US caps camp with friendly against Honduras

January 22, 2010

United States will conclude a 19-day training camp for the 2010 South Africa World Cup on Saturday with a friendly against fellow qualifier Honduras.

A largely US-based talent pool for the Americans includes forward Conor Casey, who scored two goals in a 3-2 victory last October at Honduras that clinched a World Cup berth for the US squad.

Defender Jonathan Bornstein, who also started against Honduras, and midfielder Benny Feilhaber, who replaced Casey in the American lineup, are also on hand for the latest matchup against the Central American squad.

“The match is a great way to start the year as we commence preparations for the World Cup,” US coach Bob Bradley said.

Ten players from a similar camp in 2006 made the final US World Cup roster while 13 from the January camp were on the US side that made the final eight in 2002.

The Americans, preparing for a sixth consecutive World Cup appearance, will face England on June 12 in their opener in South Africa and also face Slovenia and Algeria in first-round matches.

Honduras, which qualified for the first time since 1982, will open June 16 against Chile and also face Spain and Switzerland.

LOS ANGELES (AFP)

Tags: africa world, algeria, Benny Feilhaber, bob bradley, Chile, coach bob, England, Honduras, jonathan, jonathan bornstein, Los Angeles, match, matchup against, midfielder, slovenia, South Africa, talent pool, training camp, U.S., United States, us world cup roster, victory, world cup appearance, world cup berth

No surgery for Dempsey eases US World Cup fears

January 20, 2010

Fulham striker Clint Dempsey will not require surgery to repair his injured right knee, the English Premier League side announced Tuesday, easing US fears that he might be lost for the World Cup.

Dempsey, who plays forward as well as attacking midfielder, suffered moderate ligament damage but an MRI scan indicated there was not a torn ligament and that he might play for Fulham before the end of the season.

That means he should be healthy when the Americans face England on June 12 in their World Cup opener in South Africa.

“The news about Clint’s injury is positive, especially given the fact that he will not require surgery,” US coach Bob Bradley said. “We are confident that Clint will be ready to be an important part of our team during the World Cup.”

Dempsey, 26, was injured during a 2-0 Fulham loss Sunday at Blackburn. US team medical staff have spoken daily with Fulham officials since then and will monitor Dempsey’s progress in the months of rehabilitation to come.

Dempsey has 17 goals in 60 caps for the Americans and seven goals for Fulham this season.

The US side is already dealing with injuries to star defender Oguchi Onyewu, who is rehabilitating after knee surgery, and forward Charlie Davies, who suffered two broken right leg bones and a lacerated bladder in a car crash.

CHICAGO (AFP)

Tags: blackburn, bladder, bob bradley, caps, car crash, Charlie, Chicago, Clint, Clint Dempsey, coach bob, England, English Premier League, face england, fulham, knee surgery, leg bones, ligament damage, medical staff, midfielder, mri scan, premier league, South Africa, striker, torn ligament, U.S., world cup opener

Donovan must think hard about Everton move

December 11, 2009

Everton hope to complete the signing of Landon Donovan on loan from Major League Soccer’s L.A Galaxy, a move which has generated plenty of excitement among North American soccer fans.

The move makes a lot of sense for Everton manager David Moyes – it gives him no-risk attacking cover, particularly useful while Nigerian Yakubu Aiyegbeni is away throughout January at the African Nations Cup. What is less obvious is why a short term loan spell is a good move for Donovan.

The move is being reported as similar to Donovan’s L.A team mate David Beckham’s temporary switch to AC Milan but there is a major difference in the circumstances facing the two players.

Beckham is pushing himself through a gruelling 16 month non-stop season with no real rest because he has been forced into that situation by England manager Fabio Capello. The Italian has told the midfielder that he must be playing in Europe and be able to prove his form and fitness if he wants to make the World Cup squad.

