This game is slightly delayed on the Azteca America channel I'm watching, but hey, I'll survive.
1 - Benedetto and Pellerano attack, earn a Xolos corner, than another.
2 - Beasley is backed up by ref - too close to corner. Benedetto scores!
3 - Dude is a scoring machine. I think Arce sent the ball in. Benedetto scored via header near post.
4 - I think Orozco should have been marking Benedetto. Ooops.
Showing posts with label Orozco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Orozco. Show all posts
Friday, March 21, 2014
Friday, October 3, 2008
Torres coup
By now, you've probably heard that Jose Francisco Torres has decided to play with the US national team. Torres was among the 23 players called into camp by Bob Bradley ahead of the next pair of World Cup qualifiers. Actually, he'll be with the US for the match against Cuba on Oct. 11 and, my guess, he'll be part of the team that goes to Trinidad should the US take care of business at RFK.
Now, Torres is a talented player. You don't get significant playing time for a club like Pachuca without talent, after all. But this decision by Torres is really a coup in more ways than one.
Sure, Torres' presence on the left side gives the US another option, a young option who could develop into a talented first-choice player in the near future. Pachuca, after all, has produced several quality players in recent history and Torres stands to be another in the increasingly long list of national team caliber players that come from Tuzo-land.
But more important than his potential is his background. Although born and bred in Texas, Torres could have chosen to bide his time and wait to play for Mexico. Just a week ago, I was among a small group talking to FMF honcho Guillermo Cantu about this very subject. When asked about the potential for players like Torres to follow in the footsteps of Edgar Castillo, who chose Mexico over his birth nation, Cantu had a very valid point. He said Mexicans were very proud, and the allure of Mexico was strong even for Mexicans born here.
I can attest to that a bit. I've lived twice in my life in Mexico, when I was 18 and then when I was almost 30. And I hope in the future to be able to retire there or spend a lot of time there... well, either there or somewhere in the Caribbean, but that's neither here nor there...
Regardless, Torres could have spurned Bradley again and stayed with his club team and nobody would have thought any worse than they had before. Well, perhaps the US might have felt a bit turned back by it but he wouldn't be the first player to spurn the US lately, would he?
If that would have happened, Michael Orozco would have looked like a fluke. Orozco, of course, chose the US over Mexico when he agreed to play for the US Under-23 national team, which led to a spot in the Olympics and then call-ups to the senior national team as well. That would have looked like a case of a player not good enough to play for the team with more depth and instead going to the US simply because it was either that or nothing.
Instead, it looks like the allure Cantu talked about only went so far in this case. Perhaps Orozco and Torres felt their chances were better off professionally in another country, whose soccer is far more developed than it is here in the United States. But when it came down to it, it looks as if wanting to represent their birth country and defending their colors was also important, if not the aspect that sealed the deal.
There's hope. For the US, there is hope that someday, possibly sooner than many had anticipated, the US national team can tap into the vast wealth of talent that is the Mexican-American well.
Who knows how many players out there are as good as or better than Torres, Orozco or Castillo? But they're out there, playing with friends after school, trying their fate with a club team perhaps, maybe playing AYSO. They're 12, 13, 14 years old, possibly younger, hoping to make it as a pro one day.
And now when they look at their birth nation, the United States, and its national team, they will see some familiar names, names that they can relate to. And perhaps then Torres and Orozco will become some sort of role model, trailblazers if you will, and show that the allure to stay home is also a strong one too.
Now, Torres is a talented player. You don't get significant playing time for a club like Pachuca without talent, after all. But this decision by Torres is really a coup in more ways than one.
Sure, Torres' presence on the left side gives the US another option, a young option who could develop into a talented first-choice player in the near future. Pachuca, after all, has produced several quality players in recent history and Torres stands to be another in the increasingly long list of national team caliber players that come from Tuzo-land.
But more important than his potential is his background. Although born and bred in Texas, Torres could have chosen to bide his time and wait to play for Mexico. Just a week ago, I was among a small group talking to FMF honcho Guillermo Cantu about this very subject. When asked about the potential for players like Torres to follow in the footsteps of Edgar Castillo, who chose Mexico over his birth nation, Cantu had a very valid point. He said Mexicans were very proud, and the allure of Mexico was strong even for Mexicans born here.
I can attest to that a bit. I've lived twice in my life in Mexico, when I was 18 and then when I was almost 30. And I hope in the future to be able to retire there or spend a lot of time there... well, either there or somewhere in the Caribbean, but that's neither here nor there...
