March 20, 2008 10:15 PM
U.S. qualifies for Beijing Olympics
In Nashville, Tenn., Freddy Adu scored twice on free kicks, and the United States earned an Olympic berth Thursday night by beating Canada 3-0 in the CONCACAF qualifying semifinals.
Sacha Klejstan also scored in a victory that gives the Americans their seventh berth in eight Olympics dating to 1980, with 2004 the lone miss in that stretch.
Honduras took the other berth in Beijing in the earlier semifinal in a 0-0 tie decided 6-5 on penalty kicks.
The Canadians missed qualifying for the Olympics again in a drought that stretches to 1984. They earned a spot in the semifinal by beating Guatemala 5-0 last weekend in Group B qualifying but had trouble generating any offense against the Americans.
The United States, which had allowed only one goal in Group A qualifying, took the first four shots with most of the Americans’ offense set up by fouls on Jozy Altidore.
Nikolas Ledgerwood tripped Altidore, and Adu scored on a free kick in the 27th minute for a 1-0 lead.
Goalie Joshua Wagenaar caught the ball on another free kick by Adu in the 42nd minute. But he couldn’t stop Adu on another free kick opportunity in the 47th minute, when Andrew Hainault was given a yellow card for a collision when he stuck out his leg and collided with Altidore’s knee.
Adu’s kick cleared a line of defenders and bent away from the goalie into the right corner of the goal for a 2-0 lead. He ran over to the end line and was smothered by his teammates in celebration.
Altidore picked up a yellow card in the 66th minute for tripping Dejan Jakovic. But a few seconds later, he gave the U.S. the chance at another goal as he dribbled the ball down the right side and passed to Adu in front of the goal only to see Adu’s kick go just wide.
Adu also set up the third goal with a long pass from midfield to Stuart Holden, and he passed over to Kljestan, who scored from just in front in the 78th minute.
U.S. coach Peter Nowak substituted in the 76th minute, pulling Altidore for Charlie Davies. Adu, the tournament’s leading scorer with four goals, went to the bench himself in the 82nd minute, replaced by Eddie Gaven.
Canada’s best scoring chance came on a pass by Will Johnson, who came in with three goals in this tournament, to Andrazes Ornoch.
But Ornoch’s header didn’t come close to the goal in the 68th minute. Tosaint Ricketts got around defender Jonathan Spector only to have Marvell Wynne clear the ball from him near the goal.
The U.S. improved to 4-2-1 against Canada in Olympic qualifying.
REPORT: BECKHAM HAS OPTION TO BUY MLS TEAM: David Beckham has an option to buy an MLS franchise when his five-year Los Angeles Galaxy contract expires after the 2011 season, according to a CBS 60 Minutes profile scheduled to air Sunday. Neither the league nor the Galaxy would comment.
AS EXPECTED: Beckham was recalled to the England soccer squad for its exhibition match against France next week, giving the former captain a chance to make his 100th appearance for the national team. Beckham's club team, the Galaxy, plays at Dick's Sporting Goods Park three days later.
RED BULLS DEVELOPING: South African midfielder Danleigh Borman, a first-round pick in the MLS supplemental draft, was among five players signed to developmental contracts by the New York Red Bulls on Thursday. Also signed were midfielder Kevin Mesa, goalkeepers Danny Cepero and Caleb Patterson-Sewell and defender John Gilkerson. Borman had seven goals and 16 assists in 83 games with the University of Rhode Island. Mesa, of New York, joined the team on a trial in January. He most recently was with the Red Bulls Under-20 squad. Cepero played at Penn and was drafted in last year’s supplemental draft. Patterson-Sewell spent last year with Cleveland of the United Soccer League’s Second Division.
Gilkerson was selected in the third round of this year’s supplemental draft.
CHIVAS RE-SIGNS AN FC ROCKY FAVORITE: Francisco Mendoza, Chivas USA’s career leader in games and minutes played, has signed a contract with the Major League Soccer team for the 2008 season. Terms were not announced. The 22-year-old midfielder has five goals and 12 assists in his three MLS seasons, all with Chivas USA. Mendoza and goalkeeper Brad Guzan are the only players from the original Chivas USA team who remain on the roster. I just love watching this talented little guy run around. Chivas USA also announced Thursday the signing of defender Eric Ebert, whose rights were acquired in a trade with the Houston Dynamo in exchange for the team’s natural first-round pick in next year’s supplemental draft. Ebert, 23, had 12 goals and five assists in 80 career games for the University of California.
(Sources: The Associated Press, Bloomberg News)
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