**Official USMNT Soccer Thread**

[tramericanjr]

second place

 

[Nike Jordan]

Three points is three points.

 

[cryingfreemancoa]

Back on track baby Who would've thought we'd be in good shape and Mexico would kinda be in dire straits goin into Tuesday

The game on tuesday is going to be EPIC.

Gonna have to head to a bar and get wasted with fellow fans.

CAN'T WAIT

 

[cencal52]

Usa needs at least one point in azteca stadium. Going to be difficult

 

[rook]

Back on track baby Who would've thought we'd be in good shape and Mexico would kinda be in dire straits goin into Tuesday

If we can escape with a draw, that would be amazing.

Last time we went, I understand Mexico wasn't nearly at full strength, but we won. Never know

 

[アミーゴ]

A point down there would be soooo huge.

 

[degenerate423]

Good win in the snow

.  Kinda liking this team, hope they can keep it together...

 

[Deleted member 38182]

Damarcus Beasley really showed up 

I still hate that Jurgen is just playing players at any position, like EJ/Herc at mid.... but for tonight, whatever! It worked 

Kinda bummed Zusi didn't really show up

That backline held it together pretty well, all things considered.

 

[imasoleman18]

 

[dlo13]

Imma need a few days to thaw out. But for now, back to the bar!

 

[Deleted member 38182]

Imma need a few days to thaw out. But for now, back to the bar!

I'm jealous!!

 

[Nawzlew]

at the snow

if US wore white shorts

 

[Deleted member 38182]

tonight would have been such a memorable experience to be at 

 

[Kimchi Papi]

'Morning... Some more photos from last night's snow globe game in spoiler mode.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

[Kimchi Papi]

One more from US Soccer's Instagram. Everyone on the USNT signed the shovel last night... What a cool piece of memorabilia.

 

[fear the ibis]

Forget the shovel. Need more pics of Dempsey's Mercurials.

 

[Deleted member 38182]

I redact any props/kudos I gave to Costa Rica 

Report: Costa Rica to file protest on snow

Costa Rica plans to file an official protest with FIFA about Friday's 1-0 loss to the United States in a Rocky Mountain snowstorm, according to a Reuters report.

A Costa Rica soccer federation official told domestic media that the protest would be made Saturday, Reuters reported. Costa Rica has 24 hours to file a written protest with FIFA.

Byron Hetzler/USA TODAY SportsCosta Rica defender Juan Diego Madrigal falls in the snow as U.S. forward Herculez Gomez looks for the ball in the second half Friday night.

Plows and shovels were used to clear the penalty areas, center circle and midfield stripe as snow got heavier, and a yellow-and-purple ball was used.

Ten minutes into the second half, Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto wanted referee Joel Aguilar of El Salvador and match commissioner Victor Daniel of Grenada to suspend the game, but U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann made a case for playing on.

Play continued after some heated discussion. Pinto was angry during and after the game.

"I asked them to stop. They should suspend the ref," Pinto said. "It was an embarrassment. It was an insult to Costa Rica and people coming in here."

The Denver area was bracing for 6 to 12 inches of snow early Saturday morning and the National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning shortly before the game ended, according to the Denver Post. The service expected the heaviest snow to fall to the north and east of Denver, where ****'s Sporting Goods Park is located, the newspaper reported.

Pinto said the "legal conditions" for playing were not met, according to Reuters.

Visibility in the Denver area dropped from two miles at the end of the first half to a half-mile an hour later, according to the National Weather Service.

[h4]More from ESPNFC.com[/h4]

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Time to take your hand off the panic button, America. After a week in which we wondered which U.S. team would show up Friday, the U.S. beat a feisty Costa Rican side, albeit amidst farcical scenes, writes Roger Bennett. Blog  

• Bennett: Unity on full display for U.S.  

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​

Clint Dempsey's goal gave the Americans some priceless momentum ahead of Tuesday's titanic clash against Mexico in the Estadio Azteca, writes Jeff Carlisle, who hands out his player grades.Blog  

• Five Aside:  U.S. up to 68.8 percent odds to qualify

---

​

After a vital 1-0 win over Costa Rica, Doug McIntyre explains how on a snowy night the depleted U.S. back line came up with a huge performance and what that means for the match against Mexico on Tuesday. Blog  

 

• McIntyre : U.S. confident with pressure off  

 

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"You couldn't see the lines. You couldn't see the ball. You couldn't play," Costa Rica midfielder Michael Barrantes said.

Costa Rica players didn't complain much during the game, but expressed frustration afterward.

"Honestly, it was robbery, a disgrace, I've never played a game in these conditions," midfielder Cristian Bolanos told Reuters. "You couldn't see the ball ... if we had played without snow, we would have won, I am sure."

One other World Cup qualifying match, between Northern Ireland and Russia, was postponed Friday -- and again Saturday -- because of snow in Belfast.

U.S. federation president Sunil Gulati said the referee made the right decision to continue playing Friday.

"Frankly, (stopping) would not have been to the advantage of either of the two teams, since they both play on Tuesday," Gulati told reporters. "Obviously you worry about the safety of players and being able to see the ball. The referee and the match commissioner made the decision that the game could continue and I think it was the right decision."