Donovan is in an entirely different position and it is odd that he would consider copying Beckham. Donovan’s place in the U.S squad is absolutely secure and his coach Bob Bradley would be the last person urging him to go and play in Europe during a period of the year when MLS players are supposed to be recovering ahead of the new season.

What is driving Donovan’s possible move is not the World Cup or any thoughts about the U.S national team but his own lack of satisfaction with his club career.

Despite being the U.S’s all-time scorer and the winner of countless domestic awards, Donovan has yet to prove himself on the international scene. He has had three attempts at breaking into the Bundesliga (twice with Bayer Leverkusen and last year’s loan with Bayern Munich) and on three occasions he has been sent packing back to America having failed to make the grade.

Although he has frequently impressed for the U.S, European clubs have not been lining up to make offers for Donovan and at the age of 27, he must know that unless he moves soon he will be forever remembered as a player who scored in CONCACAF qualifiers and in MLS but who failed in Europe.

If that is the motivation for this move, then it begs the question, why a loan deal to the English Premier League and in particular to Everton?

Donovan is not a physical player and his game relies on his deftness of touch, intelligent passing and finishing ability. The feeling of many in the game was that he was ill-suited to the physical game in the Bundesliga. England is even tougher on that front.

Given Donovan speaks fluent Spanish and prefers the Latin style of football found in Central America, La Liga seems a more obvious home for him.

A loan deal may make sense for Everton – and possibly for MLS and the Galaxy – but for Donovan it risks a repeat of last year’s embarrassment at Bayern.

Given a tricky selection choice, a manager will usually consider the feelings of a full-time staffer more than a temporary loan player and Donovan’s reputation and market value would hardly be enhanced by a miserable month or two on the bench at Goodison.

If it all goes well it could turn out to be a wonderful move though – giving Donovan a chance to impress in the Premier League before shining against England at the World Cup and earning himself a big money deal with a big club.

Which scenario would you put your money on?

PICTURE: U.S. national soccer team player Landon Donovan arrives at a hotel in San Salvador March 26, 2009. REUTERS/Luis Galdame.

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Tags: ac milan, african nations cup, american soccer, bayer leverkusen, bayern munich, bob bradley, club career, coach bob, David Beckham, domestic awards, england manager, fabio capello, l a galaxy, landon donovan, mls players, time scorer, world cup squad, yakubu aiyegbeni

US coach evokes spirit of ´Bel Horizonte´

December 5, 2009

The United States coach Bob Bradley is out to prove that history can strike twice when his side face England in the first round of next year’s World Cup.

Sixty years ago the US stunned England with a 1-0 win in the group stages of the 1950 World Cup at Belo Horizonete in Brazil in an upset that has become known in the States as “the miracle on grass”.

Bradley, reflecting on Friday’s draw in Cape Town which pits his Confederation Cup finalists against Fabio Capello’s team at Rustenburg on June 12, said: “Belo Horizonte – every US soccer fan knows those details, and so we look forward to another opportunity (to repeat it).”

Bradley, speaking to the BBC, added: “It’s a good group, we have a fair chance to advance.

“It’s amazing to start against England, everyone in the United States will be excited.

“Algeria and Slovenia (the two other Group C sides) are not big name teams but they are sides who could very well qualify.”

The US manager believes his side’s experience of playing in the Confed Cup in South Africa in June, when the US led Brazil 2-0 at half time in the final only to go down 3-2, will stand them in good stead come the 2010 finals.

“The Confederations Cup was a great experience. The stadiums for the world Cup will be packed to capacity, the passion for the game here is fantastic.

“And with it being winter in South Africa and the cooler temperatures the games are fast and at a high tempo – fans around the world are going to enjoy it.”

For the record, in the 1950 World Cup both the US, who owed their famous win to Joe Gaetjens’ first half header, and England failed to make it into the second round.

