- Clint Dempsey
Scores First International Goal in His Sixth
Appearance for USA
- Loss Ends USA 14-Game Home Unbeaten
Streak Dating Back to 2003
- USA Heads to Utah on Monday for
Critical World Cup Qualifying Match on June 4 v. Costa
Rica
CHICAGO (May 28, 2005) – The U.S. fell behind by two
goals after 45 minutes before battling back with a
dominating second half, but could only find the back of
the net once as they fell to England 2-1 on Saturday
afternoon in front of 47,637 fans on a beautiful day at
Soldier Field in Chicago. U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey,
who battled through a physical English team all day,
scored the only goal for the United States, his first
with the full national team.
Midfielder Kieran
Richardson was the hero for England as he tallied both
goals, striking early on a free kick in the fourth
minute and then striking again just before halftime in
the 44th minute. The second half was a different story,
though, as the U.S. was able to control the majority of
the play, eventually out-shooting England 14-8
(including 9-3 in the second half), while scoring their
only goal off a free kick in the 79th minute.
"I
thought it was a good game,” said U.S. manager Bruce
Arena, who saw the U.S. lose a home game for the first
time in a span of 14 games dating back to 2003. “I was
pleased with our team's effort in the second half. Not
that it was a bad effort in the first half, but I think
the English team did an outstanding job for 45 minutes
in the first half with their concentration and their
ability to hang in on every play and make a difference.
Their two goals they scored were opportunistic and
intelligent plays. I told our guys at the end of the
game that players like Alan Smith and Joe Cole, you
appreciate them a lot more when you are on the field
with them and see the plays they pull off for their
team."
On the U.S. goal, midfielder Landon
Donovan curled in a free kick from the left sideline
where Carlos Bocanegra was able to slide in and get a
foot to it, but goalkeeper David James made a
reactionary save from four yards. The rebound, however,
popped in the air toward Dempsey at the right post where
he headed home for his first international
strike.
“It was a great experience," said Dempsey
following the game. "They have a lot of players in the
EPL and it was a good game for some of our players to
gauge where we were. We came out a little tentative, but
we had a lot of spurts of good play. We played well at
times and put them on their heels a little bit in the
second half trying to get the equalizer. It was a fun
game for us, but it was just a game to sharpen us up for
the qualifiers and that’s the most important thing right
now – qualifying for the World Cup.”
On the first
English goal, a foul by Eddie Pope on Andy Johnson set
up a dangerous English free kick from 20 yards in the
fourth minute of play. Earning his first cap for
England, Richardson stepped up to take the shot and
whistled it into the upper right corner, past the
outstretched hands of U.S goalkeeper Kasey
Keller.
The U.S. had two excellent chances to tie
the match following England’s opening goal, both
courtesy of Donovan. In the 20th minute, a Wes Brown
foul on Josh Wolff set up Donovan for a wicked free kick
from the left flank that beat ‘keeper David James and
slammed off the right post from 23 yards. Donovan’s
second attempt came in the 37th minute, with Josh Wolff
perfectly heading a nice ball from Steve Ralston into
his path in the penalty area, where the L.A. Galaxy
forward hit a shot screaming along the grass and just
wide of the right post.
Following those near
misses, it was Richardson’s turn again in the 44th
minute, as he nicely tucked a shot past Keller and into
the lower left corner of the goal after a crafty square
pass from Joe Cole found him running open into the left
side of the area. As he did when he was fouled on the
first goal, it was Andy Johnson’s pass that started the
attack into Cole.
The U.S. started off the second
half strong, getting into the attacking end early in the
half. U.S. defender Steve Cherundolo took the ball up
the right side as the half began, crossing a ball into
Dempsey, who went up for a header but was beaten to it
by the English defense. The ball hopped back out on the
play, where Greg Vanney ran on to it and unleashed a
shot that went just wide of the goal on the left
side.
In the 72nd minute, the U.S. earned a free
kick at the top of the English penalty area after Wolff
had been taken down. His ensuing free kick hit the wall
and ricocheted back to Wolff, whose second-chance shot
sailed high above the goal. Soon after that, Dempsey
would find the net for the U.S., allowing for a few
anxious moments at the end of the game as the U.S.
pushed for the equalizer.
"Overall a good
experience and I hope it was a good show for people in
the stands,” said Arena. “I think it was positive for
the game in this country to bring such a good team in
here and have a good game."
In the 91st minute, midfielder Clyde Simms entered
the match for his first international cap, capping off a
remarkable rise up the ladder of soccer in the United
States from the USL First Division to MLS to the U.S.
MNT over the past six months.
The U.S. team now
travels to Utah on Monday, where the U.S. will play host
for the second time in the final round of FIFA World Cup
qualifying, welcoming Costa Rica on June 4 in Salt Lake
City. Kickoff at Rice-Eccles Stadium is set for
5:30 p.m. MT, and will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and
delayed on Telemundo at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT. The match will
be followed by MLS expansion franchise Real Salt Lake
hosting FC Dallas at 8 p.m. in the second game of the
doubleheader. Four days later, the U.S. travels to face
Panama at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City.
Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. CT, and the match will be
broadcast via tape-delay on ESPN2 at 1 a.m. ET and on
Telemundo at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT.
--
U.S. Men’s National Team Game Report
--
Match-up: USA vs. England
Date:
May 28, 2005
Competition: International
Friendly
Venue: Soldier Field – Chicago,
Illinois
Kickoff: 2 p.m. CT
Attendance:
47,637
Weather: 53 degrees, cloudy
Scoring
Summary:
1 2
F
USA
0 1
1
England
2
0 2
Scoring:
ENG – Kieran
Richardson (unassisted)
4th minute.
ENG
– Kieran Richarson (Joe Cole)
44.
USA – Clint Dempsey (Carlos
Bocanegra)
79.
Lineups:
USA:
18-Kasey Keller (Capt.); 2-Steve Cherundolo, 23-Eddie
Pope (4-Carlos Bocanegra, 73), 12-Cory Gibbs, 21-Greg
Vanney; 14-Steve Ralston (15-Bobby Convey, 73), 2
5-Kerry Zavagnin, 2-Clint Dempsey (19-Clyde Simms, 91+);
10-Landon Donovan; 16-Josh Wolff, 20-Brian McBride
(11-Conor Casey, 81)
Subs not used: 1-Marcus
Hahnemann, 3-Gregg Berhalter, 8-Jonathan
Spector
Head Coach: Bruce
Arena
ENG: 1-David James; 2-Glen Johnson,
5-Wes Brown, 6-Sol Campbell (capt.) (15-Zat Knight, 46),
3-Ashley Cole (16-Jermain Defoe, 63); 7-Jermaine Jenas,
4-Michael Carrick, 11-Joe Cole, 8-Kieran Richardson
(14-Phil Neville, 59); 9-Alan Smith, 10-Andy Johnson
(12-Luke Young, 76)
Subs not used: 13-Robert
Green, 16-Jermain Defoe, 17-Peter Crouch, 22-Scott
Carson
Head Coach: Sven-Goran
Eriksson
Stats
Summary:
USA
ENG
Shots
14
8
Saves
2 3
Corner
Kicks
4
6
Fouls
5
19
Offside
3
6
Misconduct Summary:
USA –
Eddie Pope (caution) 31st
minute
ENG – Ashley Cole
(caution)
35.
Officials:
Referee:
Benito Archundia (MEX)
1st Asst.:
Pedro Rebollar Leon(MEX)
2nd
Asst.: Alejandro Cruz Rios
(MEX)
Fourth Official: Michael
Kennedy (USA)
ussoccer.com Man of the
Match: Josh Wolff |