U.S. plays Hondurdas in final tuneup for World Cup qualifier against Mexico
By PETE HERRERA, AP Sports Writer
March 18, 2005
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- Honduras is the next opponent, but the more pressing target for the U.S. men's soccer team is Mexico, which has never lost to the Americans on its home turf.
The United States gets its final tune up for the March 27 World Cup qualifying match against Mexico in Mexico City when it plays Honduras in an exhibition match Saturday.
The Americans have been training in Colorado Springs and its 7,400-foot elevation and hope that playing a competitive match in Albuquerque -- at an altitude of about 5,300 feet -- will further help get them acclimated for Mexico City.
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The United States is 0-21-1 in games played in Mexico.
``That's the sole reason we're here ... to prepare us for the altitude we're going to have in Mexico,'' team member Clint Mathis said Friday after the U.S. squad worked out in blustery wind and cool weather.
The United States is riding a 15-game unbeaten streak -- its last loss coming against the Netherlands in February 2004 -- and is coming off a 3-0 win over Colombia last week in California. The American roster for the exhibition matches has been comprised mostly of players from Major League Soccer and that will be the case again Saturday since the European-based members won't join the team until Sunday or Monday.
``We've been together as a full team just once since last October,'' U.S. coach Bruce Arena said. ``It's going to take us time in qualifying to really play well. We'll be a better team in (qualifying) games four and five than we will be in two or three.''
The match against Honduras, Arena said, will give some of the newest team members a chance to make the roster for Mexico City.
``We want to give the new players the opportunity to make an impression,'' Arena said. ``If there's some good showings (Saturday), those players will remain on the roster.''
Eddie Johnson is one of the newcomers to the national team who likely has already locked up a roster spot. The FC Dallas forward, who turns 21 on March 31, scored six goals in his first four games, including three as a substitute in a 6-0 rout of Panama.
Johnson went scoreless in last week's exhibition win over Colombia.
``I had good looks in the first half,'' Johnson said Friday. ``My job was to hold balls up and get the midfielders involved, but I had my chances.''
The United States beat Honduras 4-0 last June in an exhibition match in Foxboro, Mass.
``They're a good passing team, they're very athletic,'' Arena said. ``They like a short passing game, so we need to disrupt that.''
