USA v. Switzerland, live blog-o-rama
9 Comments Published by Cardillo on October 17, 2007 at 2:01 PM.
Toblerone? Check.
Muesli? Check.
Swiss Amry knives? Check.
Neutrality papers? Check.
Unmarked bank accounts? Check.
Swizz Beatz? Check.
High school level Swiss stereotypes? Check.
Sounds like we might just be ready for some midday live-blogging action!
Things kick off in Basel around 2:30 p.m. EDT. Fox Soccer kicks off it's pregame a half four earlier. Check back then for all the Alpine fun.
_____________________________________
We're coming to you live from Bridgeport, Conn. (the big city of dreams), so pretend you're looking live at St. Jakob Park in Basel, Switzerland. Basel, is nestled right on the Rhein river and sits at an altitude of only 856 feet...so nobody is joining the proverbial 'Mile High Club' this afternoon.
Our biggest pregame question is how coach Bob Bradley treats it. Is he going to field an experienced team and look for a result, or will the young and unknowns get extended burn for an eye on next year's Beijing Olympics?
Our first actual pictures are a nervous looking DaMarcus Beasley reading an FSC promo. Let's pray that's not the start of a trend today.
The afternoon's first surprise, Max Bretos and Christopher Sullivan are actually in Switzerland...not the FSC broom closet in Los Angeles. Sullivan predicts the game to be "autobahn football." (Not the early 80s synth-pop band.) Overall guess of American journos that traveled to the game? Under three, maybe less.
Swiss lineup:
GK: Pascal Zuberbuhler
Def: Ludovic Magnin, Johan Djourou, Stephane Grichting, Stephan Lichsteiner
Mid: Fanio Celestini, Xavier Margairaz, David Degen, Blerim Dzemalli
For: Ricardo Cabanas and amazingly according to FSC -- Heath Pearce (we'll fix when updated.)
Tranquillo Barnetta nowhere to be found...at least according to FSC (sloppy).
Jeez...as much as I like FSC, they are incredibly sloppy (a lot like me). They still list DaMarcus Beasley with Manchester City. Still, more tolerable than the 'Worldwide Leader.'
US Lineup
GK: Marcus Hahnemann
Def: Eddie Lewis (eisch), Carlos Bocanegra (c), Oguchi Onyewu, Steve Cherundolo
Mid: Benny Feilhaber, Maurice Edu, Michael Bradley, DaMarcus Beasley
For: Clint Dempsey, Taylor Twellman
Obviously Bob Bradley hates Heath Pearce, since the young left back apparently was traded to Switzerland ahead of the game. Not to harp on this all day, but didn't we learn one thing from the 2006 World Cup -- Eddie Lewis IS NOT a left back?!
Appears from the onset is that Bradley (who looks like every high school coach that ever lived) is going for a win, at least for the first 45 minutes. Glad to see Edu in the starting lineup. Who would have thought they're be more anticipation for the Toronto FC player, rather than Freddy Adu?
Sorry if I'm a little bummed. Scotland is now down 0-2 away to Georgia. Dammit! (Let's all at least laugh at Russia 2, England 1.)
Looks like the FSC lineups were completely wrong. No sign of Taylor Twellman for the National Anthemn.
You've gotta love the non-Swiss born Swiss players staring, Mauro Camorenesi-like, during their country's national anthem. Fun.
Updated (correct lineups)
Switzerland
(from right)
GK: Zuberbuhler
Def: Djourou, Grichting, Lichsteiner Magnin,
Mid: Celestini (Sullivan insists Barnetta is playing on the left), Margairaz, Degen, Dzemalli
For: Cabanas, Streller
Guess Heath Pearce didn't defect. Perhaps Swiss coach Kobi Kuhn will just sub on the fly.
USA
(from right)
GK: Hahnemann
Def: Cherundolo, Bocanegra, Oneywu, Lewis
Mid: Feilhaber, Edu, Bradley, Beasley
For: Twellman, Dempsey
Interesting to see how Feilhaber fares on the outside right.
