Darlington Nagbe escaping two defenders (Photo by Charlotte Thomas)
Thanks to goals by center back Omar Gonzalez and right back Eric Lichaj, The United States advanced to the semifinals after a 2-0 victory over El Salvador. The game was full of stoppages. Petty fouls and over-acted injuries slowed down a potentially high-tempo game to a crawl. But the US didn’t mind. With height superiority it was a matter of time until they struck from a free-kick in the 41st minute. It wasn’t long after for the US to double the lead. Eric Lichaj’s long mosey forward was rewarded when Clint Dempsey found the defender, who took 2 touches to put the ball between Derby Carrillo’s legs and into the net.
Both teams came out pressuring quick, forcing long balls from the back whenever possible. The pressure nearly paid off for El Salvador in the 3rd minute after a loose back-pass from Eric Lichaj. Nelson Bonilla picked up the pass, and proceeded through on net, with just Tim Howard to beat. The forward opted to round the keeper, who, while looking out of position, used his wily senses to drop his left arm and swat the ball off the feet of the attacker. Had the USA not had the presence of Howard, El Salvador would be up early on in the game.
Jozy Altidore used his large frame well to earn a chance in the 16th minute, but his shot on goal didn’t have the power to trouble Carrillo, who went down well and held on to the shot.
Clint Dempsey showed his strength in the 19th minute to earn himself a good chance, but like Altidore it didn’t have the power, or the location to trouble Carrillo. Paul Arriola did well to get to the byline and put in a low cross for Dempsey, who displayed great strength to hold off his defender, settle the ball, and hit a shot. But he couldn’t find the placement and the ball rolled straight into Carrillo’s hands.
The USA opened the scoring in the 41st minute off a perfectly delivered set piece. A needless foul gave Michael Bradley the chance to float one right on top of the 6, and Omar Gonzalez just had to get a slight flick to put the ball past Carrillo in net. There isn’t much El Salvador could have done defensively, as the ball was perfect and Gonzalez met the header perfectly. The foul was the biggest let down for El Salvador. Bryan Tamacas bundled into Gyasi Zardes, taking down the winger in a situation where Zardes was facing his own net, and low on options. The better play would have been to force the play backwards and settle back into position.
Bradley surveying the field (Photo by Charlotte Thomas)
The US doubled the lad through Eric Lichaj shortly before half. The unlikely scorer won the ball in the midfield third and barged forward, releasing the ball to Nagbe in the middle of the park. The play developed to Clint Dempsey, who, with a nifty touch, turned inside his marker and found the continuing run of LIchaj. The right back took a touch in the box and hit a left-footed shot, slotting between Carrillo’s legs.
At the half the US led 2-0, but easily could be in a worse situation. El Salvador started strong but finished weak, giving up a needless foul and failing to mark the right back as he marauded forward.
El Salvador picked up the pace in the second half. In the 52nd minute Nelson Bonilla nearly pulled a goal back, but pulled his shot just wide. He was given far too much room to run down the heart of the US midfield, and he took full advantage, driving to the US box and hitting a hard shot that just went wide.
El Salvador wasted a golden chance in the 58th minute from a bit of overplaying the ball. Justin Morrow misjudged a long ball, setting Bonilla loose on net. The forward played it wide to his counterpart, Rodolfo Zelaya, who, instead of shooting for goal, cut back a few too many times and attempted a back-heel, which was then cut out by Lichaj, falling to Howard’s arms.
Carrillo was strong all tournament for El Salvador (Photo by Charlotte Thomas)
El Salvador once again wasted a chance in the 64th minute, when a cross unexpectedly fell to Denis Pineda. The winger thought the ball would have been cleared before it came to him, and his resulting shot on the half-volley popped over the net from 6 yards out.
El Salvador came close again, but failed to hit a shot in the 73rd minute. A ball played in for Bonilla was met first by Tim Howard, with the keeper narrowly beating the forward to it. After bouncing around the US finally cleared, as El Salvador once again got in the box with a good opportunity but failed to make anything happen.
The second half was one of failed opportunities for El Salvador. The forwards got into dangerous areas with the ball, but failed to register shots from these areas, and instead the play overdeveloped, leading to loss of possession. The two forwards, Bonilla and Zelaya, were dangerous on the turn, but in the box lacked a finished product. El Salvador could have certainly used a 3rd forward who had that finishing touch.
