Quick start for U.S. in qualifying; a Billiken scores elsewhere
I think everybody expected the U.S. to do a number on Barbados, but getting the first goal in the first minute on the way to an 8-0 win was a good start.
Elsewhere around CONCACAF, there were three interesting resuilts. Mexico, playing Belize in a qualifier in Houston (Belize doesn’t have an acceptable field), was scoreless at the half and finally got two goals in the second to win 2-0. A 2-0 win over Belize on what amounts to a homefield is not good. Still, look for Mexico to rout Belize next weekend in the return match in Monterrey.
Costa Rica, playing a man up for the final 40 minutes, could manage only a 2-2 tie at Grenada. The Ticos have long been at the top of the second tier of CONCACAF teams, but they haven’t won in a year.
And finally, in a match that affects the United States down the road, Trinidad and Tobago lost at home to Bermuda 2-1. Trinidad is going to have to get a win on the road and score at least two goals next Sunday to advance.
Oh, and Brazil lost to Paraguay 2-0 in a qualifier. Brazil faces Argentina on Wednesday.
And while there were no Billikens on the U.S. roster for the Barbados game, former SLU forward Dipsy Selolwane scored for Botswana on Saturday. Botswana, in a group with the Ivory Coast, looks like it has a good chance to move on to the final round of African qualifying.
It was a great Sunday for watching soccer. The second half of the Turkey-Czech Republic game at Euro 2008 was compelling soccer. It’s been a great tournament to watch so far.
After watching Euro games the past week or so the U.S. game against Barbados looked slow and unimaginitive. Granted the 8-0 score was so lopsided that a game like this makes it hard to tell what was truly happening. I do not think as of now the U.S. is capable of playing soccer at the level like we saw in the Turkey-Czech match.