_______________________________
First Half
Pre-kickoff we're greeted to a young Swiss kid with a faux-hawk and a homemade FC Basel sign.
1st -- Clint Dempsey with a nice fore-arm shove to Djourou. The boy don't take no shit.
2nd -- Maruice Edu takes a crack from the top of the box with the left foot. Good lord, an American taking a shot from distance!? (Barnetta is actually in the Swiss team, bottom line...never trust the FSC graphics. Ever.)
4th -- Beasley on the ground, writhing. Took a hard sliding tackle into the left ankle from Degen. Chances of a full 90 for the Indy native just dropped to one percent. He limps off the field. Doesn't look good, but not serious, if that makes sense.
6th -- Beasley back on. Looks like the Swiss attack with come up the left with Barnetta and Magnin (solidly underrated with Stuttgart) linking up. Also the Swiss have a guy named "Inler" out there, not listed by FSC. Sorry.
10th -- Strains of "Stand up for the Champions" begin piping through the Park. Sorry, but like a lot of international games, not much going on.
12th -- There are Americans at the game, including one wearing a neon pink hat. Super. ... Max did mention the US is trotting out two player from Derby County -- las t in the Premier League. Ouch.
13th -- Gritchting (great villian name) hacks down Dempsey. ... Freekick from the right, 30ish yards...Beasley serves to near post...cleared...back to Beasley, who chips to the back post, but the ball is too long for Dempsey. Second chance from Beas was better than the first. ... At least he's not hurt. Still, good international sides take care of set pieces. That's something that can be improved simply in training.
16th -- Swiss free kick. ... Barnetta serves in, cleared with ease by Bocanegra.
17th -- Swiss subs out Djourou for Steve von Bergen. Apparent leg injury. Somewhere Steve Bruce and Arsene Wenger are both pissed.
18th -- Just show a replay of Gooch giving a hard, hard elbow right to the face of Streller. No call. Gooch got lucky, but at least he's asserting some dominance. ... Edu looking feisty, winning a ball in midfield, but the attack comes to nothing.
20th -- According to Bretos, Bradley plays close to Switzerland since he plays in Holland professionally. Bit of a reach. ... Edu tries to chip over to Beasley, but the Swiss close down on the Rangers winger.
22rd -- For what it's worth, this crowd is "polite" to be nice. Memory serves that the Swiss might have been the lamest fans in Germany during the World Cup. ... Swiss deep freekick, Magnin shanks it. ... Bounces around and Edu clears with his head.
22nd -- Xavier Margairaz takes our first shot on target. He takes advantage of Bradley missing a sliding tackle and cuts inside. He fires from the corner of the penalty area, but it goes directly into the gloves of Hahnemann.
25th -- Looks like we might be at an MLS game, as half of St. Jakob Park is empty, with all the seats in front of the prying eyes of the cameras. Well, it is raining AND a meaningless game.
26th -- Swiss dude fires from distance high and wide.
28th -- As much as I dislike Eddie Lewis' inclusion in the side, he does send a decent ball into the area, but Twellman is called for a foul for climbing on the back of a defender.
29th -- Swiss win a corner when Gooch has to clear a cross that was set up from a deep run by a Swiss player. Barnetta lines it up ... plays it short to Magnin, who find Streller on the back post. ... Streller tries to center it, but cleared away by Edu, again.
30th -- Looks like Kobi Kuhn broke out the 2006 game tape, as the Swiss have made about four dangerous runs up the right flank, right at Lewis. ... Beasley asks to come out, Pearce moves in. Lewis figures to slot up into the midfield. Smart move for Beas to come out. No sense to hurt himself in a meaningless game.
33rd -- It's raining pretty hard and the field is causing lots of slips and slides. It's been disjointed, to put it nicely. ... Dempsey and Twellman are going to need to step up and be much more active with Beasley out of the equation. ... Lewis gets a reprieve since he moves out of the defense.
