Storm hits home for Team USA
Soccer team with Texas ties preps for Cup qualifier
U.S. soccer captain Michael Bradley acknowledged that he and his colleagues, several of whom have deep ties to Texas, are heartbroken by the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey.
Ahead of Friday’s World Cup qualifier vs. Costa Rica in Harrison, N.J., Bradley said concern over the impact of Harvey has coursed through the squad during preparations. And while he is aware a sporting event is a trivial matter compared to the life-ordeath situations faced by many in the Houston area, Bradley hopes a strong and unified performance this week can provide a lift to some of those affected.
“Some of the images and videos that have come out of Texas have been heartbreaking,” Bradley said. “For all of us now as human beings and fellow Americans, (it is important) to find the right way to show support and help that part of the country as they find the right ways to move on from this. That’s very important. And obviously in our own very little way, playing and representing the country in a really strong and proud way on Friday night is a little part of that.”
National team veteran DaMarcus Beasley lives in the Houston area and plays for the Dynamo of Major League Soccer. His property, built on an incline, narrowly avoided flooding. Beasley has been in New Jersey with the U.S. team since Friday, and he said being away from home during such a harrowing time was fraught with emotion.
“It is sad to see that people are in this kind of situation, but at the same time it is nice to see that people are helping out strangers in any way they can,” Beasley said. “Whoever has boats are in their boats trying to help people and save people. The state is really coming together as far as getting people out of harm’s way, and hopefully it stops sooner rather than later.”
Harvey is the strongest storm to make landfall in the USA since Charley in 2004 and has broken the national record for rainfal from a single storm, dropping 52 inches on parts of Texas.
Matt Hedges, a Dynamo team mate of Beasley’s, also has joined him on national team duty. Other Dynamo players in internationa action this week, Panama’s Adol fo Machado and Honduras duo Alberth Elis and Romell Quioto saw their travel plans disrupted when Bush and Hobby airports were shut down because of the conditions.
Clint Dempsey, Omar Gonza lez and Kellyn Acosta were born in Texas and are part of the U.S squad for Friday’s game, in which a victory would take the team closer to a place in the World Cup for the eighth consecutive time.
“We feel for the people in Tex as. This is a terrible event,” U.S coach Bruce Arena said. “I have heard DaMarcus speak about it It is a tough week for them. For DaMarcus in particular it has been very challenging, for him personally and for his friends and family in the Houston area.”