usa vs. venezuela
Eric lent me his laptop so I'm here watching the match on Galavision
posted by gooner71 @ 9:35 PM
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
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39 Comments:
no disguising this, it's an undistinguished side we've got playing tonight. I missed only 4 of DC United's games last year and I don't recognize half of 'em.
DCU's Hamid in goal, Pierce Parkhurst, Cameron? Delagarza? in defense, Laurentowitz, Shea, Jones, Zusi, Feilhaber, and Bunbery up top.
31 minutes in and all the chances are coming to Shea and one ludicrous run by Jones where he was tackled at the top of their box, but the ball ran through. Jones didn't continue his run because he'd already turned to go back. If he'd continued, he'd only have the keeper to beat.
Shea is particularly enjoying being marked by a midget. If any of his headers on goal were anywher but right at the keeper, he'd be dangerous.
Venezuela captained tonight by elderly MLS journeyman, Alejandro Moreno, distinguished primarily by his goals against DCU while playing for the Crew, the Yams, the Burn, the Dynamo, and help me out BDB, the Revs too? I got sick of seeing him wheel his mobility scooter away from our goal in celebration after beating our keeper. He was in in the commentary booth the last time we played a Latin team so I'd thought I'd seen the last of him.
Fielhaber is pulling the strings for the US tonight and a good job he's doing of it. Good field vision and passing. Nice to see him back.
One of our guys just got hauled down in a skirmish around a corner. Nothing given but it wasn't very subtle. Giant Haystacks manouevre there. Oh, the replay shows that our guy lost his rag when he didn't get the call and kicked the Vino Tinto guy as he went by. Very stupid.
Peep-peep and that's the half. Really we should be up one at least. Shea's efforts should have been in the net once. Interesting shot of Jones just fouling the bejeezus out of one of them. Didn't notice that during the match.
Peep-peep and that's the half. Really we should be up one at least. Shea's efforts should have been in the net once. Interesting shot of Jones just fouling the bejeezus out of one of them. Didn't notice that during the match.
Odd that this match is being played on a non-FIFA international date. It means we were always going to miss Dempsey, Donovan, and Howard who have to have their names etched into Juergen's plans.
Bunbery is wearing #9 and for a brief moment, I thought that Charlie Davies had been given a run out tonight. He's still a ways away in his form, but it's going to be super sweet when he does make it back.
What does it say about Freddy Adu that he's not in the squad tonight. What could he possibly have as a conflict? The Sultan's Scimitar 3rd round? What a mug.
There was a moment in the first half where I think Pierce was on the ball and he spotted someone making a run on the other flank. He wellies the ball over there, behind the run and out of play, but not before the guy on the run stopped and then trotted back to see if he could stop it from going out. Bad stuff all around, but then there was the camera showing the resultant throw in and in the background this group of Sammers is wildly clapping our guy who didn't manage to get to the ball.
The Spanish commentator is enjoying himself by calling Laurentowitz "Beeeg Redddd" every time he's on the ball.
Ah, Juergen's on now explaining that he was the one telling Shea and Zusi to switch sides often to confuse their defenders. It looked really odd to see Shea over on the right and tracking back to our goal every once in a while. I thought his compass was off.
Good Lord, Juergen's calling L'witz Big Red too. Is that his nick-name BDB?
The Spanish commentators are bigging up Parkhurst's play that half. I like him and hope he'll feature more in Juergen's plans.
No subs I think as the teams file back. Venezuela still in the locker room getting their last minute marching orders from Hugo over Skype.
Here at last are the Venezuelans. Our guys were out at least 2 minutes before they came back.
Holy Crap! Their defender just elbowed Shea in the back of the head while tackling the ball out of play. Referee does card him for it but that must have been a bit of afters for something in the first half. No way that wasn't a point being made. Shea back up but wobbly.
Ohhhhh, after great buildup, Fielhaber finds Jones all by him self at the top of the area and Jones takes a shot that goes wildly off target. Better chance than any of Shea's headers.
Shea's back and running around so he's fine after that TKO.
Not a good omen that the US hasn't beaten S. American opposition in our last 13 encounters.
Game is being played in Glendale AZ and at the U of PHX stadium. The camera gantry looks like it's in Mesa or Sun City it's so far away.
That lead-up is to say that I just realized that the guy I thought was Fielhaber is Zusi. And Zusi's playing well. Benny, I'm not so sure about any more.
Jones and Shea almost connect there. Good vision from Jones to be fair to spot Shea's run even if Shea with his quiff is about a foot taller than his marker.
Zusi's walking off a bad challenge from one of their guys who jumped into him and connected at hip height. They're feeling that spirited Skyped teamtalk and don't want to disappoint Hugo it seems.