36rd -- Another Swiss corner as they begin to play some nice one-twos and diagonal pballs. ... Nothing comes from the service on the corner. ... Benny Feilhaber is completely out of the game playing outside. Bradley will need to shake things up with the Beasley injury.
38th -- Sorry might need a halftime coffee, but some of the St. Jakob signage boards include: Nutella (mmmm), Superfan.ch (gwah?), L'Oreal for Men (no surprise). ... Also, the Swiss uniform badge is just a bunch of swiggley lines. Perhaps it's European abstract art or something.
41st -- This one is so dull that Bretos breaks out the USA 1994 reference from the Silverdome. Wonder where Eric Wynalda is right now? Working on tomorrow night's red card/yellow card segment?
42rd -- First USA shot on goal. Feilhaber and Twellman work it in, it squirts out to Eddie Lewis unmarked on the left, but his shot is right at the keeper and blocked for a corner. Sullivan immediately comments how he lost his angle via a poor first touch, guess that insight offset the poor graphics. ... Wow...USA gets about four bites of the cherry off the corner. Twelmmann misses a header, Edu fires and deflects. Ball comes right to Bocanegra (onside) in the box, but it goes off his head right into the arms of Zuberhabler. Unlucky.
45th -- Ding, ding, ding. Streller and Onyewu finally go off. Streller gives a shoulder to Onyewu, who does a good sell job and falls over. Both get yellows. So congrats, if you have the 45th minute as when Gooch pulls his first call pool, you win. (It would be sane to sub Jay DeMerit for the final 45.)
Half time -- the Swiss crowd, playing against type, start whistling the home boys. Lots of refs would have sent off Streller. Overall, very listless for both teams in the first half. US is getting no rhythm on the attack. Feilhaber or Dempsey will need to step up with some inspiration, or else this finishes 0-0. Perhaps injecting Adu for the final 20 minutes might be the spark the US needs. Right now I have no clue how they are going to create a goal...so what else is new?
Second half
Well, halftime was more exciting than the match. Got my new "FourFourTwo" (feature on NFL 'invading' Wembley Stadium, Manchester derby, Kaka, picture of the Nicolas Anelka burger, good stuff) in the mail...and some car insurance payment info.
Two halftime US changes -- Dan Califf for Onyewu and Brad Guzan for Hahnemann. Swiss have made a couple changes too. Blaise Nkufo and Hakan Yakin are two of them at forward. Gelson Fernandes is the other.
49th -- Lewis wins a corner. Played short to Lewis, who serves...Califf gets an open head but is well off target. Should have done better.
52nd -- First really good US buildup, Feilhaber chips up to Cherundolo (who finally gets forward) his cross his good, but the Swiss keeper snatches it just before Twellman can get a head to it. ... Meanwhile, Edu gets a suspect yellow for an altercation with Yakin.
53rd -- Swiss nearly score. A ball gets slipped it, catching Guzan in no man's land, but it's clear away before Nkufo can get to it.
55th -- Swiss corner...nothing doing. At least things have picked up.
60th -- Edu wins another ball in the middle, but the US can't trigger a quick counter.
62nd -- Shot of a young Swiss man checking his phone's message. Yep, it's been that kind of game.
63rd -- Might be time to make a change by Bradley. Lewis doesn't have any speed, but it's unsure who can replace him on the left. Twellman or Dempsey might need to be replaced by some young, fresh legs. The US and not possessing and Bradley and Edu can't break everything up.
66th -- Dangerous play from Switzerland. Barnetta gets a little space in the box, but the combination of Bradley's pressure and the shoddy field make him slip and fire off target. US dodged a bullet.
67th -- Demspey draws a foul on the right. ... Eddie Lewis delivers to the near post, poor ball. ... US eventually earn a deep throw-in.
68th -- Nkufo gets a foul call from a challenge by Califf. Swiss line it up from about 40 yards. ... Ball from Yakin just a little too long as Guzan collects.
71st -- Nkufo beats the US offside trap on a ball from Magnin, but he never settles and Bocanegra denies him. ... Not a good game so far from the DR-Congo born player, who according to his Wiki, basically called Kobi Kuhn a racist. Not a good way to find more playing time.
