Latecomers blog

Hi ya'll

The blog starts now because I'm finally home from the other, bill-paying job.

The U.S. has a 2-0 lead on Poland. Headers from Bocanegra and Onyewu on corner kicks from Landon Donovan, yeah, that guy who should have been left at home, right?

Timmay, C-Boc, Baby B, Heath (the one still alive), Stevie C, Demps, EJ, LD, Chingy, Rico(not-always-sua-ve), Gooch,

46- Donovan CK - Maybe he's picked up tips from Becks, but Landon's kicks are looking pretty good.
48 - Weird defensive choice from Bocanegra there. He won the ball, then hit a softy to a covered teammate to lead to a FK in a good spot, Poland serves it in, it's headed away - Landon is out on the break - chip him, dang it, he goes for the post and misses by inches.
50- Poland is definitely looking to attack now. If the defense can hold, the U.S. should get chances on the counter.
52 - Correction - LD's first assist was off a free kick, not a corner.
54 - I kinda like the anthracite, but I'm not sure anything about it says US - except maybe it's a reference to our military domination?
54 - A chilena! A bike clearance, by Rico, I think. I hate the Fox Sports guys - they didn't even notice it. Dang, Spanish announcers love that stuff.
55 - Stevie C shows he plays in Germany - Look Ma, no gloves! Matusiak shoots- just over the bar.
57 - Poland is circling the U.S. goal. They'll succeed or give up a counter.
Counter chance, EJ out on the break, he corrals the ball in the box and then hits the most aimless cross ever. It goes all the way to midfield, and only the speed of Rico manages to get to it and continue the attack. Rico gets back upfield, beats Boruc, rebound is up, Ching is surrounded, Dempsey gets to it, shoots into someones legs, can't quite get the rebound, Poland clears.
64 - Poland isn't pushing quite as hard. The U.S. hasn't scored again, but has established a credible enough threat on the counter, that Poland can't just attack.
66 - Smolarek gets a half-shot off, but it's over the bar.
69 - Oh, yeah, the U.S. subbed out Brian Ching, LD, and Gooch. In came Jay DeMerit, Josh Wolff, and Eddie Lewis, who just took a corner kick. Poland cleared it.
71 - If the U.S. beats Poland soundly, does that raise U.S. assistant coach Peter Nowak's profile to get the Poland job someday?
73 - Specs is in for Stevie C - also with no gloves. GOAL! Dang, the old man of the U.S. team still has it - or maybe those "American Beckham" jokes from years ago were somewhat valid. Eddie "Not a Lamb Chop" Lewis nails the FK right into the goal. 3-0.
76 - Poland CK It kind of misses everybody, but a Dempsey foul at the top of the arc leads to a Poland FK. It hits the wall.
79 - Lewie, Lewie, oh, baby - stands over another U.S. FK and swerves it in to the box. Jay DeMerit gets there and nearly heads it in for another goal. So close.
82 - Poland's frustation shows in a pushing foul on Wolff.
84 - Lewie Prima! He shakes his defender on the wing and crosses - it's de-lovely, but the U.S. forwards are offsides. Dang, that was pretty.
85 - Hale and hearty Heath is off, subbed for Bennyboy, the other Derby guy.
87- Now Rico gets the ragdoll toss from the grumpy Polish players. The FK is a long one, but still gets into the box and almost to Johnson in a dangerous spot.
89 - Feilhaber puts a through ball behind the defense into space. There's a delay of "who, me?" and then Dempsey runs for it. Looked like a miscommunication there, or maybe Clint is tired.
90 - Poland FK, looking for the consolation. Nothing doing.
EJ with a late run into the box, but he makes a poor choice as soon as he gets there with the ball and loses it.
Final Whistle. The U.S. wins in Europe, elevating Bradley's stats on that count a bit.