Gulati said the U.S. chose to play the game in Colorado in preparation for the altitude in Tuesday's game in Mexico City, and not to put its Central American opponent at a disadvantage with uncomfortable weather.

Mexico City is about a half-mile higher above sea level than the mile-high conditions around Denver.

"If the thought is that we want to play Costa Rica in a situation where it could snow, then there are some places that maybe could have been better, like Boston or somewhere," Gulati said, according to Reuters.

 

[caponaso20]

As much as I did enjoy the win i do think costa rica has the right to protest it. You never see a soccer game in the snow and if it is its super light. If it was a football game they would have stopped the game no matter what. I can put money on it that 95% of them have never seen snow either! Lets see what happens I know I dont mind watching another match 

 

[Mactastic4167]

That snow fro

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Forget the shovel. Need more pics of Dempsey's Mercurials.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

[Kimchi Papi]

That snow fro

Speaking of Jones, he's out against Mexico with an ankle injury.

This might be my favorite shot from the game. Herculez Gomez with the nice header...

It was good to see DeMarcus Beasely out there playing fairly well. If he plays left back again, he'll have to stack up against Mexico's Javier Aquino & Mexico's other fast attackers. We'll see if Klinsmann keeps DeMarcus there...

 

[Deleted member 38182]

So with Jones out this will make it 25 different line ups in 25 matches??

 

[rook]

Tab Ramos' side will have a treacherous road at this summer's competition, while regional champion Mexico will have to face Paraguay, Greece and a to-be-determined African side.
Bring on the Group of Death.

The U.S. Under-20 men's national team learned that it will face European powers Spain and France and an African qualifier in this summer's FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey after the draw was conducted Monday.

Mexico, which defeated the United States for the regional U-20 title, will play against Paraguay, Greece and an Afican qualifier in its group.

CONCACAF's other two entrants in the tournament were Cuba and El Salvador. The former was drawn with South Korea, Portugal and an African qualifier, while the latter drew host Turkey, Colombia and Australia.

The African U-20 teams, Egypt, Mali, Ghana and Nigeria will be distributed among the groups on March 30 following the conclusion of their U-20 tournament. The champion will not wind up in either the USA's group or Mexico's group. The Oceania entrant, which will be either Fiji or New Zealand, will be known when that qualifying tournament concludes March 29.

The 24-team World Cup will run from June 21 to July 13, with the final taking place at Ali Sami Yen Stadium in Istanbul.

Here is the U-20 World Cup draw in full, with the top two finishers in each group and the top four third-place finishers sealing a place in the knockout stage:

GROUP A

Spain
African qualifier
USA
France

GROUP B

South Korea
African qualifier
Cuba
Porgual

GROUP C

Colombia
Australia
El Salvador
Turkey

GROUP D

Mexico
African qualifier
Paraguay
Greece

GROUP E

African champion
Iraq
Chile
England

GROUP F

Fiji/New Zealand
Uzbekistan
Uruguay
Croatia

Follow GOAL.COM on

 

[Kimchi Papi]

That's a tough group the US drew but after seeing Tab Ramos' side play in the CONCACAF, I think they will do ok. It wasn't until the back end of the second half Mexico pulled out against the US. I really like what I've seen in Ramos over the years. If Klinsmann ultimately doesn't work out, I'd like to see Ramos promoted.

I have a feeling FIFA might make them play the US vs Costa Rica game. The fox announcers lied to the audience (what's new with fox & ruper murdoch) when they said Costa Rica wanted to continue to play. The Costa Rican coach Pinto & the team captain told the referees they did not want to continue to play but play continued apparently because Klinsmann bullied the refs.

The snow obviously acted as an extra man (or 2 or 3) on defense so I don't think we got an accurate picture of what the US (or Costa Rica for that matter) was capable of. I have a sneaky feeling this game might be played over again.

 

[deepinthajeep]

Grabbed this from SBI:


Orozco-Fiscal added to USMNT roster for Mexico qualifier


Posted on March 25, 2013 by Ives Galarcep


by IVES GALARCEP

MEXICO CITY– Jurgen Klinsmann has called in some defensive depth to help replace the loss of injured U.S. Men’s National team midfielder Jermaine Jones on Monday, bringing in defender Michael Orozco-Fiscal to join the team ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier vs. Mexico.

Orozco-Fiscal currently plays for Mexican side Puebla, and most recently took part in a friendly on Saturday. A regular starter for his club team, Orozco-Fiscal scored the game-winning goal for the U.S. Men’s National Team in last August’s 1-0 exhibition victory against Mexico at Estadio Azteca.

Orozco-Fiscal has actually featured in both U.S. meetings with Mexico during Klinsmann’s tenure. He also started in the team’s 1-1 draw in August of 2011, which was Klinsmann’s debut.

Orozco-Fiscal’s inclusion means the U.S. team is back to 24 players, which means one player won’t dress for the match. Brad Davis didn’t dress for the U.S. team’s qualifying win vs. Costa Rica last Friday.

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Remember what he did last time!!