US/Guatemala last night.

[Funnymantrip]

If Johnson would have made that bicycle kick I think that stadium would have exploded. Happy about the 2-0 win and the 3 points. It would have been better if the US was more effective around the 18 yard box. They seemed to break well last night, but time after time on the push they would get around the box and do nothing with the touches. Those opportunities you have to put shots on goal or at least have some good attempts.

[Wetterhorn]

I thought the US played well. They shut down Guatemala completely. How many good scoring chances did Guatemala have - maybe one?

I also thought the officiating was the closet thing to anarchy I have seen in a long while. Calls that were pretty obvious were not called (I was yelling for a hand ball in the box when it happened and the replay indicated I was correct) and many tackles from behind that I thought should have resulted in yellow cards.

Still, a nice victory for the US team. They are sitting pretty in terms of qualifying for Germany!

[Funnymantrip]

Officiating was horrible, I agree. Then they gave out the garbage card at the end against the US. That handball was pretty obvious indeed. You had a feeling the US would get that 2nd goal. The US did hold Ruiz pretty much in check all night. They might just have to stick to the 2 forwards, they got out and ran last night.

[Wetterhorn]

I agree - two forwards makes the US more dangerous and keeps them on the attack much more than the one forward concept. I think a good offense is the best defense - if a team possesses the ball and is creating chances for themselves it seems the other team tends to back off, thus making it easier to play defense.

Guatemala is going to have a tough go of it in attempting to qualify for Germany. They just are not that good.

It was a great result to see Mexico and Panama draw. The US can still win the group!

[Funnymantrip]

As long as they stay in that top 3 I am happy. As long as they don't get the group of death in december I will be estatic.