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U.S. U-23s Beats St. Kitts 4-0: Advances to Olympic qualifying tournament in Mexico
By Robert Ziegler, 11.19.2003.
In a match played as little more than a formality, the U.S. U23 National Team took a 4-0 win over St. Kitts & Nevis in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying First Round at Germantown, Maryland Wednesday.
The outcome of the home and away qualifying round was not in doubt following the weekend, when the U.S. routed St. Kitts 6-0 in the first leg. Still, U.S. coach Glenn Myernick found the additional training and match useful for his team, which has spent very little time together this calendar year.
"It wasn't the prettiest affair but we're going to the Olympic tournament," Myernick said. "I thought we had better possession of the ball than we did down in St. Kitts. We had longer stretches where we changed it from side to side and stretched it out a bit. The disappointing thing was the sloppy play in the final third, the number of plays that should have led to chances and shots but were sloppy with the final ball. We looked like a team that has had four practices and is called on to play games."
Much of the match was played in a driving rainstorm, but this didn't seem to dampen the U.S. enthusiasm for attacking the goal. Columbus Crew striker Edson Buddle alone had 10 shots on net before being substituted, but Myernick's criticism of the team's final touches was warranted.
The U.S. came out in a 4-4-2 with backs (from right to left) Ricky Lewis, David Stokes, Oguchi Onyewu and Chris Wingert, defensive midfielder Kyle Beckerman, Brian Carroll on the right, Bobby Convey in the center and Alecko Eskandarian on the left, and David Testo and Buddle up front.
Another rout appeared to be on the cards when Richmond Kickers striker Testo made it 1-0 in the 3rd minute.
DC United's Eskandarian made a strong run down the left and hit a cross in that arrived in the goalmouth at the same time as Buddle and St. Kitts keeper Kayian Benjamin. The two players both hit the deck but Buddle recovered first and tapped a pass to Testo who blasted in from close range.
St. Kitts put up a spirited fight for the remainder of the first half, and the torrential downpour no doubt helped stem the U.S. tide, with a number of chances, particularly from Buddle failing to find the target.
The match was something of a DC-area homecoming, with Warren, Convey and Eskandarian DC United players, and Stokes, Carroll, Beckerman and Onyewu originally from the DC area (and Stokes and Carroll also from northern Virginia).
Kyle Martino replaced Convey at center midfielder after the break and the Columbus Crew forward was lively throughout the second stanza.
More chances went begging before the 62nd minute when Ricky Lewis played Testo into some space and the A-Leaguer rifled a drive past St. Kitts keeper Kayian Benjamin to double the U.S. advantage.
U17 National Team member Eddie Gaven was introduced in the 60th minute for Buddle, and immediately began making an impact, running hard at St. Kitts on the left.
Myernick said Gaven may have played himself into an opportunity with the U23 team at its next camp in December, but is uncertain at this point.
"I need to take stock of a number of things. The U20 team is leaving for the world championship. There are some MLS players in our pool who may need offseason surgery (Landon Donovan and Logan Pause), but Eddie Gaven has had a good camp and is a good player. He's part of the future for us."
For his part, Gaven said he was just doing as told.
"That's what coach told me to try to do, to try and get the ball and make things happen."
With Testo, Gaven and Martino creating chances, a goal was bound to come. Martino ended up doing the business, taking a ball at the top of the penalty area, dribbling three players and deftly chipping the keeper from close range in the 82nd minute.
In injury time, Gaven made his first U23 game that much more memorable, making another strong run down the left and being pulled down for a penalty, which his teammates, including Testo who was sitting on a hat trick, immediately pointed for the 17-year old to take. The Hamilton, NJ native slotted a shot inside the right post to provide the final 4-0 scoreline.
Testo earned official man of the match honors for his two-goal effort. He said afterward that his club is willing to listen to offers from MLS should they be interested in his services (he signed a 3-year deal with Richmond before last season).
"They definitely don't want to hold me back," Testo said. "So we'll see what happens, but I'm very happy in Richmond."
While Testo's goals may grab headlines, Colorado Rapids midfielder Kyle Beckerman was instrumental in ensuring that the team held the ball for most of the match. The Maryland native was winning balls all night and sending good pass after good pass all around the field.
"We were definitely trying to keep more possession than we did last game," Beckerman said. "I thought we did a better job of that. Coach Myernick does a really good job of putting a team together in a short time. We did a lot of stuff maybe you wouldn't do if you had a long time, stuff like formations and how you're going to play. He gets us on the same page really quick."
Myernick credited Beckerman with being an important cog in the team's engine.
"He had an outstanding season for Colorado and has a great attitude. He plays a 3v3 pickup game the same way he plays when he slips on the national team jersey. He's a terrific competitor who is a nice guy to have on your team."
For fellow Marylander Onyewu, playing regular first team football at Louvieroise in the Belgian top division, the chance to play at home is welcome.
"IT's always a good experience to play with the 23s," he said. "I'm real comfortable. This is a good group of guys and good players which makes it a lot easier to come in."
Onyewu said he is unsure whether he will make his move to Belgium permanent, or return at the end of his one-year loan deal to Metz, of the French top division.