CAPE TOWN (AFP)

Tags: algeria, bbc, bel horizonte, belo horizonte, bob bradley, Bradley, brazil, cape town, coach bob, confed cup, confederation cup, confederations cup, England, fabio capello, face england, group stages, joe gaetjens, Rustenburg, side face, sixty years, slovenia, soccer fan, South Africa, stadiums, stead, U.S., United States, World Cup

Bornstein goal ripples through CONCACAF

October 16, 2009

Jonathan Bornstein’s equalizer deep into second-half stoppage time did more than just earn a 2-2 draw for the United States against Costa Rica. It rippled through CONCACAF.

It gave the United States bragging rights over Mexico, forced Costa Rica into another two games to try to earn qualification to South Africa, and – most importantly – help send Honduras to only its second World Cup and first since 1982.

“Bornstein, Honduras te ama” (Bornstein, Honduras loves you) screamed the headline in Honduras’ La Prensa on Thursday.

The defender’s header finished the United States atop the six-team standings in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, one point in front of Mexico, which played Trinidad & Tobago to a 2-2 draw in Port-of-Spain.

It was the second straight time the Americans had finished first in World Cup qualifying, just ahead of Mexico – which was some satisfaction after being routed 5-0 in the Gold Cup final by their arch nemesis in July.

“We are very proud to win the group,” U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. “It took a really determined strong effort by our team and we always talk about when you step on the field, you show people what you’re all about. Tonight is not the way you draw it up on the board before the game, but it still showed the mentality, the spirit and we’re very proud of that.”

It was an emotional result for the United States, which dedicated the game to forward Charlie Davies, who was seriously injured in a fatal, one-car accident early Tuesday morning.

“For me, and a lot of the guys, Charlie is a brother,” Jozy Altidore said. “We’re all very close and that news hurt us a lot. We played with him in our hearts tonight and I think it helped us out big.”

Carlos Pavon, who missed a critical penalty kick in a 3-2 loss to the United States Saturday night in San Pedro Sula, achieved some redemption, scoring the lone goal in the 1-0 win against El Salvador. But it still appeared Los Catrachos was destined to finish fourth with Costa Rica leading 2-0 with 20 minutes remaining in Washington.

However Michael Bradley struck in the 72nd minute and Bornstein followed with the equalizer with 30 seconds left in the match, setting off a wild celebration at RFK Stadium, but also in Honduras.

“We knew it would be a very tight game with an El Salvador team that is very well drilled, but that’s football,” Honduran coach Reinaldo Rueda said. “Today it’s the Honduran fans’ and the team’s turn to celebrate, thanks to the work of many years. Now we have months of work, months of matches and let’s hope this victory works out for the good of all.”

While Honduras claimed CONCACAF’s third automatic bid to the 2010 World Cup ongoal difference ahead of Costa Rica, the Ticos were relegated to a two-leg aggregate series against Uruguay, the fifth-place finisher in South America, for the last berth in the 32-team World Cup field

“First I have to rebuild their spirits,” Ticos coach Rene Simoes said. “They are in the dumps. This was a shock to them. Everything was going fine up until the last minute. The game just ended and it’s just very sad.”

Like the United States, Mexico already had qualified for South Africa ahead of the final matchday. El Tri played the Soca Warriors to a 2-2 draw in Port-of-Spain, but Mexico manager Javier Aguirre wasn’t upset about failing to finish atop the group.

“We came through in qualification,” Aguirre said. “They never said we had to be first.”
Aguirre took over after Sven-Goran Eriksson was sacked following consecutive losses to Honduras and El Salvador. As he did in 2001 when he replaced Hugo Sanchez, Aguirre helped lead El Tri, which won five straight before Wednesday’s draw, to the World Cup.

“I am satisfied because we qualified for the World Cup,” Aguirre said. “I am also satisfied because that’s what they hired me for. I am delighted to see that the players have recuperated their pride in playing for their country.”

