Here's the good news, if you're a fan of the United States: They are currently winning. Here's the bad news, if you are a fan of the United States: Everything else about this game is bad. Antigua and Barbuda are not a very good team and the majority of the squad is made up of U.S. third division players. They have a couple of okay guys from the English League Championship. They're hanging with the USMNT, but the Americans are up 2-0 at halftime.
USA Vs. Antigua & Barbuda, 2014 World Cup Qualifying: Halftime Score, USMNT Up 2-0
Neither goal came from open play, which is what's particularly concerning. The first goal came early, on a corner kick, and was gifted to the U.S. with some shoddy marking. Herculez Gomez created it with a good header, which was saved, and Carlos Bocanegra punched in the rebound.
What followed was a long period of very inept play from the United States. In their defense, it’s pouring rain, but rain doesn’t cause you to forget how to make runs off the ball, or to forget that sometimes teams are supposed to kick the ball towards the goal. They were bad. Very, very bad.
Luckily, they got bailed out by an inane challenge just before the stroke of halftime. Donovan got hacked down hard from behind in the penalty area, and a penalty was given. Clint Dempsey stepped up and buried it to double the United States lead.
So the U.S. is going to take three points from a World Cup qualifier, yes, but they haven’t scored against open play against Antigua. Everything that the United States have done in their last two and a half matches indicates that they’re going to have a tough time away to Guatemala on Tuesday.
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