matchday: USA-Poland. (spoilers, for you TiVo freaks)

[northzax]

dateline: Krakow.

USA 3:0 Poland

Goals from:
bocanegra (donovan free kick)
Gooch (donovan corner)
eddie freaking lewis (free kick)

for the record, that is a center back relegated to the bench on
an epl team facing relegation, the other cb on a second place team in Belgium, and an aging striker from perhaps the worst team to ever grace the premiership. Two assisted from the leading scorer in us history, who is apparenty taking free kick lessons from that other bloke on his team, what's his face, you know, the one with the faded pop-star wife?

Oh, and sidebar: comment from the BBC guy during the England-France game: if only we had some big burly centerbacks to bounce free kicks off like David's teammate.

[charakter]

1. Poland's ranking

If I am not mistaken the Polish team has advanced in the rankings the last couple of years. They have a new coach who seems to have created chemistry among their players.

[northzax]

2. Poland is 24th

three spots ahead of the us using whatever odd system FIFA uses (which is about as comprehensible as the bcs) and this wasn't the squad they will use in the European championships, missing a few players, I think. Still, always good to beat a European team in Europe. And it's a nice tuneup for our summer schedule, qualifying plus games at wembley (11), in Valencia (5) and argentina (1) at the meadowlands. The yanks were missing a few starters, too, the only us-based player was donovan, and the young Turks of Adu, Edu and Altidore were all resting from the Olympic qualifying tournament. Well, that and jozy should probably go actually get one of two practices in with Red Bull before the season starts Saturday.

[rpannier]

3. It's a good win

Poland is not the caliber of Germany, Italy or the Czech Republic.
But a win in Europe is good.

It's certainly a hell of a lot better than their last 3 World Cup games combined