US comes back after early goal by Honduras

CHICAGO – A goal in the first five minutes of the U.S. Men’s National Team’s last contest against Costa Rica on June 3 was a dagger to the heart.

But an early deficit in its matchup against Honduras on Saturday sparked the relentlessly aggressive U.S. team and launched it to a 2-1 victory.

After giving up an early goal in its match against Honduras on June 6 at Soldier Field, the United States came back firing, keeping the ball in its attacking third for a good part of the second half and keeping the pressure on Honduras to force costly mistakes.

“The most important thing for us was the response of the team after giving up the first goal,” U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. “It showed a great deal about what these guys are all about. From that standpoint, it’s an important step for us as we keep on moving forward.”

After the first goal of the match, struck by Carlos Costly and assisted by Wilson Palacios of Honduras, the team immediately went on the offensive.

“It was a little bit of ‘Crap, here we go again,’” U.S. team captain Carlos Bocanegra said. “I think it was a good response by the team. We responded and showed fight.”

The United States kept up the attack, and after a handball by Mario Beata of Honduras in the U.S. box in the 42nd minute, the United States got on the scoreboard thanks to a penalty kick by Landon Donovan.

Bradley said Donovan’s contributions have been invaluable, and the team performs much better when he is active and constantly pushing the ball forward, as he did in the Honduras match.

The United States came out strong in the second half by keeping the pressure on and forcing the ball into its attacking third through grit and scrappy play. The efforts won the team a corner kick.

As the corner sailed past the Honduras line, U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey made an attempt at goal, sending the ball on a low dribble across the grass, feet from Honduran goalkeeper Noel Valladares. Amid the confusion and mass of bodies, Bocanegra, with a head-first dive, cemented the U.S. lead, thrusting the ball forward into the right corner of the net with a header.

“Clint did really well at the back post to just keep it alive,” Bocanegra said. “I was just there.”

However, the Hondurans showed some spirit as well, coming close to scoring on several occasions during the second half.

U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard proved to be too much for Honduras, though, as he prevented shots and directed his team’s defense toward the victory. His save in the 89th minute marked the last time the ball would enter his team’s defensive third via  Honduran attack.

The crowd of 55,647 – the second-largest ever for a U.S. team World Cup qualifier – was a sea of blue and white Honduran fans with red-wearing U.S. fans sprinkled among them. Despite the hostile, almost away-game setting, members of the U.S. team seemed unfazed and went about their business on the field.

Bradley admitted the climate might have disrupted some of the players but said his team has been taught to control only what it can control and leave outside factors out of the game.

“I’m sure it goes through some of the players’ heads,” Bradley said. “But, then again, it’s a packed stadium. It is what it is.”

The team was proud of its ability to bounce back after a tough loss in Costa Rica.
But, Bradley said the team needs to work on its play early in games and also on its road mentality.

“There is work to be done,” Bradley said. “There are things that need to get better.

“It’s very simple – you have to take care of your business at home, find ways to win some games away and know how in other moments to take a point away. We have to improve in terms of our mentality when we go away.”

Howard said the team is right where it needs to be in terms of its second-place position in its qualifying group standings. He said the team’s best soccer is still ahead as the it moves into the second half of the qualification schedule. However, he also said claiming the first position in the group is the team’s goal, and the players would not be pleased with themselves should they not take that spot.

“We’re still second, and we haven’t even yet reached our potential,” Howard said. “I’m happy, but not content.”