USA Earns Result In Cuba

That’s really the only way to describe it. They deserved the result and they got the result. Plain and simple.

If you haven’t noticed by now, this is kinda the way World Cup Qualifying games work when a giant of a region faces a minnow, even more so on the road.

You can just look at results like Italy beating Cyprus by a hair thanks to a last gasp goal from Di Natale to secure a 2-1 final, or Spain defeating Bosnia-Herzegovina because of a somewhat impossible finish from just about the touchline by David Villa. Even Nigeria only produced a 1-0 score line against South Africa in their bid for World Cup Qualification.

Case and point: it happens. A lot.

Let’s focus on the positives.

The USA earned the win -> Being in Cuba, playing in that stadium, playing that team, it was all a somewhat tricky proposition for our guys to line up down there. Regardless, they won. We are top of the Qualifying table, and five points clear of third place Guatemala. That’s what we expected when we started this thing, and that’s where we are.

Tim Howard and the defense -> After last night’s result, the USA still have yet to give up a goal in four world cup qualifying matches. Tim Howard is really starting to make a statement that he is a world class goalkeeper, especially with saves like the one he pulled late last night diving low to his left, ending all hopes of Cuba sneaking back in. The defense is doing its job as well. They make every necessary tackle and win every important ball in the air. Although it is only against regional minnows at this point, it looks to be a defense that can keep this up against anyone throughout the qualifying rounds.

The USA controlled the game throughout -> There was never a moment, at least for me, where I was truly nervous that Cuba was going to sneak back in late. Even the Howard save was too quick and too much of a one off chance to make me think about it. We had the run of play for all ninety minutes and that’s the way it should be. Donovan played great in the middle of the field combining with wingers and midfielders alike. Dempsey had his first decent performance in a while, highlighted by his finish. Ching did his job as a construction man up front. Just about everyone pitched in to earn this result.

There are still a few things to be worried about heading into bigger games against better foes. Beasley still looks incredibly rusty and unsure of his movement on the left side out there. We still need a true forward. Ching did his job out there, but he’s not the mercurial number 9 we are going to want up top in certain fixtures. Most of all, warranted or not, we will continue to wonder what exactly Bob Bradley is keeping secret about calling up certain players or why he just won’t do it.

The good news is the goal tally will likely see a pretty big jump as the USA returns home to Bridgeview, Illinois on Wednesday to take on Trinidad & Tobago. Playing on a good pitch in a cozier environment should produce the type score line most USA fans are looking for if the last two weren’t your cup of tea.

Thoughts?