72nd -- Bocanegra with a rough, clean tackle to deny a cross to Barnetta, who looks hurt from slipping on the field.
73rd -- Bretos: "I haven't seen so many slips since I was at Victoria's Secret." I'll let that speak for itself.
74th -- Swiss corner, cleared by Cherundolo. ... Danny Califf for some reason reminds me of Glenn Danzig. Similar skin pigment and jet black hair. Go figure. ... Lewis concedes a freekick.
75th -- Swiss sub off Barnetta for Christoph Spycher. ... Meanwhile, Yakin lines up the kick from the far right side. ... Guzan punches it away. ... Yakin fires back to Guzan, who handles easily.
76th -- Are we ready for Freddy? Bradley chats him up and sends him off to the substitute's spot. ... Here...he..comes...for Twellman? Hopefully he does something, because right now this game is rating as a waste of everyone's time.
78th -- Give him credit. Adu's first touch in a backheel chip with his left foot to Cherundolo. Nothing happens, but at least it shows some initiative.
80th -- Dempsey chips to Adu, who is muscles off the ball but uses his speed to regain control and wins a deep throw. ... Eddie Lewis called for another foul.
82nd -- Guzan called for an infraction for handling a ball just outside the box. ... Swiss win a freekick right on the edge of the area. ... Yakin fires a bullet, but Guzan pushes away. Solid save.
84th -- Szetela comes on for Lewis, mercifully...but about 20 minutes too late. ... Adu lines up a free kick from deep in the left, volleys across field to Califf who heads into Nkufo's hand...but no call.
85th -- Low shot by Inler, easily saved by Guzan.
86th -- GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL
Szetela served in from the right to Dempsey. Demspey got an awkward touch and the ball hopped up to an opportunistic Bradley, who gets part of his body onto it. The keeper was off his line and it gets past him. Not a thing of beauty, but we'll take it. It is Bradley's first international senior level goal. 1-0.
88th -- Oh my! Dempsey chips to an speedy Adu...who's volley just goes over the bar. Should have been 2-0. Unlucky again.
90th -- Adu gets kicked right in the head by Grichting. Ouch.
90+ -- Findlay on for Dempsey. ... Adu run over, again. ... He lines up the freekick. ... Right into the keeper.
Full time!!! The Swiss boo! An accomplishment in-and-of itself.
Post game quick fire thoughts
A result is a result. Doubt anyone is re watching the game tape of this one other than Bradley. No matter how you slice it, it's nice to both get a win in Europe and also end the five-game skid, especially with Beasley forced to leave the game so early.
It wasn't pretty. Yet at least we saw something from the new blood -- Bradley, Adu, Szetela and Edu. On the other end, we didn't learn anything new in regards to Twellman's inability to score internationally or the fact Eddie Lewis is washed up.
This was a game up for grabs and -- for a change -- the US made something of one of their few chances and got the win. Solid.
Also solid, the defense of Bradley, Edu and of course Bocanegra, a rock in the back. Guzan looked very sharp in the second half in net.
Dempsey didn't do much, but created the flick that set up the goal. We'll take it.
If this one ends 0-0, maybe we're singing a different tune. Regardless, this is a positive result to move toward 2008. Not much more to say.
Bradley's goal sealed his unofficial TOP 'Man of the Match' status. Otherwise it was Bocanegra, followed by Edu.
The big question, Bradley needs a nickname. Off the top of my head -- "The Beast", "The Linebacker" or "The Bruiser." I'm sure you guys can think of something better.
Anyways, a pleasure as always. Glad to finally see the team get a win, even if it was an offense to the ocular cavity.
Muesli? Check.
Swiss Amry knives? Check.
Neutrality papers? Check.
Unmarked bank accounts? Check.
Swizz Beatz? Check.
High school level Swiss stereotypes? Check.
Sounds like we might just be ready for some midday live-blogging action!
