By BRIAN LEWIS
So how was that for a resounding World Cup qualifying win, the U.S. putting a 6-1 beating on Cuba? That win _ symbolically in the nation’s capital, no less _ made the U.S. a perfect 4-0 in CONCACAF Group 1, and sent them on to next year’s final round.
DaMarcus Beasley had two goals and an assist, and looked like the Run DMB of old, before the knee injury.
“It was more of a ream effort; a lot of guys scored goals. All in all we had a good collective effort and it feels good going on to the next round,” Beasley said. “The pressure on them in the midfield caused them a lot of problems. We picked up a lot of loose balls; and being at home with the fans helped.”
Ok, it sure helped that an underdog Cuba team that’d already seen two players disappear picked up a 41st-minute red card; but the U.S. was on. Bob Bradley got to get his young bucks some time on the field together, and Jozy Altidore, Freddy Adu and debutante Jose Francisco Torres made it look good. Beasley put them up 2-1 at the half, but the U.S. worked that second-half man advantage. Landon Donovan had an active performance that’ll help his confidence; he scored in the 48th, followed by a Brian Ching tally that got the young kids in.
Torres and Altidore came on in the 68th, and the 18-year-old Altidore scored in the 87th, the ex-Red Bull taking a perfect through ball from Clint Dempsey and beating a defender in the box for his first qualifying goal.
Torres went out wide left, with Beasley actually playing left back. As a matter of fact, Bob Bradley went from a box midfield like the one he used with the MetroStars to a Christmas Tree formation more attack-minded than most U.S. fans ever thought they’d see him use.
Check this out:
———————–Altidore———————–
————–Donovan————Adu—————–
——–Torres———Bradley——–Dempsey——-
Beasley—-Bocanegra—-Onyewu——-Cherundolo
———————–Howard————————–
Now that is throwing caution to the wind. But that midfield held possession, and Torres _ the 20-year-old from Pachuca who could’ve played for Mexico or the U.S. _ looked more and more comfortable as the game went. He’s cap-tied now, and if this is any indication, should be a factor moving forward.
And, since I know you care, Mexico _ the team he spurned _ lost 1-0 to Jamaica tonight in qualifying action.