ASN: USMNT midfield thrives in 3-0 win over Honduras in frigid St. Paul

There are three issues which can be on the core of the USMNT’s 3-0 win over Honduras in a World Cup qualifier in St. Paul: nice midfield play, efficient set piece deliveries, and frigid temperatures getting essentially the most of a disinterested Honduras crew. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks all of it down

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Brian Sciaretta

Posted
February 03, 2022
12:05 AM

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THE UNITED STATES nationwide crew bought each the efficiency and the consequence it wanted in Wednesday night time’s vital 3-0 win over Honduras in World Cup qualifying. The choice to play the sport in St. Paul was controversial and the chilly entrance that arrived on gameday to deliver temperatures round 0 levels Fahrenheit solely added to that. However in the long run, Honduras withered within the parts and the U.S. crew excelled. This made for a cushty win for Gregg Berhalter’s crew.

The beginning lineup was additionally daring. Berhatler was already with out Tyler Adams and Chris Richards, who have been injured within the loss to Canada. The supervisor additionally elected to not begin Christian Pulisic, Sergino Dest, Brenden Aaronson, and Yunus Musah. As a substitute, he began Reggie Cannon, Luca de la Torre, Jordan Morris, Kellyn Acosta.

When all was stated and completed, the lineup labored very nicely.

The U.S. crew struck early within the eighth minute when Weston McKennie brilliantly headed house a free kick delivered by Acosta. That early objective appeared to take plenty of stress off the U.S. crew and the crew was capable of management the sport. On the events the place Honduras had the ball or gained a nook, the U.S. simply defended.

Weston!! And the #USMNT lastly scores on a set piece! Nice header from the Juventus man! Good supply from Acosta! pic.twitter.com/weCCfaxxPN

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) February 3, 2022

The U.S. crew took a 2-0 lead within the thirty seventh minute when Acosta’s free kick discovered captain Walker Zimmerman within the field. The Nashville SC central defender collected the ball and fired a low shot previous goalkeeper Luis Lopez for a commanding benefit.

Walker Zimmerman places the #USMNT up 2-0 pic.twitter.com/EV1gD3o6Ga

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) February 3, 2022

Within the second half, Honduras fully fell aside. The crew made a trio of subs to start out the ultimate 45 minutes as gamers struggled with the chilly and it solely hardly ever was capable of deliver the ball into the attacking half. The U.S. crew was at all times in management. Christian Pulisic got here into the sport within the sixty fifth minute and scored two minutes later after a nook kick from Acosta was flicked on from Ricardo Pepi, grazing Zimmerman, and falling to Pulisic who hit a simple shot to the decrease proper of the objective for a 3-0 lead.

One other set piece results in a #USMNT objective. This time Pulisic. It’s been the story of this sport pic.twitter.com/stgXNzhyGN

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) February 3, 2022

From there, it was uneventful because the U.S. closed out a win. Pulisic had one other objective referred to as again as a result of Brenden Aaronson was judged to have been offside ion the preliminary play.

With the temperature persevering with to drop and the results of the sport not unsure, no stoppage time was given, and the U.S. crew celebrated a 3-0 win. It capped a six=level window that was good, however not nice. The ultimate March window has the hardest video games for the U.S. crew and the desk stays tight. This night time, nevertheless, supplied each some momentum and a quick respite forward of very difficult three video games in seven weeks.

Listed below are my ideas on all of it

McKennie, Acosta, De La Torre gained it

The largest story of the sport was the midfield. Weston McKennie, Kellyn Acosta, and Luca de la Torre have been the distinction makers and the three finest gamers on the sector on this sport.

Acosta delivered one of the best set items that the U.S. crew had over the primary 11 video games of the Octagon. His deliveries resulted in all three targets and that was the distinction within the sport. However he additionally was robust in plenty of different areas – he was 55/64 together with his passing together with 3/5 in lengthy balls and 4 key passes. He gained 4/5 of his duels, was 1/1 in his tackling, drew two fouls and had an interception.

McKennie, in the meantime, scored the opening objective on an exquisite header. He was additionally very efficient together with his dribbling (4/5), and gained 7/8 of his duels. He was essentially the most dominating participant on the sector from the run of play.

Meawhile, Luca de la Torre had a breakout efficiency, and his highlights have been his potential to rapidly advance the ball up the sector – each together with his dribbling and his passing. He was at all times capable of hold Honduras pinned again together with his direct play.

Most of this isn’t stunning. McKennie has performed many good video games for the U.S. crew earlier than and Acosta has had some superb video games for the U.S. crew – sometimes at instances when Tyler Adams can’t go.

However this then raises questions on Luca de la Torre and his function going ahead. Maybe it’d prove that proper now, he might be a greater match for the U.S. crew than Yunus Musah. You don’t need to learn an excessive amount of right into a sport towards a nasty Honduras crew, however de la Torre performs extra week-in, week-out and would possibly praise the assault extra. Perhaps not, however it wouldn’t shock me.

The Parts

The massive story was the choice to host this sport in St. Paul. Sure, it was chilly even by Minnesota requirements however U.S. Soccer flirted with frigid simply by having this sport in St. Paul on Groundhogs day and it bought one thing that was unseasonably chilly, however one thing that was at all times attainable.

The whole lot labored out for U.S. Soccer. Powerful circumstances have a approach of performing as a expertise neutralizer. Why wouldn’t U.S Soccer need to host this sport in California, Florida, or Texas and simply let their expertise win it out? This stage of chilly additionally risked accidents. None of this occurred. The U.S. crew didn’t decide up any injures, the U.S. crew scored early to remove the hazard of an upset, Honduras couldn’t deal with the weather and crumbled.

