2008 Woodie Awards
US soccer has mixed results on world stage
Men play world's top team to draw
Hart Holloman
Issue date: 6/11/08 Section: Sports
The US Men's National Team just wrapped up a stretch of friendly matches against some of the top teams in the world, in preparation for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers later this summer.
The first match pitted the Nats against old rival England in new Wembley Stadium in London on May 28. Next, the team headed south to Santander, Spain to take on the "Red Fury" in their final tune up before Euro 2008.
The Eagles capped off the stretch with a home match in New Jersey against FIFA's No. 1 ranked team in the world, Argentina. The Giants Stadium's crowd of over 77,000, a record for a men's national team game in the US, saw goalie Tim Howard put on a clinic and powered the team to a well fought draw.
When these matches were set earlier this year, the England match seemed to be the best chance for the MNT to get a result. England had been eliminated from the European championships, missing their first major international tournament since the 1994 World Cup.
The US came into the match riding high after a 3-0 win against a tough Poland team, but learned on the eve of the match that they would be without the services of talismanic forward Landon Donovan, who was poised to earn his 100th cap, due to a groin injury.
Liverpool superstar Steven Gerrard orchestrated the English offense as he put David Beckham and Jermain Defoe through on goal only to see the chances wasted. It would be a recurring theme for Defoe as he frustratingly squandered chance after chance in front of the goal all night long.
Predictably so, England made the breakthrough in the 38th minute through a Beckham free kick. He sent in the cross from the right flank and picked out the head of captain John Terry who sent it just past the outstretched hand of the diving Tim Howard.
After halftime, the U.S. came out with a bit more attacking verve and Eddie Johnson came close when he sent Heath Pearce a cross screaming past the post off his left foot. It would prove to be the best chance of the match for the US.
The first match pitted the Nats against old rival England in new Wembley Stadium in London on May 28. Next, the team headed south to Santander, Spain to take on the "Red Fury" in their final tune up before Euro 2008.
The Eagles capped off the stretch with a home match in New Jersey against FIFA's No. 1 ranked team in the world, Argentina. The Giants Stadium's crowd of over 77,000, a record for a men's national team game in the US, saw goalie Tim Howard put on a clinic and powered the team to a well fought draw.
When these matches were set earlier this year, the England match seemed to be the best chance for the MNT to get a result. England had been eliminated from the European championships, missing their first major international tournament since the 1994 World Cup.
The US came into the match riding high after a 3-0 win against a tough Poland team, but learned on the eve of the match that they would be without the services of talismanic forward Landon Donovan, who was poised to earn his 100th cap, due to a groin injury.
Liverpool superstar Steven Gerrard orchestrated the English offense as he put David Beckham and Jermain Defoe through on goal only to see the chances wasted. It would be a recurring theme for Defoe as he frustratingly squandered chance after chance in front of the goal all night long.
Predictably so, England made the breakthrough in the 38th minute through a Beckham free kick. He sent in the cross from the right flank and picked out the head of captain John Terry who sent it just past the outstretched hand of the diving Tim Howard.
After halftime, the U.S. came out with a bit more attacking verve and Eddie Johnson came close when he sent Heath Pearce a cross screaming past the post off his left foot. It would prove to be the best chance of the match for the US.
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