Pierce on a forward run ghost into their box and tightrope walks the line towards their goal before it gets put out for a corner.
Cameron with an towering and very widely missed header from that corner.
Subs coming on. The return of Killer Ricardo Clark and insertion of Chris Wondolowski. Off goes Big Red and Benny Fielhaber.
Danger here, from a free kick they find a completely unmarked player who heads it into our area. Carnage! But we escape and mount a 5 on 3 breakaway spoiled by Bunbery's early and wild shot.
I can only guess that they too have many players that weren't released by their clubs because this is not the side that lucked themselves into the later rounds of last year's Copa America. Their midfield in particular is getting ruled by us. OHHHHH! Spectacular foul by Jones on their number 10. Card for Jones--Yellow. Their bloke is not up yet. Wow, that was a collision. They've scooped up whats left of the guy and strechering him off.
Oh FFS!!! Their 10 pops up like toast and is immediately ready to come back on. Definitely he was play-acting to make that card red. Good reffing to not be conned.
Wish we could score because we have the ball management stuff down pat. They have to chase us to get near the ball and that's great. But we really need to have someone up front who will score.
Zusi doesn't show a lot of composure when he jumped on a mistake but blasted it high over the bar.
Pearce is replaced by Lloyd? Zusi replaced by Sapong! That guy murdered us at DCU. I'd love to see if he can score at this level. Wondolowski and Sapong up front now. Shea is taking a beating by the whole roster of Venezuelans on the field by the way. Something must have happened in the first half.
CHANCE! Sapong wins a header in the box and the ball falls to W'ski who hits it first time and it's well saved.
And from the corner antoher chance when the keeper flaps at a cross and it clears everyone and goes out for their throw.
They just showed our bench and answered the age-old question, "who ate all the pies?" The answer is Nick the wonder dwarf Rimando. He might qualify at the lowest weight level in Sumo soon.
Sapong is causing them trouble. His physicality just produced an opening for Shea that is blocked.
They're reduced to taking pot shots from 40 yards now. Doesn't trouble Hamid who probably needs a splash of water across his chops just to stay awake. WE SHOULD BE MURDERING THESE MUGS.
Well, I'll shut up because they just carved us apart but the final bloke whiffed it and we cleared. That would have been an injustice.
And Bunbery shoots wide after Wondolowski set him up with a clever back-heel. I'm not feeling Bunbery to be honest.
Jones shoots from distance and their keeper scrambles and concedes a corner. It was probably going wide. W'ski pulled down in the box, no pen it goes wide and gets sent back in and W'ski who's up again heads it inches wide. Should have been a pen!
Damn! Saved off the line. A choice cross in from the left met really sweet by W'ski? and their keeper juuuuuuuuuust got to it.
Bunbery goes off, Brad Evans comes one.
Venezuela substituting freely too but I haven't a Scooby of who's on for them. Haven't seen Moreno for a while.
Another great chance for Sapong who collides with their keeper but who manages to punch it clear. They're claimng that their keeper was fouled and are hopping mad because they clobbered one of our guys and the ref has given us a kick in a dangerous area. 90th minute now and the free is coming up.
Cards flying freely now because the Venezuelans are vigorously protesting that their keeper was fouled. There's no order on the pitch at all. Ref walks two of their guys back to the line and three of theirs walk up to the ball. Chaos.
They must feel justice is done as Jones sends that free kick into orbit.
5 minutes added time. Why do the commentators always call it extra time. ADDED TIME, idiot.
Oh, Sapong just beaten to the header from a lovely cross from Shea. Corner.
GOAL! Killer Ricardo Clark marks his comeback with a thumping header into the net. Jones does hit a nice corner, hard, fast, flat and Killer was in a lot of space and it's 1-0 USA.
I've lost count of all the cards for Venezula, but I'd guess 7 or 8.
The ref blows up and is immediately surrounded by all the Venezuelans on the pitch. The linesmen charge over but it's the State Troopers that barge in and lead the officials off. Wild scenes here at the end.
1-0 and Juergen's pictured leaping up and down as the ball went in. It took us 14 goes, but we've beaten a S. American side again.
Again, I'm guessing that they brought scrubs too because even though they were lucky last year to reach the later rounds of the Copa America, these Venezuelans were really crap. Look at the game stats tomorrow. If they're credited with even one on target, it's a gift.
I was impressed with Parkhurst and Cameron though they were not overly pressed into action, Shea-but he must find the net!, Zusi, W'ski-also must score more, and Sapong. Sapong especially I'd like to see more of. He terrified their back line and opened up a lot of space for Shea and W'ski. Just think if that had been Clint being freed up by Sapong. Very exciting prospect, no joke.
Cheerio boys.
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