By Dylan Butler

Tags: arch nemesis, bob bradley, bragging rights, car accident, Carlos Pavon, catrachos, coach bob, early tuesday, jonathan bornstein, mentality, penalty kick, port of spain, redemption, stoppage time, straight time, tuesday morning, two games, World Cup

US work begins with World Cup berth settled

October 16, 2009

Qualifying for the 2010 World Cup was one thing for the United States. Doing well in eight months in South Africa is another, especially in the wake of major injuries to key starters.

The Americans concluded North American qualifying for next year’s global showpiece with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica on Wednesday to finish top of the group, a feat US coach Bob Bradley hopes will bring a seeding boost.

“We had big goals and we achieved them,” Bradley said. “Now we have to work hard to continue to improve.

“We understand the responsibility of the World Cup. It’s great to get there but there’s a responsibility to get there and play at a high level. We’re proud to win the group but we know what is ahead of us.”

The Americans reached the 2002 quarter-finals but were ousted in the opening group stage in Germany in 2006, setting the stage for Bradley to take over the US side.

Bradley made it clear that the US goal is nothing less than capturing the World Cup, but to that end the next goal will be simply to make it through the first round against foes he will learn in December’s draw.

“We can only control this situation when we get there,” Bradley said. “You have to be able to play those three games in a certain way. You have to adapt after the first game.”

The Americans are likely to have to play without striker Charlie Davies, who suffered major injuries in a car crash on Tuesday and is expected to need six to 12 months of rehabilitation.

Added to that was defender Oguchi Onyewu’s torn left patella tendon suffered late in Wednesday’s game, leaving a 10-man US team to fight back for the equalizer on Jonathan Bornstein’s header in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

“It’s another setback for us,” Bradley said. “‘Gooch’ has been such an important part of our team. He is someone we are sure is going to get back.”

Whether the AC Milan defender will be at peak form for the World Cup is unknown but the US squad, a mix of veterans and new faces such as Davies, has been able to rely upon different players to come through at key times.

That includes a run to the FIFA Confederations Cup final earlier this year in South Africa, where the US team led Brazil at half-time before losing the championship match.

WASHINGTON (AFP)

Tags: 12 months, ac milan, bob bradley, brazil, car crash, Charlie Davies, coach bob, Costa Rica, eight months, equalizer, first game, foes, Germany, jonathan bornstein, Milan, new faces, patella tendon, quarter finals, setback, showpiece, South Africa, starters, stoppage time, three games, U.S., United States, Washington, World Cup

US break Costa Rican hearts but lose Onyewu

October 15, 2009

Jonathan Bornstein’s header in the fifth minute of stoppage time gave 10-man United States a 2-2 draw with Costa Rica that denied the Ticos a berth in the 2010 South Africa World Cup.

On a cold and rainy night where Bryan Ruiz scored in the 21st and 24th minutes to give Costa Rica a 2-0 lead, the Americans fought back to finish North American qualifying with three wins and two draws when foes score first.

“It’s a good thing we respond and compete,” US coach Bob Bradley said. “It was a strong effort. It’s not how you draw it up but it showed their maturity, the spirit of our team and we’re very proud of that.”

But the victory came at a heavy cost.

US star defender Oguchi Onyewu of AC Milan will be out three to four months with a torn left patellar tendon, the injury coming a day after a car crash that severely injured US forward Charlie Davies and likely took him out of the World Cup.

“We’ve had two days of tough news,” Bradley said. “It’s another setback for us.

“Gooch (Onyewu) has been such an important part of our team. It’s normally three of four months recovery time. He’s young. He’s healthy. He has good doctors. He’s someone we’re sure is going to get back.”

With Onyewu carried off on a stretcher in the 83rd minute, a 10-man US side was left since the Americans had used all their substitutions. It proved enough.

Michael Bradley, the US coach’s son, scored in the 72nd minute but the Ticos were still on track for a World Cup berth until defender Bornstein took a pass from Robbie Rogers and nodded it past Costa Rican goalkeeper Keilor Navas.

