21:11
Walker Zimmerman speaks: “Every single goal counts. We weren’t happy with conceding late.”
Other than that, he’s pretty happy, as most people associated with the US team would be and should be.
See you Wednesday night, when the USA would be maybe 99% certain of sealing its World Cup berth.
21:06
21:01
Berhalter speaks about Pulisic: “He’s part of the leadership council of our team. I think more important is that Christian has been through it before.”
This is someone who wants a nap. Can’t blame him. Surely the adrenaline is fading fast.
20:59
FULL TIME: USA 5-1 Panama
To say they did what they had to do would be an understatement. Facing a team that beat them 1-0 in October, the US men weathered multiple storms and converted almost every significant chance for a 5-1 win. Only an utter catastrophe — to be precise, a loss by six or more goals — in Costa Rica would keep the team from a trip to Qatar.
And still, Gregg Berhalter is lecturing the referee. Maybe he wants to miss the final game of qualification?
20:55
90 min +1: Panama continues to press, hoping to prolong their World Cup qualification campaign by scoring five goals in two minutes.
20:53
88 min: Torres walks over and bumps into Reyna right in front of the referee, who very sternly says he can only do that 20 more times before a yellow card is produced. Concacaf. (In fairness, the referee’s advantage play on the second US goal was outstanding. And I surely make worse calls every week involving 9-year-olds.)
20:50
GOAL! USA 5-1 Panama (Godoy 86)
Clean header off a good free kick resulting from the Long foul.
It’s only fair. Steffen and the defense didn’t play well enough to earn the clean sheet.
So the goal difference edge heading into Costa Rica will be just slightly less.
20:49
84 min: Quick look ahead — Mexico’s final game will be at home against El Salvador. Assuming they hang on against Honduras, the chances that they’ll drop out of the top three are minimal.
Costa Rica might want to start scouting New Zealand. Or the Solomon Islands.
Aaron Long picks up a yellow card for some rough defending.
20:44
80 min: US Soccer would like your vote for Man of the Match …
U.S. Soccer MNT
(@USMNT)MAN OF THE MATCH VOTING IS LIVE!!!!
🇺🇸 @Antonee_Jedi
🇺🇸 @cpulisic_10
🇺🇸 @delatorrelucaVote in the U.S. Soccer App below! ⤵️
Somewhere, someone is compiling passing stats, expected goals and clearances to make a case for someone other than Pulisic.
20:42
78 min: Ferreira could have a hat trick of his own if he had been a little more alert on a couple of possessions. Or if he really had taken one of those penalties. Good work from the youngster.
20:40
76 min: Finally, a piece of bad but likely irrelevant news:
Maximiliano Bretos
(@MaxBretosSports)Goal Mexico 🇲🇽. Fanatic header by Edson Alvarez. 0-1 .
20:39
75 min: Reference of the night …
Matthew Tomaszewicz
(@shinguardian)Pulisic exiting the game like Swayze in Roadhouse after the bar brawl.
20:36
70 min: There it is. Jordan Morris replaces the brilliant Christian Pulisic, who hands the armband to Tyler Adams. Then Adams is substituted as well.
Officially, US Soccer is saying it’s Gianluca Busio for Pulisic, with Morris replacing Adams.
20:33
69 min: Yellow card to Pulisic, who hit the ground and instinctively grabbed the ball as if expecting a whistle.
Probably time to take him out.
This is the insight for which I make the big bucks.
20:30
GOAL! USA 5-0 Panama (Pulisic 65)
FOX Soccer
(@FOXSoccer)I mean come on, @cpulisic_10 🤯🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ya9rstTtJg
Clinical, wondrous, composed. The buildup from Antonee Robinson and De La Torre on the left is good enough. The pivot and nutmeg from Pulisic puts him alone 10 yards out, and he slots it into the net for his hat trick.
Updated
20:28
63 min: Aaron Long, a mainstay before an Achilles injury, is getting ready to come in.
Looking ahead, here’s my suggested lineup for the Costa Rica game: Horvath, Moore, Robinson, Robinson, Zimmerman, Long, Bello, Sands, Palmer-Brown, Yedlin, Adams. That’s a goalkeeper, nine defenders and a midfielder who can defend.
20:25
61 min: Oh, that is a beautiful pass from Reyna and a squandered chance from Ferreira. You could also look at it as De La Torre passing to an off-balance forward when he should’ve shot.
