Orange Slices! USA vs. Jamaica
The triumphant return! Orange Slices is our game day, catch-all post that we update during the day before and day of the match.
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It’s a game that means little for everyone but some of the participants. The true challenge for the USMNT on the Road to Brazil 2014 begins next week in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
Tonight, however, it’s US vs. Canada. A team that has given the US some trouble at all levels over the past year, but who former coach Bob Bradley also put down 2-0 back in 2011.
Critical game tonight for Benny Feilhaber, Omar Gonzalez and perhaps Alfredo Morales.
Broadcast:
| Date | Opponent | Result/Time (ET) | U.S. goal scorers/TV | Venue |
| Jan. 29 | Canada | 9 p.m. | ESPN2, WatchESPN, Univision Deportes | BBVA Compass Stadium; Houston, Texas |
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TSG’s Official USA vs. Canada Preview: Klinsmann Goes Border Patrol
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Around the web:
Can Brad Evans deal himself into the big picture tonight? He’s the player most other players say is most underrated….
Reading material: (lots of good stuff on this one.)
» Jeff Carlisle is always an excellent and objective read ahead of any USMNT match. His preview here.
» Brian Straus of the Sporting News says those taking the field Tuesday night need to do some Klinsmann-convincing.
» Carlisle again with a look-in on seemingly forgotten man Alejandro Bedoya who’s been in club purgatory for the past 18 months.
» NBC’s Steve Davis chatted with Sporting KC centerback Matt Besler who is also hopes to make his USMNT name over the next year.
» And don’t forget to visit Soccer Over There which is vacuum cleaner like on anything on the USMNT on the web.
» In case you missed this, (hysterical) US soccer celebrity pairings.
» Updated 6pm ET: Who is the top ball-winning USMNT player?
Viewing?:
American Outlaws members gather here.
Weather forecast:
Cloudy, but pleasant…and in the 70’s when the US takes the field tonight. Not too shabby Houston.
Surf forecast:
There’s no surfing in Houston….you bet there is!
In fact Galveston, Texas–and tanker surfing!–was profiled in probably the best surfing documentary of the 2000’s, Step Into Liquid. We couldn’t find a clip of that, but there is no shortage of southeast Texas–read: Galveston Bay–surfing on YouTube (below) and …. even directions on how you can surf one of those tankers.
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Must-see (as well): Garrett McNamara rides a virtual skyscraper in Portugal Monday. No photoshop included. Worth the click. (Update: And the video courtesy of Mike (@M1Spike) no Twitter)
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The last time in Houston:
It was a Nikegasmic bit of USMNT hoopla as disciplined affair between USA and Panama game down to *two* moments of brilliance. Adu’s pass and Landon Donovan’s pass. A poll below.
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More North American footie:
» Brek Shea is now officially moving to Stoke City for a massive transfer fee (by MLS standards) of $3.8M£. More from Greg Seltzer at No Short Corners.
» The Hitman, Brian Sciaretta, took to Twitter this morning to annoucne that Nurnberg confirms that US RB Tim Chandler has accepted an invitation to play for the US next week in Honduras. Can you say “CAP-THAID!”
» Canadian national teamer–and TSG fave–Andre Hainault completes his move to Ross County.
» Eddie Johnson leads the current roster with 14 goals and 44 games. His next goal, incredulously, ties him for ninth with Cobi Jones on the all-time USMNT list. That’s amazing. (“Yum, yum, yum CONCACAF & football, that’s what Eddie Johnson does!”)
» Five years ago (Feb 6th ’08–the Honduras qualifier falls on that day), Jozy Altidore made his 1st senior USMNT start & notched his 1st goal in Houston in a draw vs. Mexico.
» We talked about it in our exhaustive USMNT depth chart piece here; really worth the read.
That is, it sure looks like most of the US roster for Brazil 2014 is set, save maybe four (4) slots.
That would be:
G: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan
[One spot open: Bill Hamid, Sean Johnson, Nick Rimando, Tally Hall]
DEF: Steve Cherundolo, Tim Chandler, Geoff Cameron, Michael Parkhurst, Carlos Bocanegra, Fabian Johnson
[One, maybe two, spots open: Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, John Anthony Brooks, Edgar Castillo]
HUB: Danny Williams, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Maurice Edu, Graham Zusi
FW: Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson, Brek Shea, Josh Gatt
[Contention for FW/HUB spots: Sacha Kljestan, Landon Donovan*, Benny Feilhaber, Jose Torres, Stu Holden
STR: Jozy Altidore, Herculez Gomez
[Contention for one spot: Juan Agudelo, Terrence Boyd, Will Bruin, Edson Buddle, Alan Gordon]
Of course, everything could change in a year too (see Davies, Charles; Onyewu, Oguchi; Buddle, Edson; Gomez, Herculez)
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The Shin Guardian 
Posted by evan on 2013/01/29 at 1:07 PM
how many players from Canada’s Olympic Qual. team last year are on their roster tonite? i know the young Yanks want some payback…
Posted by cpjuengel on 2013/01/29 at 1:11 PM
when do we get to start thinking that holden will be a factor in 2014?
Posted by Nick on 2013/01/29 at 1:24 PM
Adu’s pass was better by far. Donovan’s was good but also very fortunate.
Posted by matthewsf on 2013/01/29 at 1:34 PM
I don’t know. I’ve got Donovan all the way on that one. Really? What am I missing? I can grant that I’m not the expert here.
Posted by Chazcar2 on 2013/01/29 at 2:45 PM
I went Adu, but only because there wasn’t an “Tied” The weighting and placement over distance was perfect. Donovan’s was also amazing, hit with great speed and accuracy, clearly looking for Dempsey, but was a bit lucky. Those defenders should have had that covered.
Posted by matthewsf on 2013/01/29 at 2:57 PM
It was thru the defenders legs. That’s nuts!
Posted by Nick on 2013/01/29 at 3:57 PM
That’s the thing…whether he meant it or not we can’t know, but the defenders should’ve cleared that out.
Posted by Matt Mathai on 2013/01/29 at 3:51 PM
I thought Freddy’s pass was much more difficult technically. A LONG bending ball behind the defender that had to be perfectly weighted. Donovan’s pass was just a low, hard pass. Beautifully hit, but he just had to hit it straight to a spot at the back post
Posted by Moa on 2013/01/29 at 1:41 PM
Oh man I need to watch all USMNT games on Univision! Even after seeing that goal hundreds of times I was on the edge of my seat.
Posted by berlintexas on 2013/01/29 at 2:12 PM
Talk about burying the lead! Timmy Chandler has committed to the USA, for real this time?
Posted by matthewsf on 2013/01/29 at 2:22 PM
Let’s make sure it happens first. He’s accepted an invitation–let’s make sure he makes the game day squad. He should but US fans have been in this situation many a time before–deserves some skepticism.
Posted by Matt Mathai on 2013/01/29 at 3:49 PM
Nice. I like the ‘reading material’ section
Posted by matthewsf on 2013/01/29 at 3:58 PM
Another good read here from former TSG scribe Devin Pleuler on the top USMNT ball-winner: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/01/29/central-winger-whos-top-mls-ball-winner-usmnt
Posted by Kevin S on 2013/01/29 at 6:01 PM
Don’t be too quick to say the weather will be nice. There’s a cold front that’s supposedly coming in around 8 or 9 (CT) unfortunately bringing a storm with it.