“We put a lot of numbers in the box,” Bornstein said. “I don’t usually go up for that but it was last shot time. No one marked me. I just snuck in there and the ball landed on my head.”

Seconds away from a victory that would have booked a third consecutive trip to the global football showdown, Costa Rica instead lost out to Honduras and must now play Uruguay in a two-leg playoff to decide which makes the World Cup.

The Americans finished atop the North American regional qualifying group at 6-2-2 for 20 points, one more than Mexico with Honduras third ahead of Costa Rica on goal difference plus-six to nil after each finished 5-4 with one drawn.

“We’re very proud to win the group,” coach Bradley said.

The Americans won a 19th consecutive World Cup home qualifier despite early struggles as Costa Rica has now gone 24 years since winning a qualifier on US soil.

Ruiz opened the scoring by racing around US defender Steve Cherundolo to the right of goalkeeper Tim Howard and left-footed the ball past the sprawled US netminder.

Ruiz struck again in the 24th minute on a give-and-go play, taking the ball at the top of the area and curling a left-footed kick high into the far corner past a diving Howard.

“Every time. Every (expletive) time,” Howard screamed at US defenders after the goal, which delighted thousands of loud, flag-waving Costa Rica supporters.

Bradley answered 27 minutes into the second half after Navas stopped a Landon Donovan shot, Bradley chipping the rebound over Navas into the net.

Ticos coach Rene Simoes, a Brazilian and former Jamaica coach hired for the last qualifiers, was ejected in stoppage time, escorted off before Costa Rica was delivered a heartbreaking blow.

The Americans lead Costa Rica 12-11 with five drawn in the all-time rivalry.

WASHINGTON (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, africa world, bob bradley, Bryan Ruiz, car crash, Charlie, coach bob, consecutive trip, Costa Rica, good doctors, Honduras, Howard, Jamaica, jonathan bornstein, keilor, landon donovan, Mexico, Michael Bradley, Milan, North American, patellar tendon, rainy night, recovery time, Rene Simoes, Robbie Rogers, shot time, South Africa, star defender, steve cherundolo, stoppage time, stretcher, ticos, tim howard, U.S., United States, uruguay, Washington, world cup berth

More work needed for US to taste South Africa success

October 14, 2009

Landon Donovan likes what he sees from the US football squad after qualifying for the World Cup, but knows much more work is needed to make the most of their chances next June in South Africa.

Donovan, the all-time US scoring leader and a Los Angeles Galaxy teammate of English star David Beckham, said Tuesday it was difficult to compare US levels at this stage to the 2002 Cup quarter-finalists or the 2006 first-round flops.

“We’re pretty satisfied with where we are now and the hard work we’ve put in but I think we realize if we want to be ultimately successful in South Africa we still have some work to do,” Donovan said.

“OK, we’re there. Now how do we do everything we can to have success once we get there?”

Donovan will spark the Americans in Wednesday’s final North American hexagonal World Cup qualifying match against Costa Rica in the US capital. He feels he has made improvements on and off the field in the past three years.

“I’ve done a lot of that work already,” Donovan said. “I’m comfortable knowing I’m a different player and person than I was the last two hexagonals.”

The Major League Soccer standout said the North American league has already shown it can develop competitive talent.

“Our league can produce players that can play in the biggest tournaments in the world and I think we’ve shown that in the past two World Cups and this one,” Donovan said. “There’s not a vast difference.”

The next step is to win such a showdown. US coach Bob Bradley sees finishing first ahead of Mexico in the CONCACAF regional qualifying as a potential key to boosting the US seeding position for December’s World Cup draw.

“We don’t know for sure it will affect seeding but we believe that it could so in that regard it is important,” Bradley said. “We take a great deal of pride of being the best team in CONCACAF.”

So much so that Bradley is willing to risk top players even with a chance of injury or a red card that would bring a World Cup opener suspension.

