Evidence continues to mount Edson Buddle will be in South Africa

Last night’s Galaxy-Rapids match outside Denver had the most delicious of subplots: Two forwards who continue to make their case for inclusion on Bob Bradley’s final 23 opposed one another.

If it had been an MMA fight, Conor Casey would have tapped out. Edson Buddle was the runaway winner.

The L.A. Galaxy man, who is having such a fantastic campaign, didn’t score. But he looked dangerous and confident. Straight away, he tested Colorado goalkeeper Matt Pickens on a couple of occasions. He also looks like a striker who is “feeling it.” In one case, he turned a header toward goal out of absolutely nowhere. It didn’t exactly trouble Pickens, but the Rapids goalkeeper did need to turn it away for a corner kick. Only the most confident of striker’s would have pointed that effort toward goal, a twisting header from an acute angle, a speculative effort attached to a high degree of difficulty.

Plus it didn’t hurt that Buddle’s team won; road teams not only prevailed in three of four MLS mid-week meetings, they all prevailed with clean sheets.

(Buddle may have been involved in the sequence that led to L.A.’s 21^st minute free kick, which provided the game’s only goal. We don’t know. Why? Because the TV crew, in a gross dereliction of duty, clearly did not read my note on TV productions that don't stink the other day. In a wonderful example of the knuckle-headed, soccer ignorant timing that drives me nutso, they were showing a replay on the sequence when Landon Donovan was fouled as he approached the Rapids’ defensive third. Heavy sigh.)

Casey, on the other hand, looked like the little Casey that we sometimes see – as opposed to the big Casey who occasionally arises. He was simply not as involved as he needed to be. He was not particularly confident, and was unable to put a mark on the game. In too many places, he was too static near goal, reacting to crosses instead of stirring up traffic and looking to work boldly into dangerous spots.

It’s been this way all year for the man still hunting his first non-PK goal of 2010.

Plus, we had some funny business in the 78^th minute. Actually, it’s not funny inside the U.S. camp; it’s something that might be a little concerning, in fact.

Casey got tangled up with Chris Birchall. There was a little tussling on both sides, but Birchall won the minute and came away with the ball. Or, he would have come away with the ball – except that Casey swung a right foot with menace and brought down the Galaxy’s holding midfielder. Casey clearly lost his cool. He let some creeping frustration get the better of him. Referee Edvin Jurisevic rightly booked Casey … but here’s the thing:

This could easily have been a red in the World Cup. History has taught us that the U.S. doesn’t get much benefit of the doubt in these matters, and that past disciplinary foibles have been punished with a ruthless efficiency.

So, mighty Casey, unfortunately, is striking out. Jeff Cunningham? Not one non-PK goal this year. Robbie Findley? No goals. (And he has only started half of Real Salt Lake’s six matches.

Meanwhile, the man whom never attracted much national team interest continues to be the league’s most dangerous striker. I just don’t see any other outcome here. Buddle will surely be in camp when the U.S. reports in about 10 days.