Things kick off in Basel around 2:30 p.m. EDT. Fox Soccer kicks off it's pregame a half four earlier. Check back then for all the Alpine fun.
We're coming to you live from Bridgeport, Conn. (the big city of dreams), so pretend you're looking live at St. Jakob Park in Basel, Switzerland. Basel, is nestled right on the Rhein river and sits at an altitude of only 856 feet...so nobody is joining the proverbial 'Mile High Club' this afternoon.
Our biggest pregame question is how coach Bob Bradley treats it. Is he going to field an experienced team and look for a result, or will the young and unknowns get extended burn for an eye on next year's Beijing Olympics?
Our first actual pictures are a nervous looking DaMarcus Beasley reading an FSC promo. Let's pray that's not the start of a trend today.
The afternoon's first surprise, Max Bretos and Christopher Sullivan are actually in Switzerland...not the FSC broom closet in Los Angeles. Sullivan predicts the game to be "autobahn football." (Not the early 80s synth-pop band.) Overall guess of American journos that traveled to the game? Under three, maybe less.
Swiss lineup:
GK: Pascal Zuberbuhler
Def: Ludovic Magnin, Johan Djourou, Stephane Grichting, Stephan Lichsteiner
Mid: Fanio Celestini, Xavier Margairaz, David Degen, Blerim Dzemalli
For: Ricardo Cabanas and amazingly according to FSC -- Heath Pearce (we'll fix when updated.)
Tranquillo Barnetta nowhere to be found...at least according to FSC (sloppy).
Jeez...as much as I like FSC, they are incredibly sloppy (a lot like me). They still list DaMarcus Beasley with Manchester City. Still, more tolerable than the 'Worldwide Leader.'
US Lineup
GK: Marcus Hahnemann
Def: Eddie Lewis (eisch), Carlos Bocanegra (c), Oguchi Onyewu, Steve Cherundolo
Mid: Benny Feilhaber, Maurice Edu, Michael Bradley, DaMarcus Beasley
For: Clint Dempsey, Taylor Twellman
Obviously Bob Bradley hates Heath Pearce, since the young left back apparently was traded to Switzerland ahead of the game. Not to harp on this all day, but didn't we learn one thing from the 2006 World Cup -- Eddie Lewis IS NOT a left back?!
Appears from the onset is that Bradley (who looks like every high school coach that ever lived) is going for a win, at least for the first 45 minutes. Glad to see Edu in the starting lineup. Who would have thought they're be more anticipation for the Toronto FC player, rather than Freddy Adu?
Sorry if I'm a little bummed. Scotland is now down 0-2 away to Georgia. Dammit! (Let's all at least laugh at Russia 2, England 1.)
Looks like the FSC lineups were completely wrong. No sign of Taylor Twellman for the National Anthemn.
You've gotta love the non-Swiss born Swiss players staring, Mauro Camorenesi-like, during their country's national anthem. Fun.
Updated (correct lineups)
Switzerland
(from right)
GK: Zuberbuhler
Def: Djourou, Grichting, Lichsteiner Magnin,
Mid: Celestini (Sullivan insists Barnetta is playing on the left), Margairaz, Degen, Dzemalli
For: Cabanas, Streller
Guess Heath Pearce didn't defect. Perhaps Swiss coach Kobi Kuhn will just sub on the fly.
USA
(from right)
GK: Hahnemann
Def: Cherundolo, Bocanegra, Oneywu, Lewis
Mid: Feilhaber, Edu, Bradley, Beasley
For: Twellman, Dempsey
Interesting to see how Feilhaber fares on the outside right.
First Half
Pre-kickoff we're greeted to a young Swiss kid with a faux-hawk and a homemade FC Basel sign.
1st -- Clint Dempsey with a nice fore-arm shove to Djourou. The boy don't take no shit.
2nd -- Maruice Edu takes a crack from the top of the box with the left foot. Good lord, an American taking a shot from distance!? (Barnetta is actually in the Swiss team, bottom line...never trust the FSC graphics. Ever.)
