YOU DON'T NEED MORE THAN THE STARTING LINEUP TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED:

Mexico scores late to defeat U.S., 2-1, in World Cup qualifier (Grahame L. Jones, August 12, 2009, LA Times)

American Charlie Davies scored nine minutes into the game to open the scoring before Mexico tallied the equalizer on a goal by Israel Castro in the 22nd minute.

Sabah, who had come on as a substitute only minutes earlier, collected a pass inside the top of the box in the 82nd minute and quickly fired a rising shot that went over Howard and under the crossbar. [...]

The starting lineups have just been released.

The U.S. will have Tim Howard in goal behind a back line of Steve Cherundolo, Oguchi Onyewu, Jay Merit and Carlos Bocanegra. In the midfield are Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Ricardo Clark and Landon Donovan. Up front are Bring Ching and Charlie Davies.

We have one defender who crosses balls into the box--Jonathan Spector--he was on the bench.

We have one midfielder who has been carrying and distributing the ball well--Benny Feilhaber--he was on the bench.

We have two guys with a nose for the goal--Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey--Altidore was on the bench and Dempsey was in midfield, where he has repeatedly shown he has no interest in playing.

If you were the Mexican coach and got to pick our opening formation the only change you'd make is to bench Onyewu, the single most dominant central defender in the world right now.

Bob Bradley has single-handedly revived the Mexican national squad. Playing for the tie from the opening was profoundly craven. Doing so the first time you have the country paying attention to your team was just another example of why soccer can't make headway with Americans because of the self-destructive tendencies of those who run it. It's like he was trying to alienate his countrymen.

MORE:
AZTECA CLAIMS ANOTHER AMERICAN TEAM (Brent Latham, August 12, 2009, Yanks Abroad)

The United State's continued their losing ways in Mexico City on Wednesday afternoon despite striking early and quieting the massive crowd at Estadio Azteca settled at 7,200 feet above sea level.

Posted by Orrin Judd at August 12, 2009 5:29 PM