“There are risks in the final game but this game is important,” Bradley said. “Of late, we’re very pleased with the way we’ve handled ourselves.”

Costa Rica qualifies for the World Cup with a victory but a draw or loss opens the door for Honduras, which must win at El Salvador to have a chance for the last automatic berth on offer from North America.

The same Hondurans who lost to the US team last weekend will cheer for the Americans against Costa Rica.

“We’ve got a job to do to put our best team out there,” US captain Carlos Bocanegra said. “It’s not fair for us not to go out there and give our best effort. If the situation was reversed we would be pretty angry.”

Costa Rica comes off a 4-0 blanking of Trinidad and Tobago in the first match under new coach Rene Simoes, a Brazilian who once guided Jamaica’s World Cup squad.

“Costa Rica is a talented team that hit a tough stretch in qualifying,” said Bradley. “Costa Rica’s big win has given life to their effort. We expect another big effort and we will prepare accordingly.”

WASHINGTON (AFP)

Tags: bob bradley, captain Carlos Bocanegra, coach bob, concacaf, Costa Rica, David Beckham, Donovan, El Salvador, final game, football squad, Honduras, improvements, Jamaica, landon donovan, Los Angeles, los angeles galaxy, Major League Soccer, match, Mexico, North America, North American, pride, qualifying for the world cup, quarter finalists, Rene Simoes, soccer standout, South Africa, star david, teammate, trinidad and tobago, U.S., Washington, world cup opener, world cups

US forward Davies stable after crash

October 14, 2009

Three days after experiencing the joy of qualifying for the World Cup, the US football squad was stunned and saddened Tuesday after starting forward Charlie Davies was hurt in a fatal crash.

Davies, a 23-year-old striker who plays for the French club Sochaux, was in stable condition after undergoing extensive surgery Tuesday for injuries suffered in a one-vehicle accident, US Soccer Federation officials said.

The injuries were described as not life-threatening by team officials but it was not certain exactly what injuries Davies had suffered or whether or not they might jeopardize his career.

Police were investigating the circumstances around the 3:15 a.m. crash, in which there was a fatality, US Soccer officials said.

US Park Police identified the person killed as Ashley Roberta, 22, of Phoenix, Maryland, a Washington suburb. An officer who arrived on the scene of the crash said the vehicle had been ripped in half.

Officials said Davies was a passenger in the vehicle involved in the accident on a major highway in suburban Virginia.

Davies started and played the first 78 minutes in the American team’s 3-2 victory last Saturday at Costa Rica, assisting on the first US goal in a win that secured the US squad a berth in next year’s World Cup at South Africa.

The US squad will face Costa Rica on Wednesday at RFK Stadium in the US capital in the final North American regional World Cup qualifying match, with Costa Rica seeking a victory to secure a World Cup berth.

Davies was not missed immediately because a morning team breakfast was optional but US coach Bob Bradley gathered playrs in a small meeting room at their hotel to deliver the shocking news early Tuesday afternoon.

“Obviously as a team we’re saddened to learn this news,” Bradley said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Charlie and Charlie’s family and the other person in the car and the others involved.

“The team has asked that any other thoughts we have, to keep them with the guys. As a team, we are relying on each other in a moment that has for sure hit us all hard.”

Players were told in a team-only meeting but their reaction was the shock and sadness that might be expected, US Soccer spokesman Neil Buethe said.

“Obviously the players are very saddened by the situation and hope the Charlie has a quick recovery,” he said.

US teen forward Jozy Altidore, who replaced Davies in Saturday’s match, typed a series of frowning faces on his twitter page Tuesday afternoon and said, ‘I’m not tweeting anymore y’all. Just not feeling well.”

The US team’s resiliency faces a major off-field test after a qualifying year in which American fortitude has been impressive in the wake of challenges on the field.

Americans have three triumphs and a draw in the final-round qualifying matches where they have surrendered the first goal.