Was it honest? Sure. Honduras had starters who couldn’t proceed however was this any totally different than when Bolivia performs a sport in La Paz at 12,000 ft above sea stage? Lengthy-time American followers will bear in mind when Guatemala determined to host a World Cup qualifier towards the USA in 2000 in a jungle city of Mazatenango (120 miles from Guatemala Metropolis) in brutally sizzling circumstances.

Is that this the correct factor to do going ahead? In all probability not. The danger for accidents in these temperatures is at all times larger and it’s debatable why it’s essential towards a crew the place there’s a large expertise edge. Fortuitously, the one March house qualifier is in Orlando and the U.S. crew gained’t have one other house World Cup qualifier for seven years after that so this sport will likely be historic historical past.  

The March window

The US now has a four-point hole on a qualifying spot on fourth place Panama and a five-point hole on Costa Rica.

The present CONCACAF desk and the March schedule for the highest 5 groups

Can: at CRC, Jam, at PanUSA: at Mex, Pan, at CRCMex: USA, at Hon, SlvPan: Hon, at USA, CanCRC: Can, at SLV, USA pic.twitter.com/YcHTaq4OVl

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) February 3, 2022

The difficulty for the U.S. crew is that it has its hardest window forward. On the time of the draw, it was identified the U.S. crew wanted a wholesome lead heading into the ultimate window. 4 factors is respectable, though it will have preferred to have extra.

The U.S. has by no means gained a aggressive away sport towards Mexico or Costa Rica. Now it has each these video games forward. Plus, Panama is enjoying very nicely and outplayed Mexico on Wednesday for lengthy stretches in a 1-0 loss at Azteca.

If the U.S. crew loses to Mexico within the first sport, it will set the stage for a sport towards Panama it should virtually definitely must win (a draw wouldn’t be sufficient). What the U.S. crew additionally desperately wants is for Canada to win or draw towards Costa Rica within the first matchday.

A Costa Rica win over Canada could be a nightmare to the U.S. crew if it loses to Mexico. Then the U.S. crew may beat Panama within the second matchday and nonetheless be in bother as a result of Costa Rica has a winnable sport in its second matchday away at El Salvador. That will elevate the stakes for the ultimate matchday when the U.S. crew travels to Costa Rica maybe wanted a consequence to qualify.

The U.S. crew can solely hope to be wholesome and to have most of its core match for these video games.

Participant Scores

The Beginning lineup

Matt Turner: The New England goalkeeper didn’t should make a single save and touched the ball eight instances. Score: 5.5

Antonee Robinson: The Fulham left again helped the US crew hold the offensive stress up and had passes which led to 3 photographs. Score: 6.5

Walker Zimmerman: An excellent outing from the crew captain who was lively in his set piece assaults. He scored the crew’s second objective and was concerned within the last. Defensively, he dealt with no matter Honduras despatched his approach. He did the whole lot that was requested of him. Score: 7.5

Miles Robinson: The Atlanta United was hardly ever pressed into defensive motion and at any time when he was, handed the check. Score: 6.0

Reggie Cannon: The Boavista proper again wasn’t an offensive menace up flanks too typically however he mixed nicely with Weah within the second half. Score: 6.0

Kellyn Acosta: The brand new LAFC midfielder had the largest influence on the sport together with his set piece deliveries leading to all three targets. Whereas he didn’t have the dribbling influence McKennie or de la Torre had, Acosta robust efficiency wasn’t restricted to his set piece deliveries. His passing was very efficient, and his passing vary opened the sport up. He additionally gained virtually all of his duels. Score: 8.0

Weston McKennie: Was a key a part of a midfield that simply labored. His dribbling put Honduras on their heels and his incredible header opened up the scoring and rapidly set the tone for the sport. He gained his duels and did the whole lot that was requested of him. Score: 7.5

Luca de la Torre: Making his first World Cup qualifying begin, de la Torre match into the midfield like a glove. He was very efficient advancing the ball into harmful positions within the last third. His determination making and passing actually made the assault click on. Score: 7.5

Jordan Morris: The Seattle Sounder had much less of an influence than different attackers (solely 23 touches over 65 minutes) however nonetheless had some good moments within the second half when he was combining within the penalty space for possibilities. Score: 5.5

Tim Weah: The Lille winger got here to life within the second half and his combos with McKennie have been the spotlight. He turned powerful to comprise for a Honduras crew that grew disinterested as the sport wore on. Score: 6.5

Ricardo Pepi: His three photographs all had a excessive diploma of problem together with his finest probability coming off an Antonee Robinson cross within the first half. Within the second half, Morris performed him a great ball which set him up for an opportunity which he fired broad. His flick-on header off Acosta’s nook helped with the third objective. He must be extra harmful however it wasn’t wanted on the night time. Score: 5.5

The substitutes

Christian Pulisic: The Chelsea winger made a right away influence, scoring the ultimate objective two minutes after approaching to place the sport out of attain. He was harmful to shut out the sport and had a objective referred to as again however Honduras gave up at that time. Score: 7.0

Brenden Aaronson: The Salzburg helped the U.S. crew proceed to press and assault the ultimate quarter-hour regardless of the sport being out of attain. Score: 6.0

Jesus Ferreira: Got here on for the ultimate quarter-hour however by no means actually noticed the ball. Score: NR

Christian Roldan: A late cameo from the Sounder. Score: NR