NOT EASY TO GIVE UP A GOAL ON YOUR OWN CORNER KICK, BUT THIS ALIGNMENT COULD:

Brazil Brushes Aside U.S. in Confederations Cup (JERÉ LONGMAN, 6/18/09, NY Times)

In the 20th minute, Beasley, who has been struggling, missed the ball on a short corner played to him by Landon Donovan, an amateur mistake as a soft roller went beneath his left foot. Brazil raced the length of the field to make it 2-0.

Kaká’s short pass unleashed the streaking midfielder Ramires, who dribbled furiously to the top of the penalty area. Spector raced across the field, trying to cut off Ramires. But the Brazilian midfielder made a deft pass to Robinho, who beat a charging Howard from 12 yards, punching the ball inside the left goal post. [...]

Beasley was benched at halftime, as Conor Casey came on at forward and Donovan moved to the right side of midfield. In the 48th minute, Casey smartly played a give-and-go pass in the penalty area to Jozy Altidore, but Altidore could not finish, putting his shot high over the crossbar.

The Americans’ first threatening chance came in the 83rd minute, when Benny Feilhaber lashed a shot off the crossbar from 16 yards. Casey headed a free kick into the crossbar in the 89th minute. Both times the ball ricocheted harmlessly away.

When he started Beasley and benched Feilhaber, Coach Bradley made it a tentative squad, one not set up to drive the ball forward. As soon as he got Feilhaber and Casey in we started getting chances despite being a man down.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 18, 2009 1:04 PM