Speaking purely of on-field events, US all-time scoring leader Landon Donovan praised the attitude players have shown in handling setbacks from bad passes and missed tackles to surrendered goals and stinging defeats.

“You can’t always control what happens in the game but you can control how you react and that has been one of the big situations for us,” Donovan said. “That has been a big plus for us this qualifying cycle.”

Davies, a 2008 Olympian, has scored four goals in 17 matches for the US squad. He was first called up to the team in June of 2007 for a friendly against China after a solid showing with the Swedish club Hammarby.

WASHINGTON (AFP)

Tags: bob bradley, Charlie, China, coach bob, Costa Rica, early tuesday, fatal crash, federation officials, french club, landon donovan, Maryland, Neil Buethe, North American, park police, Phoenix, qualifying for the world cup, rfk stadium, Roberta, shocking news, small meeting room, soccer officials, South Africa, stable condition, suburban virginia, team officials, thoughts and prayers, U.S., us soccer federation, Virginia, Washington, washington suburb, world cup berth

All and nothing for U.S soccer fans

October 10, 2009

This weekend soccer fans in the United States will, as usual, be able to take their pick from scores of games, from all over the world, broadcast on television. The country has two soccer-only television channels – Fox Soccer Channel and Gol TV, as well as soccer providing sports networks such as ESPN and Setanta (still alive in North America) and of course Spanish language broadcasters keep the Hispanic communities well supplied with soccer from south of the border.

So, from Saturday’s World Cup qualifying games, the U.S. based fan with cable or satellite could pick from Bahrain v New Zealand, Russia v Germany, Portugal v Hungary, Mexico v El Salvador, Greece v Latvia etc etc. Add in pay-per-view internet providers such as Omnisport and you can catch plenty more games from Europe and South America.

There is one game you won’t be able to watch in America though — the United States’ penultimate World Cup qualifier away to Honduras on Saturday. If the U.S win they qualify for South Africa but amazingly the game is not available on television or (legally at least) on the internet.

The bizarre situation has come about due to the decision of the holders of the rights to Honduras’ home games to sell the U.S rights to a provider of closed circuit television. The result is that if you want to watch the game you will have to find a bar or a club that has paid the rights fee and has the closed circuit feed. (A list of those venues is here)

“We are certainly disappointed for our fans,” said U.S coach Bob Bradley, “We’re very fortunate that whenever we go anywhere there are passionate U.S. supporters wearing colors. Certainly the idea that this match is not on regular TV is disappointing for all of them, and we understand and feel badly about that.”

The players at training camp this week have been careful not to speak out too strongly about the situation — rightly or wrongly the affair doesn’t look good for the U.S Soccer Federation even though they don’t have control of the rights to away games. But the players must be hugely disappointed to be battling for qualification against a talented Honduran team knowing that just a tiny fraction of their fan base is able to watch them.

Some England fans have been up in arms about their team’s game in Ukraine only being available (for less than the price of two pints of flat London beer) on the internet. England have, of course, already qualified for the World Cup but can you imagine the outcry if that game was decisive and was not even viewable on the web?

Of course, if soccer had a stronger standing in the U.S, the television networks would have fought for the rights to the game and outbid the closed circuit operator and the problem wouldn’t have arisen.

While it is harsh to blame anyone in U.S soccer for an affair that is out of their control, the farcical situation is a reminder that for all the progress the sport has made in the country in the past decade there is still a long way to go before the game is truly mass market.

But is there not a question for FIFA here? Should the sports’ global governing body not have a ruling that World Cup games at least be available on easily accessible television? The only winners in this situation are a little known closed circuit tv provider – it can’t be good for the game.

In the meantime, for this reporter in Miami, a re-run of Burnley v Birmingham City is about to start on Setanta and I’ll have to find out if that Honduran social club, 30 minutes drive away, is definitely going to be showing the U.S game….

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