20:22
57 min: Reyna leads a promising charge up the center of the field, and Pulisic sends a pass along the ground to one post. The ensuing cross is cleared, but Shaq Moore presses forward and is fouled. Good game for the last-minute call-in.
20:21
Meanwhile, in Honduras … it’s still tied.
Beleaguered Mexico coach Tata Martino isn’t there because of an eye ailment.
20:19
55 min: Still nervous moments for the US defense. Well, they would be, if they hadn’t already scored four goals.
But they don’t want to squander what they’ve built here. Nothing can be taken for granted in Costa Rica.
20:17
53 min: CHANCE for Panama, and Tyler Adams has saved a goal, blocking a shot from the top of the box after Steffen and Zimmerman’s miscommunication.
I’ll say it again — Steffen needs to come out.
20:16
51 min: Gabriel Torres is close to 100 caps. According to transfermarkt, this is No. 99. He has 22 goals. His transfer history includes a stop at Colorado and maybe 400 other clubs.
Panama has the better of the attack now.
20:13
48 min: Good buildup for Panama, but the resulting shot is calmly blocked.
Anyway — Reyna and Kellyn Acosta are in, replacing Arriola and Musah.
For Panama — Medina, Rodriguez and Torres are in, replacing Barcenas, Gondola and Blackburn.
20:11
Second-half subs …
A lot. Reyna is on, but it’s Gio Reyna, not his long-retired father. He drags a shot wide on one of his first touches.
20:05
Scott Bassett writes: “I know USA! USA! USA! is leading by three goals (and a penalty on the way) but they look incredibly open and wobbly. Like they need Reyna on the field. Claudio Reyna, that is, to put his foot on the ball and calm things down.”
Costly giveaway in 2006, though.
20:03
19:58
Not to take anything for granted from a USA point of view, but if you’re Costa Rica right now, are you thinking you have a better chance of overtaking Mexico instead of the soon-to-be-visiting USians? If Mexico can only get a draw tonight, they’d be on 23 to Costa Rica’s 22.
19:53
HALFTIME: USA 4-0 Panama
Not the USA’s best half of play. They lead 4-0. Sometimes, it’s just going your way. And the goals were all well-taken.
19:52
45 min +5: Pulisic gets shoved, comes back with a shove of his own, and then someone drills the ball in Pulisic’s direction, though it hits De La Torre instead. Pulisic goes ballistic, but his teammates show remarkable unity in throwing their star player away from a messy situation.
19:49
45 min +2: PENALTY! Just after referee Ivan Barton let Panama get away with just a warning after another brutal foul against Pulisic, he gives a questionable penalty on some contact in the area. Barton gives at least one yellow and could easily give another for dissent.
19:47
45 min +1: Panama’s corner kick fizzles, and Pulisic quickly brings it forward and plays ahead to Antonee Robinson, who gets control of the ball with a step on the defense but is ultimately caught at the edge of the area.
19:46
45 min: Finally, a lull.
keith costigan
(@KeithCostigan)Might be a controversial opinion……but #USMNT haven’t played that well for me. And yes I know they are 3-0 up. So much more there if they up there tempo
I only disagree with the typo. But they’ve taken advantage of their opportunities, and that’s never to be taken for granted.
19:43
42 min: BICYCLE ATTEMPT by Ferreira in the middle of the box. Sends it well over the bar, but it was worth a try.
19:42
41 min: Pulisic turns it over in a dangerous spot, and a few passes lead to a shot from Godoy, who sends it just wide. Flag was up for offside, anyway, but the defense just looks far too uneasy here.
Good thing the USA has already, you know, scored three goals.
19:40
40 min: A cleaner catch this time for Steffen.
