This Time, the Home League Can Take Some Credit
As soon as Conor Casey resuscitated the United States late Saturday night — wielding a professional elbow one way, flicking his bald pate another way — my thoughts went back 20 years to another vital goal scored in a foreign land.
Paul Caligiuri’s goal in Port of Spain in 1989 was even more desperate than Casey’s goal because the U.S. absolutely had to have a victory over Trinidad and Tobago that final November day, in order to get to the 1990 World Cup in Italy. I was there. It was huge — a 25-yard cannonball swerving toward the keeper, out of the low afternoon sun.
Casey’s header Saturday night woke up the Americans and paved the way for a 3-2 victory at Honduras that qualified the Yanks for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Casey scored another goal, and then Landon Donovan scored on a free kick and the U.S. held on.
One way to look at the three American goals is that they were scored by players currently employed by Major League Soccer. Donovan plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy and Casey plays for Colorado.
At this point, it makes sense to launch into a sermonette about the benefits of staying home and playing in the improving and growing M.L.S., now taking root in downtown Seattle and Toronto and, next year, moving to a handsome soccer-only stadium in New Jersey, on the train line from Manhattan.
The M.L.S. is getting there. The evidence is that Donovan and Casey have not exactly rusted away going up against Columbus and Chivas and the rest.
Casey was game sharp. Anybody wearing a national jersey should be ready to travel down to a hostile stadium for a huge match, with a berth in the World Cup at stake. Donovan was cool under pressure, flicking a neat pass to Casey to set up the second goal, then burying the 23-yard free kick for the goal that would ultimately make the difference.
As it happens, Donovan and Casey have something in common with Caligiuri back in 1989. After Caligiuri let his missile fly that day, the moral was that the goal was straight from the Bundesliga. Caligiuri had been one of the first Americans to seek fame and fortune — well, maybe just employment — in a fast European league. He had to go somewhere. There was no major American league at the time.
After the match, Caligiuri said his German coaches had drilled players in the need to launch shots directly on goal. Can’t score if you don’t shoot. Make something happen. Caligiuri had upgraded his game overseas.
Donovan has had three separate tries in Germany, and Casey played there sporadically earlier in the decade. Now they are back home, playing their sport in a fast American league, while Jozy Altidore sits in Hull City and Oguchi Onyewu waits for his chances at AC Milan. And Freddy Adu ... ell, I rest my case. Travel can be broadening. Or it can be stifling.
The point is that two M.L.S. guys, who toughened up in Germany for a while, saved the U.S. from having to get a result against Costa Rica Wednesday night in Washington. Having been at the loss to Costa Rica out in California in 1985, which kept the Americans . from going to the 1986 World Cup, I was dusting off the omens for next Wednesday.
It is a different age, of course. In fits and starts, the U.S. is accumulating some experience, some moxie. The lads sleepwalked for the first half on Saturday, showed no sign of waking up. They let Honduras (and the referee) control the match. Typical World Cup qualifier on the road, with worrisome portent.
Then they asserted themselves. For the sixth straight time, the United States is going to the World Cup. This time on goals by two Americans who, for whatever reasons, stayed home.
As soon as Conor Casey resuscitated the United States late Saturday night — wielding a professional elbow one way, flicking his bald pate another way — my thoughts went back 20 years to another vital goal scored in a foreign land.
Paul Caligiuri’s goal in Port of Spain in 1989 was even more desperate than Casey’s goal because the U.S. absolutely had to have a victory over Trinidad and Tobago that final November day, in order to get to the 1990 World Cup in Italy. I was there. It was huge — a 25-yard cannonball swerving toward the keeper, out of the low afternoon sun.
Casey’s header Saturday night woke up the Americans and paved the way for a 3-2 victory at Honduras that qualified the Yanks for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Casey scored another goal, and then Landon Donovan scored on a free kick and the U.S. held on.
One way to look at the three American goals is that they were scored by players currently employed by Major League Soccer. Donovan plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy and Casey plays for Colorado.
At this point, it makes sense to launch into a sermonette about the benefits of staying home and playing in the improving and growing M.L.S., now taking root in downtown Seattle and Toronto and, next year, moving to a handsome soccer-only stadium in New Jersey, on the train line from Manhattan.
The M.L.S. is getting there. The evidence is that Donovan and Casey have not exactly rusted away going up against Columbus and Chivas and the rest.
Casey was game sharp. Anybody wearing a national jersey should be ready to travel down to a hostile stadium for a huge match, with a berth in the World Cup at stake. Donovan was cool under pressure, flicking a neat pass to Casey to set up the second goal, then burying the 23-yard free kick for the goal that would ultimately make the difference.
As it happens, Donovan and Casey have something in common with Caligiuri back in 1989. After Caligiuri let his missile fly that day, the moral was that the goal was straight from the Bundesliga. Caligiuri had been one of the first Americans to seek fame and fortune — well, maybe just employment — in a fast European league. He had to go somewhere. There was no major American league at the time.
After the match, Caligiuri said his German coaches had drilled players in the need to launch shots directly on goal. Can’t score if you don’t shoot. Make something happen. Caligiuri had upgraded his game overseas.
Donovan has had three separate tries in Germany, and Casey played there sporadically earlier in the decade. Now they are back home, playing their sport in a fast American league, while Jozy Altidore sits in Hull City and Oguchi Onyewu waits for his chances at AC Milan. And Freddy Adu ... ell, I rest my case. Travel can be broadening. Or it can be stifling.
The point is that two M.L.S. guys, who toughened up in Germany for a while, saved the U.S. from having to get a result against Costa Rica Wednesday night in Washington. Having been at the loss to Costa Rica out in California in 1985, which kept the Americans . from going to the 1986 World Cup, I was dusting off the omens for next Wednesday.
It is a different age, of course. In fits and starts, the U.S. is accumulating some experience, some moxie. The lads sleepwalked for the first half on Saturday, showed no sign of waking up. They let Honduras (and the referee) control the match. Typical World Cup qualifier on the road, with worrisome portent.
Then they asserted themselves. For the sixth straight time, the United States is going to the World Cup. This time on goals by two Americans who, for whatever reasons, stayed home.
Source: New York Times