4th -- Beasley on the ground, writhing. Took a hard sliding tackle into the left ankle from Degen. Chances of a full 90 for the Indy native just dropped to one percent. He limps off the field. Doesn't look good, but not serious, if that makes sense.
6th -- Beasley back on. Looks like the Swiss attack with come up the left with Barnetta and Magnin (solidly underrated with Stuttgart) linking up. Also the Swiss have a guy named "Inler" out there, not listed by FSC. Sorry.
10th -- Strains of "Stand up for the Champions" begin piping through the Park. Sorry, but like a lot of international games, not much going on.
12th -- There are Americans at the game, including one wearing a neon pink hat. Super. ... Max did mention the US is trotting out two player from Derby County -- las t in the Premier League. Ouch.
13th -- Gritchting (great villian name) hacks down Dempsey. ... Freekick from the right, 30ish yards...Beasley serves to near post...cleared...back to Beasley, who chips to the back post, but the ball is too long for Dempsey. Second chance from Beas was better than the first. ... At least he's not hurt. Still, good international sides take care of set pieces. That's something that can be improved simply in training.
16th -- Swiss free kick. ... Barnetta serves in, cleared with ease by Bocanegra.
17th -- Swiss subs out Djourou for Steve von Bergen. Apparent leg injury. Somewhere Steve Bruce and Arsene Wenger are both pissed.
18th -- Just show a replay of Gooch giving a hard, hard elbow right to the face of Streller. No call. Gooch got lucky, but at least he's asserting some dominance. ... Edu looking feisty, winning a ball in midfield, but the attack comes to nothing.
20th -- According to Bretos, Bradley plays close to Switzerland since he plays in Holland professionally. Bit of a reach. ... Edu tries to chip over to Beasley, but the Swiss close down on the Rangers winger.
22rd -- For what it's worth, this crowd is "polite" to be nice. Memory serves that the Swiss might have been the lamest fans in Germany during the World Cup. ... Swiss deep freekick, Magnin shanks it. ... Bounces around and Edu clears with his head.
22nd -- Xavier Margairaz takes our first shot on target. He takes advantage of Bradley missing a sliding tackle and cuts inside. He fires from the corner of the penalty area, but it goes directly into the gloves of Hahnemann.
25th -- Looks like we might be at an MLS game, as half of St. Jakob Park is empty, with all the seats in front of the prying eyes of the cameras. Well, it is raining AND a meaningless game.
26th -- Swiss dude fires from distance high and wide.
28th -- As much as I dislike Eddie Lewis' inclusion in the side, he does send a decent ball into the area, but Twellman is called for a foul for climbing on the back of a defender.
29th -- Swiss win a corner when Gooch has to clear a cross that was set up from a deep run by a Swiss player. Barnetta lines it up ... plays it short to Magnin, who find Streller on the back post. ... Streller tries to center it, but cleared away by Edu, again.
30th -- Looks like Kobi Kuhn broke out the 2006 game tape, as the Swiss have made about four dangerous runs up the right flank, right at Lewis. ... Beasley asks to come out, Pearce moves in. Lewis figures to slot up into the midfield. Smart move for Beas to come out. No sense to hurt himself in a meaningless game.
33rd -- It's raining pretty hard and the field is causing lots of slips and slides. It's been disjointed, to put it nicely. ... Dempsey and Twellman are going to need to step up and be much more active with Beasley out of the equation. ... Lewis gets a reprieve since he moves out of the defense.
36rd -- Another Swiss corner as they begin to play some nice one-twos and diagonal pballs. ... Nothing comes from the service on the corner. ... Benny Feilhaber is completely out of the game playing outside. Bradley will need to shake things up with the Beasley injury.
38th -- Sorry might need a halftime coffee, but some of the St. Jakob signage boards include: Nutella (mmmm), Superfan.ch (gwah?), L'Oreal for Men (no surprise). ... Also, the Swiss uniform badge is just a bunch of swiggley lines. Perhaps it's European abstract art or something.