The team will have camp Dec. 12-19 at Home Depot Center along with the full national team. The team will play some friendlies with South American teams as well.
The Olympic Qualifying Tournament is scheduled for February in Monterrey, Mexico. Only two teams will advance to next August's Olympic Games in Greece from CONCACAF. The U.S. will be in a four-team bracket in Mexico with Panama and the winners of Honduras and Canada. The top two from the bracket advance to a semifinal vs the top two in the other bracket, with the semifinal winners qualifying for the Olympic Games.
USA Lineup: Warren, Lewis, Stokes, Onyewu, Wingert (Stone 80), Beckerman, Carroll, Convey (Martino 45), Testo, Buddle (Gaven 60), Eskandarian
Subs: Countess, Borchers, Clark, Stone, Martino, Gaven, Johnson
PBP
St. Kitts attack down the wing but a through ball goes too far.
2 - long lead pass from Ricky Lewis skips on the wet turf and goes over for a goal kick.
3 - Eskandarian runs down left and hits a cross that Buddle challenges keeper for. Buddle gets to loose ball and calmly taps to Testo, who taps in. 1-0
Lewis plays give and go with Carroll but the return is too long.
4- Convey operating in middle lets a shot go just over the bar.
Convey appears to be playing a free role for the U.S.
6 - St. Kitts, supported by a small but vocal contingent, attacks down the right but a cross finds nobody home.
8 - Onyewu on run forward has defender literally bounce off of him. He recovers to fire in a long cross that is cleared out for a corner. Convey's corner is cleared from danger.
10 - Convey draws a free kick 40 yards from goal.
St. Kitts attack on left fails to develop.
13 - Beckerman controlling the midfield for U.S., winning balls and distributing well.
14 - Convey cross headed outside but Eskandarian gathers rebound and fires shot, well'saved by St. Kitts keeper Kayian Benjamin.
16 - Buddle intercepts poor goal kick and nearly dribbles three players, but is dispossessed.
17 - Testo pass nearly puts Convey through but keeper gathers.
18 - heavy downpour now. Buddle and Convey link well, but Beckerman's drive is blocked by the defense. U.S. running at St. Kitts at will.
20 - Carroll hits cross and Testo makes nice dummy, but Buddle can't connect on shot.
St. Kitts make run down right and hit a short cross from the right gathered by Doug Warren.
23 - St. Kitts attack looks promising but Stokes recovers well.
26 - Testo nicely plays Buddle through but the big striker's drive with the goal gaping goes wide. - A patient buildup ends with a bad cross from Carroll.
Carroll plays give and go with Buddle but loses control trying to dribble into the box.
30 - Some long ball efforts from St. Kitts, but Stokes and Onyewu winning everything in the air.
Convey plays Buddle through but shot well saved by keeper, rebound knocked wide.
32 - Buddle creates space for himself in the box but blazes wide.
38 - game being played at midfield now.
41 - Testo intercepts bad clearance but cannot get a shot off.
43 - St. Kitts free kick forces diving save from Warren.
44 - Convey cross headed just wide by Buddle.
2nd Half
47 - long effort from St. Kitts goes well over.
49 - Eskandarian sets up Testo nicely, but finish goes wide.
55 - Martino with nice work to set up Buddle who also controls well, but shot goes wide.
56 - Beckerman with great through ball to Buddle who draws free kick. On quick restart, Eskandarian cross picks out Carroll but ball goes wide.
59 9- Beckerman puts Martino through and his cross to Buddle is saved at point blank range by Benjamin.
62 Testo to Lewis on a midfield free kick. Lewis finds Testo who runs into space and hits a 25-yard drive past the keeper 2-0.
65 - Rain much lighter now. Gaven run down left leads to corner. Carroll corner cleared from danger.
66 - Testo puts Gaven through but shot from 8 yards well-saved.
Gaven long ball puts Testo through, recovery tackle prevents shot by Testo.
69 - Martino wins free kick and floats it through box, unmet.
70 Gaven wins ball at midfield, goes on run, puts Eskandarian in on right, Esky skins two men and has shot deflected for corner.
71 - probing cross from Carroll after corner is held by Benjamin.
St. Kitts' Atiba Harris makes lateral run and fires 25 yard drive wide.
73-Gaven makes run down left and hits cross through box. Testo gathers carom and hits close shot over.
75=Gaven puts Wingert down left, cross well-held by Benjamin.
76 - Beckerman makes strong run through the middle and fires wide.
77 - Martino and Beckerman play give and go but final ball fails them.
78 - Wingert finds Gaven on edge of box, the 17-year old holds well, avoids a challenge and hits a curling shot low off the post.
80 - Good job of shielding by Lewis on attempted long ball. Warren slides out to gather.
85 - Martino drives in on left and hits shot into side netting.
87 - Martino takes pass at top of box, dribbles 3 players and hits short chip past goalkeeper 3-0.
Gaven pulled down on left and the Costa Rican referee awards a penalty. Teammates point to Gaven to take the spot kick and he converts, just before full time is blown.
USA vs Iraq[R]