From the record books:
Paul Carr
(@PaulCarr)The #USMNT is the first team to score three times in the first 27 minutes of any Hex/Ocho game. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
9.22pm EDT 21:22 And here’s Tom Dart’s match report from tonight’s game: 9.11pm EDT 21:11 Walker Zimmerman speaks: “Every single goal counts. We weren’t happy with conceding late.” Other than that, he’s pretty happy, as most people associated with the US team would be and should be. See you Wednesday night, when the USA would be maybe 99% certain of sealing its World Cup berth. 9.06pm EDT 21:06 Fox goes to break by playing Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA, the perpetually misunderstood litany of this country’s difficulties. Another option: Van Halen’s Panama? 9.01pm EDT 21:01 Berhalter speaks about Pulisic: “He’s part of the leadership council of our team. I think more important is that Christian has been through it before.” This is someone who wants a nap. Can’t blame him. Surely the adrenaline is fading fast. 8.59pm EDT 20:59 FULL TIME: USA 5-1 Panama To say they did what they had to do would be an understatement. Facing a team that beat them 1-0 in October, the US men weathered multiple storms and converted almost every significant chance for a 5-1 win. Only an utter catastrophe — to be precise, a loss by six or more goals — in Costa Rica would keep the team from a trip to Qatar. And still, Gregg Berhalter is lecturing the referee. Maybe he wants to miss the final game of qualification? 8.55pm EDT 20:55 90 min +1: Panama continues to press, hoping to prolong their World Cup qualification campaign by scoring five goals in two minutes. 8.54pm EDT 20:54 90 min: A soccer game is still taking place. 8.53pm EDT 20:53 88 min: Torres walks over and bumps into Reyna right in front of the referee, who very sternly says he can only do that 20 more times before a yellow card is produced. Concacaf. (In fairness, the referee’s advantage play on the second US goal was outstanding. And I surely make worse calls every week involving 9-year-olds.) 8.50pm EDT 20:50 GOAL! USA 5-1 Panama (Godoy 86) Clean header off a good free kick resulting from the Long foul. It’s only fair. Steffen and the defense didn’t play well enough to earn the clean sheet. So the goal difference edge heading into Costa Rica will be just slightly less. 8.49pm EDT 20:49 84 min: Quick look ahead — Mexico’s final game will be at home against El Salvador. Assuming they hang on against Honduras, the chances that they’ll drop out of the top three are minimal. Costa Rica might want to start scouting New Zealand. Or the Solomon Islands. Aaron Long picks up a yellow card for some rough defending. 8.44pm EDT 20:44 80 min: US Soccer would like your vote for Man of the Match … U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) MAN OF THE MATCH VOTING IS LIVE!!!!🇺🇸 @Antonee_Jedi🇺🇸 @cpulisic_10🇺🇸 @delatorrelucaVote in the U.S. Soccer App below! ⤵️ March 28, 2022 Somewhere, someone is compiling passing stats, expected goals and clearances to make a case for someone other than Pulisic. 8.42pm EDT 20:42 78 min: Ferreira could have a hat trick of his own if he had been a little more alert on a couple of possessions. Or if he really had taken one of those penalties. Good work from the youngster. 8.40pm EDT 20:40 76 min: Finally, a piece of bad but likely irrelevant news: Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) Goal Mexico 🇲🇽. Fanatic header by Edson Alvarez. 0-1 . March 28, 2022 8.39pm EDT 20:39 75 min: Reference of the night … Matthew Tomaszewicz (@shinguardian) Pulisic exiting the game like Swayze in Roadhouse after the bar brawl. March 28, 2022 8.36pm EDT 20:36 70 min: There it is. Jordan Morris replaces the brilliant Christian Pulisic, who hands the armband to Tyler Adams. Then Adams is substituted as well. Officially, US Soccer is saying it’s Gianluca Busio for Pulisic, with Morris replacing Adams. 8.33pm EDT 20:33 69 min: Yellow card to Pulisic, who hit the ground and instinctively grabbed the ball as if expecting a whistle. Probably time to take him out. This is the insight for which I make the big bucks. 8.30pm EDT 20:30 GOAL! USA 5-0 Panama (Pulisic 65) FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) I mean come on, @cpulisic_10 🤯🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ya9rstTtJg March 28, 2022 Clinical, wondrous, composed. The buildup from Antonee Robinson and De La Torre on the left is good enough. The pivot and nutmeg from Pulisic puts him alone 10 yards out, and he slots it into the net for his hat trick. Updated at 8.39pm EDT 8.28pm EDT 20:28 63 min: Aaron Long, a mainstay before an Achilles injury, is getting ready to come in. Looking ahead, here’s my suggested lineup for the Costa Rica game: Horvath, Moore, Robinson, Robinson, Zimmerman, Long, Bello, Sands, Palmer-Brown, Yedlin, Adams. That’s a goalkeeper, nine defenders and a midfielder who can defend. 