41st -- This one is so dull that Bretos breaks out the USA 1994 reference from the Silverdome. Wonder where Eric Wynalda is right now? Working on tomorrow night's red card/yellow card segment?
42rd -- First USA shot on goal. Feilhaber and Twellman work it in, it squirts out to Eddie Lewis unmarked on the left, but his shot is right at the keeper and blocked for a corner. Sullivan immediately comments how he lost his angle via a poor first touch, guess that insight offset the poor graphics. ... Wow...USA gets about four bites of the cherry off the corner. Twelmmann misses a header, Edu fires and deflects. Ball comes right to Bocanegra (onside) in the box, but it goes off his head right into the arms of Zuberhabler. Unlucky.
45th -- Ding, ding, ding. Streller and Onyewu finally go off. Streller gives a shoulder to Onyewu, who does a good sell job and falls over. Both get yellows. So congrats, if you have the 45th minute as when Gooch pulls his first call pool, you win. (It would be sane to sub Jay DeMerit for the final 45.)
Half time -- the Swiss crowd, playing against type, start whistling the home boys. Lots of refs would have sent off Streller. Overall, very listless for both teams in the first half. US is getting no rhythm on the attack. Feilhaber or Dempsey will need to step up with some inspiration, or else this finishes 0-0. Perhaps injecting Adu for the final 20 minutes might be the spark the US needs. Right now I have no clue how they are going to create a goal...so what else is new?
Second half
Well, halftime was more exciting than the match. Got my new "FourFourTwo" (feature on NFL 'invading' Wembley Stadium, Manchester derby, Kaka, picture of the Nicolas Anelka burger, good stuff) in the mail...and some car insurance payment info.
Two halftime US changes -- Dan Califf for Onyewu and Brad Guzan for Hahnemann. Swiss have made a couple changes too. Blaise Nkufo and Hakan Yakin are two of them at forward. Gelson Fernandes is the other.
49th -- Lewis wins a corner. Played short to Lewis, who serves...Califf gets an open head but is well off target. Should have done better.
52nd -- First really good US buildup, Feilhaber chips up to Cherundolo (who finally gets forward) his cross his good, but the Swiss keeper snatches it just before Twellman can get a head to it. ... Meanwhile, Edu gets a suspect yellow for an altercation with Yakin.
53rd -- Swiss nearly score. A ball gets slipped it, catching Guzan in no man's land, but it's clear away before Nkufo can get to it.
55th -- Swiss corner...nothing doing. At least things have picked up.
60th -- Edu wins another ball in the middle, but the US can't trigger a quick counter.
62nd -- Shot of a young Swiss man checking his phone's message. Yep, it's been that kind of game.
63rd -- Might be time to make a change by Bradley. Lewis doesn't have any speed, but it's unsure who can replace him on the left. Twellman or Dempsey might need to be replaced by some young, fresh legs. The US and not possessing and Bradley and Edu can't break everything up.
66th -- Dangerous play from Switzerland. Barnetta gets a little space in the box, but the combination of Bradley's pressure and the shoddy field make him slip and fire off target. US dodged a bullet.
67th -- Demspey draws a foul on the right. ... Eddie Lewis delivers to the near post, poor ball. ... US eventually earn a deep throw-in.
68th -- Nkufo gets a foul call from a challenge by Califf. Swiss line it up from about 40 yards. ... Ball from Yakin just a little too long as Guzan collects.
71st -- Nkufo beats the US offside trap on a ball from Magnin, but he never settles and Bocanegra denies him. ... Not a good game so far from the DR-Congo born player, who according to his Wiki, basically called Kobi Kuhn a racist. Not a good way to find more playing time.
72nd -- Bocanegra with a rough, clean tackle to deny a cross to Barnetta, who looks hurt from slipping on the field.
73rd -- Bretos: "I haven't seen so many slips since I was at Victoria's Secret." I'll let that speak for itself.
74th -- Swiss corner, cleared by Cherundolo. ... Danny Califf for some reason reminds me of Glenn Danzig. Similar skin pigment and jet black hair. Go figure. ... Lewis concedes a freekick.