Regardless, Torres could have spurned Bradley again and stayed with his club team and nobody would have thought any worse than they had before. Well, perhaps the US might have felt a bit turned back by it but he wouldn't be the first player to spurn the US lately, would he?
If that would have happened, Michael Orozco would have looked like a fluke. Orozco, of course, chose the US over Mexico when he agreed to play for the US Under-23 national team, which led to a spot in the Olympics and then call-ups to the senior national team as well. That would have looked like a case of a player not good enough to play for the team with more depth and instead going to the US simply because it was either that or nothing.
Instead, it looks like the allure Cantu talked about only went so far in this case. Perhaps Orozco and Torres felt their chances were better off professionally in another country, whose soccer is far more developed than it is here in the United States. But when it came down to it, it looks as if wanting to represent their birth country and defending their colors was also important, if not the aspect that sealed the deal.
There's hope. For the US, there is hope that someday, possibly sooner than many had anticipated, the US national team can tap into the vast wealth of talent that is the Mexican-American well.
Who knows how many players out there are as good as or better than Torres, Orozco or Castillo? But they're out there, playing with friends after school, trying their fate with a club team perhaps, maybe playing AYSO. They're 12, 13, 14 years old, possibly younger, hoping to make it as a pro one day.
And now when they look at their birth nation, the United States, and its national team, they will see some familiar names, names that they can relate to. And perhaps then Torres and Orozco will become some sort of role model, trailblazers if you will, and show that the allure to stay home is also a strong one too.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Sangre americana preview: Orozco
At the start of the Clausura 2008 season, few American soccer fans had heard of Michael Orozco. Now, though, he's become a part of the U.S. national team system and will represent the U.S. in the upcoming Summer Olympics.
And while he'll be away for perhaps one-fourth of the upcoming Apertura 2008 season, he will at some point go back ad try and reclaim a spot on the club.
A native of Orange, Calif., Orozco broke through with San Luis in the Apertura 2007 season. He started 15 of 16 games that season and logged 1,325 minutes. A season ago, Olympic qualifying and injuries limited him to 11 games - all starts.
Orozco will likely miss a minimum of four games but could be away for as many as six matches with the U.S. Olympic team. When he gets back, he may have to battle with Adrian Gonzalez Tahuilan to reclaim a starting spot. It's a fight that he should not have much problem winning.
Still, San Luis' season will plow forward without Orozco. If the club is in a good position in league when Orozco returns from China, it may initially be difficult for Orozco to win a spot back. In many ways then, San Luis' early-season success or failure might dictate how quickly Orozco gets himself back in the mix.
Potentially, Orozco's success with the U.S. Olympic team could elad to more international call-ups. Orozco could thrust himself in the mix with the senior national team, which may lead to more absences.
At some point, though, all of the international experience will benefit Orozco at the club level as he only stands to improve his play while defending his colors.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Who gets the American Dream?
There are classic feel-good stories that are designed to give people an inspirational uplift that might even last more than a day. There are tales that warm the heart.
Sacha Kljestan's Karate Kid celebration, done in honor of his father, Slavko, definitely takes on greater meaning when viewed in the context of their close relationship and Slavko's soccer past.
There are aspects of this story that bother me, though.
I'll admit that it might be tied up with my own O.C. experience. I lived in the area for two years.
Slavko Kljestan, as the article details, entered the U.S. illegally. He stole across the northern border instead of the more commonly crossed southern one, but he didn't have papers, not even when he married. The article hammers home the theme that Slavko and his family have achieved the American Dream.
It strikes me as something of a contradiction when there isn't a mention of the obvious fact that many in the U.S. are now engaged in a furious effort to deny that dream to those trying to achieve it by coming in from Mexico.
By the way, there's a good chance that a future Olympic athlete could very well come from that direction as well.
In fact, that point is already proven by Michael Orozco, Sasha's teammate on the U.S. squad. Michael was born in Orange, a city within the O.C., but there's no O.C. Register profile on him or even a mention of his Olympic inclusion (I realize that Sacha's article was published before the official Olympic roster came out, but I did a search on the OC Register site today for Michael's name and nothing for him came up. So as far as their own database reveals, they've never written about him).
Bottom line, there's a lot of people who view the U.S. as the place where they can make "something from nothing". However, there sure seems to be more acceptance for those who take the initiative to come here without permission if they're European.
Sacha Kljestan's Karate Kid celebration, done in honor of his father, Slavko, definitely takes on greater meaning when viewed in the context of their close relationship and Slavko's soccer past.
There are aspects of this story that bother me, though.
I'll admit that it might be tied up with my own O.C. experience. I lived in the area for two years.
