FIFAworldcup.com
The United States have shown they have the firepower to reach a fifth straight FIFA World Cup™ finals, but it is the last line of defence that continues to underscore the Americans' presence on the world stage.
Goalkeeper Kasey Keller produced a series of stunning second-half saves in the US' 3-0 defeat of Costa Rica in a CONCACAF qualifier on Saturday in a performance that elicited praise from team-mates convinced Keller is doing more than just saving goals.
"We're fortunate to have probably one of the top three goalies in the world, maybe the top," said US midfielder Landon Donovan.
Two minutes after the break, with the hosts 1-0 up, Keller deflected Jafet Soto's volley. After 55 minutes he parried a vicious drive by Carlos Hernandez as the home defence was caught in disarray.
Keller then performed heroics with a 60th-minute fingertip save from a Soto header by his left-hand post. "I don't know what we were doing," a bemused Donovan said afterwards.
"We were sleeping in the second half, and Kasey makes two, three, maybe four incredible saves. Costa Rica hit it and you think it's in. Being a forward, I think it's in. He was phenomenal - he kept us in the game."
Fantastic reactions
US coach Bruce Arena also praised Keller's performance. "I think his play in the early part of the second half was the difference in the match," he said. "His reactions on the line are fantastic.
"He's still every bit as quick as he was five years ago and I'm just happy that he has the opportunity to be our number one keeper. I know his aspirations are to play in a World Cup again, so, hopefully, we can make that happen."
Keller, 35, is in the mddle of a two-year contract at Borussia Moenchengladbach, joining the Bundesliga side after losing his place at Tottenham Hotspur to England goalkeeper Paul Robinson.
His 15-year career also includes spells at Millwall and Leicester City in England and Rayo Vallecano in Spain, and if his recent performances are anything to go by, he is following a long line of goalkeepers who improve as they age.
After four games in the final CONCACAF group, leaders Mexico have 10 points with the US on nine, followed by Guatemala, Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago all on four.
The US are away to strugglers Panama, who are bottom with two points, on Wednesday. The top three qualify directly for next year's finals.
Keller is now the US' No1 keeper following the international retirement of Brad Friedel last February and he has played in 80 internationals and kept clean sheets in 39 of them.
Two of those 80 matches were at France 98 against Germany (0-2) and Iran (1-2), but he had to watch from the sidelines as Friedel played in all five matches when the Americans reached the quarter-finals in 2002.
Now he is looking forward to another FIFA World Cup and believes the United States are heading in the right direction.
"Our game plan, at the very least, was to try to get four points out of these two games and if we do that we will put ourselves in a good situation.
"We're obviously going down to Panama to try to get three more points, but we'll take one if it comes down to that. But all that concerns me is making saves, I'm not bothered which ones end up on some highlight reel."
Donovan scored twice in the American's victory on Saturday and Brian McBride once. Costa Rica finished with 10 men after Douglas Sequeira was sent off in the last minute.
