Crucial Cup qualifier for U.S. men
A high-wire act will play in San Jose on Friday night.
In what are expected to be wet and rainy conditions, the U.S. men’s national soccer team will attempt to beat Honduras in a World Cup qualifier at Avaya Stadium. The game is essentially a must win for the Americans, who dwell in last place in the CONCACAF six-nation qualifying bracket for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The host Americans should beat Honduras, which sits in fourth place. That doesn’t mean they will.
“You never know what can happen in this game,” said Landon Donovan. “That’s the problem with qualifying. When you dig a hole like this, there’s no room for error.”
Donovan, who retired in 2014 (except for a brief unretirement last season) will be in the television booth doing color commentary on the broadcast. If he wasn’t, you might half expect him to be in the United States’ starting 11.
The U.S. team has a “back to the future” feel to it, with Bruce Arena coaching, DaMarcus Beasley and Tim Howard on the roster and a throwback feeling of desperation.
This isn’t where anyone expected American soccer to be in 2017, 15 years after Donovan, Beasley, Howard and Arena accomplished more than any previous iteration of the national team had, reaching the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup in Seoul.
“I am surprised,” Donovan said of the state in which the men’s team finds itself. “What surprises me is we don’t seem — in the last five or six years — to have progressed a lot. That’s concerning. In the past
you could blame a lack of resources or that not enough people cared. Now we have everything we need.
“We should be further along.”
Donovan, still the most famous male soccer player in American history, was cut unceremoniously by Jurgen Klinsmann prior to the 2014 World Cup. But he said he’s long beyond any bitterness. And he doesn’t solely blame Klinsmann, who was fired in November after an 0-2 record in the first two qualifying games, for the current situation.
But he does think that making Klinsmann both technical director and head coach was a mistake by the U.S. Soccer Federation.
“Jurgen couldn’t have a long-term vision while trying to get results,” Donovan said.
Player development remains suspect, which is why Arena — who has no time for development — has called in so many tried-and-true veterans. Those include Howard, Beasley and Clint Dempsey, who hasn’t played since last summer because of an irregular heartbeat and who played his first games as a national team player under Arena 12 years ago.
“I marvel at the veteran players that are still here that I had so many years ago,” Arena said. “At their desire to be part of this group, the leadership role they naturally take . ... I’m very impressed with the group. Their maturity, their spirits and their ability.”
Arena said Thursday that he knows who will start Friday. But he has been handcuffed in his selections by injuries and suspensions. Defenders DeAndre Yedlin and Eric Lichaj are out, as are midfielder Fabian Johnson and forward Bobby Wood. Midfielder Jermaine Jones is suspended, and goalkeeper Brad Guzan took paternity leave.
What happens next for U.S. Soccer and its development remains a question, but no one is operating for the long term right now. There is the Friday game against Honduras, a game in Panama on Tuesday, and then six more games, including one in Mexico City in June.
Many — like Donovan, who played for Arena both with the national team and the Los Angeles Galaxy — believe Arena was the only logical choice to come into an emergency repair situation.
“No one is better qualified,” Donovan said, making an unintentional pun, “than Bruce.”
“Bruce is not here to change the culture of U.S. Soccer,” Donovan said. “He’s here to get the United States qualified. He knows that.
“He gives you a level of comfort and confidence. His confidence and laid-back attitude is what you need in a very high-pressure situation. With a more intense coach, every player would feel it. But players are excited. And I haven’t heard that in a long time.”
Arena, who didn’t have access to his full team until Monday, describes the group as enthusiastic and eager to get going.
“We’re determined, we know what it takes, we’ve been through this before,” Howard said. “It’s a roller coaster. We’re unfazed. We’ve seen it all.
“This will be another great story to tell come October.”
The Americans, both in uniform and in the audience, hope their wise 38-year old goalkeeper is correct.
“We can’t afford,” said Donovan, “to take a step back.”