West Chester United learned its first round opponent in the 2016 US Open Cup this week. It will all be a part of a very busy month of May for the team that also includes a benefit game in Connecticut and US Soccer’s National Amateur Championship tournament.
The US finished with nine men and lost an ugly game 2–1 against Colombia, missing out on a second consecutive Olympic tournament.
The US tossed Guatemala aside and won, 4–0. The US was dominant, it looked easy. Which inevitably leads one to ask, Why was it so hard on Friday?
While the outlook is a touch overcast just now, if results go the right way tonight, the US senior team could have made a huge stride toward reaching the next stage of World Cup Qualifying, and the U-23s could be in the Olympics.
Guatemala profited from two early defensive mistakes from the Americans to grab a 2-0 lead that they would never relinquish.
The US scored early and after conceding a penalty kick held on for the 1-1 draw.
The US has a strong record against Guatemala, even during World Cup qualifying, having not lost since 1988 across 21 games. That said, Guatemala City is almost a mile above sea level, making it a tough place to play. A point is a fine result on its own, but the US really needs three.
Just like their senior team counterparts, the U-23 Men’s National Team faces a home-and-home series in the coming days. And while none would argue the senior side’s games unimportant, for the U-23s the games could not be more vital.
In a game no one should have stayed up to watch, the US defeated Canada, 1–0 on a very late Jozy Altidore goal. Neither team cared about this game, and it showed. Or if they did care, it didn’t look like it.
PSP contributor and labor lawyer Steve Holroyd breaks down the issues at play in US Soccer’s lawsuit against the union representing the US women’s national team.
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