Slavko Kljestan, as the article details, entered the U.S. illegally. He stole across the northern border instead of the more commonly crossed southern one, but he didn't have papers, not even when he married. The article hammers home the theme that Slavko and his family have achieved the American Dream.
It strikes me as something of a contradiction when there isn't a mention of the obvious fact that many in the U.S. are now engaged in a furious effort to deny that dream to those trying to achieve it by coming in from Mexico.
By the way, there's a good chance that a future Olympic athlete could very well come from that direction as well.
In fact, that point is already proven by Michael Orozco, Sasha's teammate on the U.S. squad. Michael was born in Orange, a city within the O.C., but there's no O.C. Register profile on him or even a mention of his Olympic inclusion (I realize that Sacha's article was published before the official Olympic roster came out, but I did a search on the OC Register site today for Michael's name and nothing for him came up. So as far as their own database reveals, they've never written about him).
Bottom line, there's a lot of people who view the U.S. as the place where they can make "something from nothing". However, there sure seems to be more acceptance for those who take the initiative to come here without permission if they're European.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Orozco speaks
Okay, Michael Orozco and I spoke a while back. I had the interview sitting around and he gave a really good interview and had a pretty good tale. I decided to use a lot of the interview as a Q and A for SI.com. I kept some of it for another piece which will probably come down later this summer at some point. I'll keep you posted.
Anyway, here's the story for SI.com. Many people had never heard of Michael Orozco before he was called up to the US Under-23 national team. Few fans thought he was worthy of starting before the tournament as Patrick Ianni was thought to have had the inside track at starting in central defense for the US during the Olympic qualifying tournament but Orozco opened everyone's eyes with his impressive play.
As I point out in the piece, Orozco isn't the only American-born player down in Mexico. But then again, if you read this blog regularly, you already knew that.
Anyway, here's the story for SI.com. Many people had never heard of Michael Orozco before he was called up to the US Under-23 national team. Few fans thought he was worthy of starting before the tournament as Patrick Ianni was thought to have had the inside track at starting in central defense for the US during the Olympic qualifying tournament but Orozco opened everyone's eyes with his impressive play.
As I point out in the piece, Orozco isn't the only American-born player down in Mexico. But then again, if you read this blog regularly, you already knew that.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Orozco update
Until recently, Americans abroad updates found regularly across the Web have mostly -if not fully - focused on Americans plying their trade in Europe. Now, Michael Orozco has left his mark on the U.S. national team, albeit the Under-23 side, and suddenly eyes are focused on the Southern California native and his potential future with the U.S.
We'll keep tabs on him right here for those interested in following Orozco's career with San Luis if the Mexican First Division along.
In his first game back with San Luis, Orozco started and played 83 minutes in a 2-0 loss to Jaguares. The setback kept San Luis from slicing into Chivas' lead in both Group 3 and the overall league table. San Luis sits in second place in both, with 22 points from 12 games. Orozco has played seven games this season for a total of 451 minutes. He has two yellow cards as well as a red card this year.
We'll keep tabs on him right here for those interested in following Orozco's career with San Luis if the Mexican First Division along.
In his first game back with San Luis, Orozco started and played 83 minutes in a 2-0 loss to Jaguares. The setback kept San Luis from slicing into Chivas' lead in both Group 3 and the overall league table. San Luis sits in second place in both, with 22 points from 12 games. Orozco has played seven games this season for a total of 451 minutes. He has two yellow cards as well as a red card this year.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Defending his colors
One of the more intriguing players currently with the United States Under-23 national team is Michael Orozco. The American-born Orozco plies his trade with San Luis of the Mexican First Division.
Orozco is part of a small but potentially growing number of American-born players who made their way down to Mexico to develop and play professionally. Sonny Guadarrama, Jesus Padilla and Edgar Castillo are other examples. But what separates Orozco from the latter two at least is that Orozco is playing internationally with his birth country. Padilla turned down an offer to play for the United States Under-20 national team a year ago while Castillo is trying to help Mexico qualify for the Summer Olympics.
I had the chance to talk to Michael by phone on Wednesday as part of a larger story I'm working on for MLS Magazine. Though I need to save a bulk of that interview for the magazine, I wanted to share part of it with our Sideline Views readers.
Among the things I asked him was how he acclimated himself to the squad and how people in Mexico reacted to his decision to play for the United States.
Here's audio of the interview. As for the rest of it, I'll keep you informed on the progress of the piece.
Here's audio of the interview. As for the rest of it, I'll keep you informed on the progress of the piece.
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