Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
U.S. finds little to celebrate in win
PHILADELPHIA » Through three group-stage games at the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the U.S. defense left itself open to criticism thanks to its pace of a goal conceded per game against some of the continent’s minnows.
Wednesday night at Lincoln Financial Field, against an opponent deemed inferior on paper, the defensive lapses weren’t wholly cured. But for their sporadic unsteadiness, the defense made sure to compensate at the other end of the field.
Goals by defenders Omar Gonzalez and Eric Lichaj late in the first half sent the U.S. flying to a 2-0 win over El Salvador in the quarterfinals at Lincoln Financial Field.
The victory propels the U.S. to the semifinal in Arlington, Texas, to take on Costa Rica, which topped Panama, 1-0, via an Anibal Godoy own goal in the early game of the Philly doubleheader before an announced crowd of 31,615. A spot in next Wednesday’s final in Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., will be on the line.
Gonzalez stanched the first-half bleeding in the 41st minute, after an ascendant attacking spell by El Salvador that generated a few nervous moments for the U.S. and enlivened a boisterous contingent of blue-and-white clad fans. But Gonzalez threw himself at a tantalizing Michael Bradley delivery on a set piece from 40 yards out, the 6-foot-5 center back pounding a header through the arms of Salvadoran goalie Derby Carrillo and into the back of the net.
It’s Gonzalez’s third goal in his 43rd cap. He had just one in his first 41 appearances before tallying against Martinique in the second Group B game a week ago. Gonzalez also scored in the 2015 Gold Cup.
The assist was Bradley’s 22nd career for country, tying Cobi Jones for second in program history.
Lichaj’s goal was fostered by another of the five veteran additions for the knockout stages who drew starts Wednesday, Clint Dempsey. The veteran, in his team-leading 135th cap, threaded a ball into the path of Lichaj, the right back who made a looping run across the defense into the left channel deep into first-half stoppage time.
The Nottingham Forest man’s finish was right on the money for his first international goal in his 13th cap.
Lichaj atoned for a nearly costly slip on a third-minute counter attack that gifted a loose back pass to Salvadoran forward Rodolfo Zelaya, but Tim Howard rushed off his line to collect. Lichaj also got burned by Denis Pineda in the 52nd, but the winger fizzled his shot wide. Justin Morrow and Lichaj conspired to grant Zelaya a chance in the 58th off a U.S. corner, but the combination of Gonzalez and Howard quelled the danger. Lichaj recovered with a big block in the 73rd after Bradley tracked back on a runner in the box.
Despite attacking subs, the U.S. didn’t generate much after halftime. Dempsey, who remains one goal shy of tying Landon Donovan for the most goals in U.S. men’s national team history, was denied by the big left-handed paw of Carrillo in the 75th. His 19th career assist tied him with Claudio Reyna for fourth place in U.S. history.
Union midfielder Chris Pontius got an extremely warm reception when he made a three-minute cameo in front of his hometown fans for his fifth cap and third in four Gold Cup games.