Avoiding the Drop

Last Saturday night, many of us bemoaned the fact that the United States Men’s National team match in Honduras would not be televised.  Rightly so, as it turned out, as the US qualified for World Cup 2010 with a solid come-from-behind 3-2 victory.

All the pressure was now off.

There was one match left to play, against a desperate foe, Costa Rica.  The match would take place in Washington, DC, in front of some of the loudest, rowdiest US soccer fans that this country has produced.  The Barra Brava, the Screaming Eagles and Sam’s Army would unite in celebratory glee, to see the side attempt to claim the Hex championship.  It was to be the high point of the 2009 National team season.  A festival of glee in a long hard slog through qualification.

Sadly, the time spent in the Nation’s Capital may now be remembered as the time when it all fell to pieces, when things went so very wrong for a side that many felt was on the upswing.

Obviously, the major piece of news was the horrendous accident that happened to Charlie Davies, the promising young striker who plies his club trade in France, for first division Sochaux.  Davies broke curfew late Monday night and was out with a couple of companions.  Details have yet to emerge about the car collision that ensued, but the car Davies and his companions were in was sheared in half.  One of his companions, Ashley Roberta, was killed.  Davies himself ended up with terrible injuries including a fractured femur, a fractured tibia, a broken elbow, facial injuries and a lacerated bladder.  He underwent 5 hours of surgery, and while his condition was not spelled out as life-threatening, it had to have been touch and go just based on the care that was taken.

Why was he out after Bob Bradley’s stated curfew?  One can only speculate, but it’s easy to guess that the team’s mood had lightened considerably with the victory in Honduras.  The police have reported based on the direction the car was headed that he was indeed going back to the team hotel.  It was likely that based on his breaking curfew that he would not have started the Wednesday night match against Costa Rica, and perhaps not even been included in the side.

The loss of Davies services for the World Cup was not in doubt now.  He will be unable to compete for his country, and while that is truly sad, the most important thing is that the young man can regain his quality of life.  He will likely have some psychological issues to deal with when remembering the crash, and realizing that one of his companions was killed.

The team obviously rallied around the fallen Davies, and prepared for the match.  Costa Rica would be a desperate foe, and the US would want to perform well to stay on top of hated foes Mexico in the Hexagonal competition.

The match started in less than fantastic conditions, but clearly, the teams were intense and ready to play.  The crowd was vociferous and anxious.  The 9th minute saw a rather raucous crowd uprising in celebration of Davies, and that was a sight to see.  The match was fairly even as both teams felt each other out, but Costa Rica managed two goals in three minutes to really shake everyone’s confidence.  Striker Bryan Ruiz scored both, the first being a complete undressing of central defender and recent AC Milan signee Oguchi Onyewu.  The second came at the expense of Jonathan Bornstein, and provoked a harsh reaction from goalkeeper Tim Howard.  Conor Casey missed a clear sitter off the feet of Jozy Altidore.  The US had chances but did not convert.

The half came, and things did not look promising.

The second half saw a much more determined US side, seemingly buoyed by the idea that this would be the last 45 in the efforts to win the Hex.  The effort and intensity had picked up.  Bradley subbed in Robbie Rogers for Stuart Holden, and Rogers had immediate impact with his passing.  Costa Rica did not employ a true “park the bus” type formation, but they were defending with numbers when the US pressed.  Bradley made all of his substitutions, including bringing on Davies likely replacement on the roster, Kenny Cooper.  The US pressed, Michael Bradley got on the end of a ball in scrum in the middle of the goal area, and slotted one home to make it 2-1.  It was looking up.

Fortune turned twice more.  Once badly, and once to the good.

In the 84th minute, a ball came in on a cross to the left side of the Costa Rican goal area.  Central defender Oguchi Onyewu jumped on the wet ground, did not take off well, and hit the ground hard.  It turned out that “Gooch” had torn his left knee’s patellar tendon.  This is an injury that will require 3-4 months on the sidelines, plus extensive rehabilitation.  He has not been confirmed or denied for the World Cup, but it’s got to be a long, hard road for him to make it back, to be sure.

The US was forced to play with 10 men after that time, for the rest of the contest.  Costa Rica continued some time-wasting tactics, but eventually, that caught up with them as manager Rene Simoes and an assistant were sent off for causing a ruckus with the fourth official.

Eventually, the US forced several corners, and finally, on literally one of the last kicks of the match, Jonathan Bornstein managed to sneak through the morass of bodies unmarked and slotted a second goal past the Ticos keeper, earning the US a well-taken draw.  This goal managed to seal the victory in the Hex as well, as Mexico drew with Trinadad and Tobago.  The goal was particularly harsh on Costa Rica, as the victory would have clinched a guaranteed spot in the World Cup, but now they must play Uruguay in a playoff situation to make the competition.

The trip to Washington, all in all, was mostly a disaster.  The loss of Davies, combined with the severe injury to Onyewu, puts Bob Bradley behind in trying to determine what the best side will be for the competition in South Africa.  Clearly, Davies was on track to play a major role.  He had developed a partnership with Jozy Altidore that may not be able to be duplicated, and his pace complimented Landon Donovan’s, which not many American strikers could say.  Onyewu, while not being the most fleet of foot or clever player, was a starter and a bit of a rock along with team captain Carlos Bocanegra.  His presence will be missed.  The US now must cope with bedding in Kenny Cooper, presumably, which gives them three fairly similar strikers when he’s placed with both Brian Ching and Conor Casey.

Onyewu’s loss could mean a number of things, but the most suspected replacement Jay DeMerit is also injured at the moment.  Clarence Goodson got some time this past Summer as part of the Gold Cup side, so he’s a possibility.  It remains to be seen what will happen.

Suffice it to say, it’s been an interesting week for the US men’s national team.  One, ultimately, that won’t be as satisfying as one might have hoped.