8.25pm EDT 20:25 61 min: Oh, that is a beautiful pass from Reyna and a squandered chance from Ferreira. You could also look at it as De La Torre passing to an off-balance forward when he should’ve shot. 8.22pm EDT 20:22 57 min: Reyna leads a promising charge up the center of the field, and Pulisic sends a pass along the ground to one post. The ensuing cross is cleared, but Shaq Moore presses forward and is fouled. Good game for the last-minute call-in. 8.21pm EDT 20:21 Meanwhile, in Honduras … it’s still tied. Beleaguered Mexico coach Tata Martino isn’t there because of an eye ailment. 8.19pm EDT 20:19 55 min: Still nervous moments for the US defense. Well, they would be, if they hadn’t already scored four goals. But they don’t want to squander what they’ve built here. Nothing can be taken for granted in Costa Rica. 8.17pm EDT 20:17 53 min: CHANCE for Panama, and Tyler Adams has saved a goal, blocking a shot from the top of the box after Steffen and Zimmerman’s miscommunication. I’ll say it again — Steffen needs to come out. 8.16pm EDT 20:16 51 min: Gabriel Torres is close to 100 caps. According to transfermarkt, this is No. 99. He has 22 goals. His transfer history includes a stop at Colorado and maybe 400 other clubs. Panama has the better of the attack now. 8.13pm EDT 20:13 48 min: Good buildup for Panama, but the resulting shot is calmly blocked. Anyway — Reyna and Kellyn Acosta are in, replacing Arriola and Musah. For Panama — Medina, Rodriguez and Torres are in, replacing Barcenas, Gondola and Blackburn. 8.11pm EDT 20:11 Second-half subs … A lot. Reyna is on, but it’s Gio Reyna, not his long-retired father. He drags a shot wide on one of his first touches. 8.05pm EDT 20:05 Scott Bassett writes: “I know USA! USA! USA! is leading by three goals (and a penalty on the way) but they look incredibly open and wobbly. Like they need Reyna on the field. Claudio Reyna, that is, to put his foot on the ball and calm things down.” Costly giveaway in 2006, though. 8.03pm EDT 20:03 Stats … Panama has had more than 60% of the possession but just one shot on goal. That’s about it. 7.58pm EDT 19:58 Not to take anything for granted from a USA point of view, but if you’re Costa Rica right now, are you thinking you have a better chance of overtaking Mexico instead of the soon-to-be-visiting USians? If Mexico can only get a draw tonight, they’d be on 23 to Costa Rica’s 22. 7.53pm EDT 19:53 HALFTIME: USA 4-0 Panama Not the USA’s best half of play. They lead 4-0. Sometimes, it’s just going your way. And the goals were all well-taken. 7.52pm EDT 19:52 45 min +5: Pulisic gets shoved, comes back with a shove of his own, and then someone drills the ball in Pulisic’s direction, though it hits De La Torre instead. Pulisic goes ballistic, but his teammates show remarkable unity in throwing their star player away from a messy situation. 7.50pm EDT 19:50 GOAL! USA 4-0 Panama (Pulisic 45+3 pk) Updated at 7.54pm EDT 7.49pm EDT 19:49 45 min +2: PENALTY! Just after referee Ivan Barton let Panama get away with just a warning after another brutal foul against Pulisic, he gives a questionable penalty on some contact in the area. Barton gives at least one yellow and could easily give another for dissent. 7.47pm EDT 19:47 45 min +1: Panama’s corner kick fizzles, and Pulisic quickly brings it forward and plays ahead to Antonee Robinson, who gets control of the ball with a step on the defense but is ultimately caught at the edge of the area. 7.46pm EDT 19:46 45 min: Finally, a lull. keith costigan (@KeithCostigan) Might be a controversial opinion……but #USMNT haven’t played that well for me. And yes I know they are 3-0 up. So much more there if they up there tempo March 27, 2022 I only disagree with the typo. But they’ve taken advantage of their opportunities, and that’s never to be taken for granted. 7.43pm EDT 19:43 42 min: BICYCLE ATTEMPT by Ferreira in the middle of the box. Sends it well over the bar, but it was worth a try. 7.42pm EDT 19:42 41 min: Pulisic turns it over in a dangerous spot, and a few passes lead to a shot from Godoy, who sends it just wide. Flag was up for offside, anyway, but the defense just looks far too uneasy here. Good thing the USA has already, you know, scored three goals. 7.40pm EDT 19:40 40 min: A cleaner catch this time for Steffen. From the record books: Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) The #USMNT is the first team to score three times in the first 27 minutes of any Hex/Ocho game. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 March 27, 2022 7.39pm EDT 19:39 38 min: Steffen dawdles with the ball at his feet far too long. No harm done in this case, but you have to wonder if some physical pain is distracting him and hurting his decision-making.