75th -- Swiss sub off Barnetta for Christoph Spycher. ... Meanwhile, Yakin lines up the kick from the far right side. ... Guzan punches it away. ... Yakin fires back to Guzan, who handles easily.
76th -- Are we ready for Freddy? Bradley chats him up and sends him off to the substitute's spot. ... Here...he..comes...for Twellman? Hopefully he does something, because right now this game is rating as a waste of everyone's time.
78th -- Give him credit. Adu's first touch in a backheel chip with his left foot to Cherundolo. Nothing happens, but at least it shows some initiative.
80th -- Dempsey chips to Adu, who is muscles off the ball but uses his speed to regain control and wins a deep throw. ... Eddie Lewis called for another foul.
82nd -- Guzan called for an infraction for handling a ball just outside the box. ... Swiss win a freekick right on the edge of the area. ... Yakin fires a bullet, but Guzan pushes away. Solid save.
84th -- Szetela comes on for Lewis, mercifully...but about 20 minutes too late. ... Adu lines up a free kick from deep in the left, volleys across field to Califf who heads into Nkufo's hand...but no call.
85th -- Low shot by Inler, easily saved by Guzan.
86th -- GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL
Szetela served in from the right to Dempsey. Demspey got an awkward touch and the ball hopped up to an opportunistic Bradley, who gets part of his body onto it. The keeper was off his line and it gets past him. Not a thing of beauty, but we'll take it. It is Bradley's first international senior level goal. 1-0.
88th -- Oh my! Dempsey chips to an speedy Adu...who's volley just goes over the bar. Should have been 2-0. Unlucky again.
90th -- Adu gets kicked right in the head by Grichting. Ouch.
90+ -- Findlay on for Dempsey. ... Adu run over, again. ... He lines up the freekick. ... Right into the keeper.
Full time!!! The Swiss boo! An accomplishment in-and-of itself.
Post game quick fire thoughts
A result is a result. Doubt anyone is re watching the game tape of this one other than Bradley. No matter how you slice it, it's nice to both get a win in Europe and also end the five-game skid, especially with Beasley forced to leave the game so early.
It wasn't pretty. Yet at least we saw something from the new blood -- Bradley, Adu, Szetela and Edu. On the other end, we didn't learn anything new in regards to Twellman's inability to score internationally or the fact Eddie Lewis is washed up.
This was a game up for grabs and -- for a change -- the US made something of one of their few chances and got the win. Solid.
Also solid, the defense of Bradley, Edu and of course Bocanegra, a rock in the back. Guzan looked very sharp in the second half in net.
Dempsey didn't do much, but created the flick that set up the goal. We'll take it.
If this one ends 0-0, maybe we're singing a different tune. Regardless, this is a positive result to move toward 2008. Not much more to say.
Bradley's goal sealed his unofficial TOP 'Man of the Match' status. Otherwise it was Bocanegra, followed by Edu.
The big question, Bradley needs a nickname. Off the top of my head -- "The Beast", "The Linebacker" or "The Bruiser." I'm sure you guys can think of something better.
Anyways, a pleasure as always. Glad to finally see the team get a win, even if it was an offense to the ocular cavity.
How many cards will Gooch get?
How does the FSC broom closet sound?
one yellow for Gooch on a challenge to Streller. ... Max and Sullivan are actually in Switzerland.
How are Bradley and Edu doing holding down the midfield? Anyone dominating possession?
Adu has made a couple nice balls to Beas and Lewis down the side... actually interesting to watch for once... guy has "tremendous upside potential" as hubie brown would said
Mmmmm. . . Nutella. I could go for a Nutella sandwich right about now.
Lewis had to do better with that shot. Know the rain is bad, but that first touch was terrible.
I'll take it as a positive.
did anybody see what Adu did to control that long ball that set up his free kick? I have it DVRd and if what I think happened did in fact occur, it is downright nasty. But nobody seems to have made any mention of it.