Misfiring US struggle past ten-man T&T
By FIFAworldcup.com
The United States guaranteed themselves at least a fourth-place finish in the CONCACAF ‘Hexagonal’ despite struggling to dispatch Trinidad & Tobago 1-0 in Hartford. Brian McBride’s goal in the second minute proved the only difference between the two sides as T&T keeper Kelvin Jack put on a masterful display to keep the scoreline respectable.
The US wasted no time taking the lead, hitting the back of the net with only two minutes gone by way of some decidedly English-influenced approach work. Reading’s Bobby Convey roared down the left and pulled the ball across the goal box where it was met by Brian McBride of Fulham at full stretch at the near post.
Stunned by the early setback, the islanders looked to lose their composure as the half wore on. Just minutes after the opener, Oguchi Onyewu saw his attempt cleared desperately off the line with keeper Kelvin Jack well beaten.
Donovan nearly waltzed through on the quarter-hour mark after collecting a brilliant through ball from recently returned captain Claudio Reyna. Jack, though, was once more equal to the task.
In minute 30 Jack found himself scrambling after gifting the ball to Landon Donovan by way of a botched clearance. Thankfully for the visitors, he was able to dive away the LA Galaxy man’s tame try with little discomfort.
T&T managed to get themselves forward in the final ten minutes of the first half with Dwight Yorke the dangerman in attack. But caught out on the breakaway, they nearly conceded a second as Convey collected a through ball from Donovan only to pull his attempt woefully wide of the far post.
With five minutes to go before the interval things went from bad to worse for the visitors when Dennis Lawrence grabbed Donovan on his way to goal and was promptly given his marching orders by the Mexican referee.
Forced to play the entire second half a man down, the Trinidadians were unable to keep pace with their hosts. In the 55th minute, Onyewu rose highest in the box to force a wonder save out of Jack.
Seven minutes later, the lively Convey hammered a shot from 25 yards to force yet another fine save from the busy T&T net minder. Late sub Taylor Twellman put the ball in the back of the net in the dying moments, but the flag was up and the celebrations were cut short.
Jack managed to keep the Americans off the board for 88 minutes under a barrage of heavy pressure. But the single early goal was enough to see the Americans lay claim to the full three points as they finished with ten men after Convey picked up his second yellow.
The USA now have fifteen points and will face Mexico in their next match in September, while four-pointers T&T take on Guatemala looking to get their qualifying campaign back on track.
