Bars located in Chicago, The Globe Pub, Fadó Irish Pub and Small Bar will be offering transportation to and from the game. Bars that are participating in the tailgate at the stadium are listed below in bold.

For more information on U.S. Soccer’s Official Bar Program, click here. And if you can’t make it out to one of our favorite watering holes, you can catch the action live on ESPN2, Galavision, and of course, on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.

Official U.S. Soccer Bars:
Nevada Smith’s – New York, NY
Fadó Irish Pub - Chicago, IL
Small Bar – Chicago, IL
The Globe Pub – Chicago, IL
Summer’s Restaurant – Arlington, VA
Mulligan’s on First – Hoboken, NJ
Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub - Portland, OR
Claddagh Irish Pub – 15 Locations
• Columbus, OH (Two Locations)
• Lyndhurst, OH
• Toledo, OH
• Mason, OH*
• Geneva, IL
• Indianapolis, IN (Two Locations)
• Plainfield, IN
• Newport, KY*
• Lansing, MI
• Livonia, MI
• Maple Grove, MN
• Pittsburgh, PA
• Middleton, WI

Happy 50th Steve

If he gets the nod tomorrow night against T&T, then U.S. defender Steve Cherundolo will have made 50 appearances for the United States since his debut on Sept. 8, 1999 against Jamaica. The diminutive defender started all three games in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and now has amassed 16 caps in qualifying. The San Diego, Calif., native was a member of the 2002 World Cup team, but an injury kept him sidelined throughout the USA's historic quarterfinal run.

While a steady defender with smooth skills on the ball, Cherundolo has contributed to the attack with some important assists as well as memorable goals. His first strike came on March 27, 2006, when he played a 75-yard ball over the top of the German defense that bounced into the goal following a collision between Eddie Johnson and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. In last year's Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup, a nifty run and a clinical finish gave Cherundolo and the U.S. the only goal they needed for a 1-0 victory against South Africa in Johannesburg.

A member of the 2005 Gold Cup winning side, his only point that year was a huge one, setting up Eddie Johnson to score the first goal in the USA's 2-1 against T&T in the opening match of final round qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Cherundolo has spent his entire professional career at Hannover 96 of the German Bundesliga,
his steady performance and leadership presence earning him the role of Vice Captain, a position voted on by the players.

A co-captain of the U.S. Under-20 team in the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, Cherundolo had his sights set on the 2000 Olympic Games before a knee injury ended his Olympic dreams.

Steve has produced a long and consistent career for both club and country, and at 29 years old we certainly hope he has a few more years in him.

Maturana No Stranger To the U.S.

The Soca Warriors are coached by Colombian international Francisco Maturana, who has a storied career as a manager, but one that is also scarred by tragedy. Voted as the Coach of the Year in South America in 1993, he twice led Colombia to consecutive appearances in the World Cup. One of the dark horse favorites heading into USA '94, it was that Maturana presided over the team that famously crashed out of the group phase after a 2-1 loss to the United States. The disappointment turned tragic when Colombian defender Andres Escobar was killed upon his return home.

Can Chicago Top Carnivale?

If you recall, the last time Trinidad hosted the U.S. 'twas quite festival. To refresh your memory, the game took place on Feb. 9, 2005, which was smack dab in the middle of Carnival. According to legend, Port-of-Spain hosts the second largest party outside of Brazil, and from the moment we arrived at the hotel just before midnight two nights before the game, the steel drums were banging and the festivities were in full effect. That was all the day that we were introduced to a U.S. supporter who had traveled to T&T by himself to come watch the game, and just happened to be staying in the same hotel as the team. It was the first of many visits by our friend Drew Carey ...

Watch and enjoy the memories ....

Pictures from Today's Stormy Training

Today's training session was a rainy one, but we managed to catch up with a few guys before we got too wet. Here's a brief podcast featuring Sacha, Mo and Carlos talking about coming back to the States, the upcoming game, and a return to Chicago for a former member of the Fire... Listen to the podcast here.

And While We're Giving Out Props

Our good friend Shaun Fuentes is the Press Officer for the Trinidad & Tobago team, and he simply does an outstanding job. As a one-man band, he writes articles, posts audio interviews, even puts together video highlights to some of the funnest island tunes in the Caribbean. We like to think that ussoccer.com does a good job of keeping the soccer world up to date; Shaun definitely holds his own. Check the official website for their federation and see for yourself.

(should we mention that most times we reach Shaun it's through Facebook? Yeah, probably not...)

Gigantes de CONCACAF?

Thanks to Steven Goff from the Washington Post for giving us credit on the forthcoming statistic about the U.S. home record against CONCACAF opponents. Now let us pass on the credit to the crack ESPN researcher who sent it to us, Mr. Shaw Brown. We think you'll agree it's pretty impressive:

The question often arises about which team is the best in the region, and while the numbers don’t tell the whole story, they can make a convincing argument. Without the benefit of any of the tangible and obvious home-field advantages, it’s fair to say the U.S. has been pretty tough to beat at home against their CONCACAF brethren. Since a 3-2 home loss to Honduras on Sept. 1, 2001, the United States on home soil has posted an astounding record of 37-0-10, with a walloping 106 goals for and a miserly 15 surrendered. Since we know you’re going to ask, that streak includes a 10-game unbeaten run against our neighbors to the south (8-0-2). One more thing: 34 of those games have been shutouts for the USA.

Chicago Connections

Several members of the U.S. contingent have ties to Chicago. DaMarcus Beasley and Carlos Bocanegra are alumni of the Chicago Fire team coached by Bob Bradley that captured the 2000 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. That group also included current U.S. assistant coaches Peter Nowak and Mike Sorber. Nowak started in the 2-1 win against Miami Fusion on Oct. 21, 2000, at Soldier Field, and also captained the Fire to the ‘double’ kin 1998 when the Fire became the first and only expansion club to win the MLS Cup in its inaugural season. Two other players on the roster hold ties to the Chicagoland area. Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan is a native of Homer Glen, Ill., and is an alumnus of U.S. Soccer Development Academy Club, the Chicago Magic. Michael Bradley also played for the Magic during his time in Chicago.