USA 1, Paraguay 0

[YankeeJim]

For once the US played as a team. Brooks looked like the best that the US has had at center back since Eddie Pope. He's still young, but as a USA/Fulham fan I have to be an optimists or I'd shoot myself. Also in the youth department, DeAndre Yedlin actually looks like a right back. He crossed well the few times he got forward but looked the part as a defender - if he can keep his head. He almost blew it with his red and may have done damage to the legs of a squad playing its 3rd match in nine days. Even so, those two and Klinsman finally settling the defense in that squirrely head (Cameron & Johnson in the correct positions) of his, bode well as the missing pieces on the back line. Somebody call Khan and tell him to pick up those guys. Jones played well and I only saw one cheap shot from him all match. Zardes (if this guy could develop a first touch) plays hard and really should have had a goal but waited too long to rake his shot. Bobby Wood might just be the striker to eventually replace Deuce. We still need a beef boy up top and no, Altidore isn't it. Guzan has courage to spare. He comes off his line like a hungry bear & sticks his head in some dangerous places like every good keeper does. Guess he learned a lot being in goal last year for Villa. He cements the string of hairless keepers at 4 and I don't miss Timmie half as much. Clint is still hungry at 33 and Bedoya plays a decent #10. Now if the legs aren't dead ('taint a lot on the bench) and Klinsman continues to make good decisions (pulling Dempsey after the red and bunkering in) the US might just win one more if Ecuador doesn't have a strong left side attack . After that its the South American big boys and the bloody Mexicants (who have their best eleven in years), so that will be it.
All in all, it hasn't been a bad run lately. Now, if Klinsman puts Wondo on the pitch, I take it all back. 

[Forever Fulham]

I agree with almost all of that, YJ.  U.S. won its group (thanks to Clint's goal), now faces Ecuador, which they beat in that May friendly, 1-0 (Darlington Nagbe's goal).  With Brazil  out (terrible noncall on that handball), Uruguay out, the U.S. might get to the finals.  Wouldn't that be something!  One of these days, Michael Bradley is going to drop over dead from exhaustion. I don't know how he keeps motoring. 

[YankeeJim]

I just realized that I hadn't mentioned Michael. Guess that just shows what he did in this match is just expected. The guy is the best American field player at this time. I wish he had stayed in Europe. I think his game would be even better had he better competition at the club level.

Brazil out? On a bad call no less. Serves them right, they can't seem to score these days. It looked like a deliberate hand ball on the replay. I saw three angles. One of which looked a clean goal with the attacker using his body. The other two, not so much. I sort of enjoy it when the big boys get a bad call. The Germans would say schadenfreude. I simply say karma. 

[YankeeJim]

I take it all back. Wondo feckin starting?????????????????????