June 28, 2007 9:06 PM
Argentina humbles young U.S. team
By Joshua Goodman
Associated Press
MARACAIBO, Venezuela — Missing most of its top players, the United States got spanked in its Copa America opener.
Hernan Crespo scored twice, Pablo Aimar and Carlos Tevez added late goals and Argentina routed a youthful United States team 4-1 Thursday night in South America’s championship.
Eddie Johnson put the U.S. ahead with a penalty kick in the ninth minute, but Crespo scored in the 11th and 64th minutes for fifth-ranked Argentina, which increasingly outplayed the Americans as the game progressed. Aimar connected in the 78th minute, and Tevez scored in the 85th, just after entering the game.
The loss was the first for the United States since a 2-1 defeat to Ghana on June 22 last year in Germany, which eliminated the Americans from the World Cup. They had been 10-0-1 under Bob Bradley, who coached his first road game since replacing Bruce Arena as coach late last year.
Kasey Keller made his 101st international appearance, moving ahead of Tony Meola for the record among U.S. goalkeepers, but he was overwhelmed in the second half as his defense tired.
On Monday, the U.S. team plays Paraguay, which routed Colombia 5-0 in the opener of the doubleheader. The Colombians face Argentina.
The United States shocked Argentina 3-0 in the first round of the 1995 Copa America in Uruguay, but the Albiceleste already was assured of advancing and left many regulars out of its starting lineup.
This time, with former Argentine great Diego Maradona looking on in a national team jersey, Argentina fielded a full-strength lineup filled with stars from the world’s top clubs.
Defender Jonathan Bornstein and midfielder Benny Feilhaber were the only holdovers from the U.S. starting lineup Sunday, when the Americans beat Mexico 2-1 in Chicago to win their second straight CONCACAF Gold Cup. Instead, the 13th-ranked Americans fielded a youthful side that included six starters with 10 international appearances or fewer.
Among them were Marvell Wynne and Rapids midfielder Herculez Gomez, who made their national team debuts. Gomez replaced Taylor Twellman in the 69th minute.
Kyle Beckerman, another Rapids midfielder, also entered the game as a substitute in the second half.
Feilhaber, who had a spectacular winning goal against Mexico, created the play that led to the opening goal. Feilhaber split the defense with a pass half the length of the field in the seventh minute, and Johnson ran onto the ball for a breakaway on goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri.
Johnson was knocked down from behind by Gabriel Milito, and Chilean referee Carlos Candia didn’t hesitate to call the penalty.
Johnson slotted the ball to the right post, with Abbondanzieri breaking the other way, for his 11th goal in 27 international appearances.
Argentina didn’t waste any time in getting the equalizer. Juan Roman Riquelme took a free kick from about 35 yards out. The ball bounced through the defense, and Gabriel Heinze got to it ahead of Keller. The ball went to Crespo, who put it in the open net.
Argentina didn’t have another good scoring chance until the 43rd minute, when Keller leaped and with his right hand tipped Juan Sebastian Veron’s blistering right-footed shot from about 20 yards off the crossbar.
Crespo scored his second goal off a pass from Messi, speeding unmarked into the penalty area and beating Keller from 8 yards.
Aimar scored on a header from 12 yards off a cross from Heinze, who bent the ball back from near the corner. Tevez then collected a through ball from Riquelme on a failed offside trap, touched it ahead to himself and slotted the ball just inside the post to Keller’s right.
Americans Kyle Beckerman, from left, Justin Mapp, Marvell Wynne and Herculez Gomez leave the field after losing 4-1 against Argentina during a Copa America Group C game on Thursday in Maracaibo, Venezuela. (NATACHA PISARENKO/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
ARGENTINA 4, UNITED STATES 1
First half—1, United States, Johnson 1, 9th minute (penalty kick). 2, Argentina, Crespo 1 (Heinze), 11th minute.
Second half—3, Argentina, Crespo 2 (Messi), 64th minute. 4, Argentina, Aimar 1 (Heinze), 78th minute. 4, Argentina, Tevez 1 (Riquelme), 85th minute.
Yellow Cards—Malito, Arg, 58th; Bornstein, US, 73rd. Red Cards—None.
Referee—Carlos Candia, Chile. Linesmen—Rodrigo Gonzalez, Chile; Luis Avila, Peru.
A—40,000.
Argentina—Roberto Abbondanzieri; Javier Zanetti, Roberto Ayala, Gabriel Milito, Gabriel Heinze; Juan Sebastian Veron, Javier Mascherano, Esteban Cambiasso (Pablo Aimar, 58th); Juan Roman Riquelme; Lionel Messi (Carlos Tevez, 79th), Hernan Crespo
United States—Kasey Keller; Jonathan Bornstein, Jimmy Conrad, Jay DeMerit, Marvell Wynne Jr.; Ben Olsen (Eddie Gaven, 62nd), Benny Feilhaber, Justin Mapp, Ricardo Clark (Kyle Beckerman, 79th); Eddie Johnson, Taylor Twellman (Herculez Gomez, 69th)
June 29, 2007
7:26 AM
Carlo writes:
Hi george, what I said about Crespo yesterday?
The boy is on fire....
I saw just only first half (cause in Italy was 3 am, a little bit late..) and argentina hadn't a good play on lane 'cause had 4 central midfilder. but give 1centimeter to crespo and he well punish you, is one of the greatest world striker now.
And play for Inter!
REPLY FROM GEORGE
you totally called it, carlo! i was ready to run some USA smack, but then i thought better of it. good thing, too. the u.s. was humbled. i know beckerman and herculez probably didn't feel good about the game on thursday, but any time you can represent your country, it's an honor. we're proud of them despite the score. now i hope they get a chance to lay the heavy lumber to paraguay and colombia.