The U.S. men's national team is in must-win mode tonight as it faces El Salvador in World Cup qualifying in Sandy, Utah (8pm, ESPN Classic).
The Americans currently sit in third place in CONCACAF qualifying, but a win tonight would go a long way toward helping the USA qualify.
I will be providing commentary throughout the evening so please feel free to follow along here. As always, you are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Commentary is after the jump):
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FINAL- That's all for tonight. Please feel free to share your post-match thoughts in the comments section below.
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FINAL- The Americans won and avoided losing any players to yellow card suspensions. Some great performances, and some shaky ones. OVerall though, the US team showed heart to fight back and earn a sorely-needed home win.
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FINAL- USA 2, El Salvador 1. It was much tougher than some would have expected, but the Americans battled back from a goal down to record a crucial three points.
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93rd minute- Great play by Holden to break up a chance.
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92nd minute- El Salvador with a last gasp.
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90th minute- SAVE!!! Jose Torres had a clear header but it was saved by a GREAT stop from Montes. Sure goal there. Great pass from Holden.
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89th minute- Americans with too many turnovers, but El Salvador sends one out of bounds. One minute left.
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87th minute- SAVE HOWARD. Stops a shot from Reyes. Not sure he was onside.
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86th minute- Four minutes to go. Can the Americans add a third goal?
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85th minute- Look for Donovan to move up top, as well as roam and help defensively, while Torres works the left flank.
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84th minute- Jose Francisco Torres is in for Altidore.
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83rd minute- Not a great night for Bornstein. El Salvador corner kick.
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81st minute- El Salvador is still pushing for an equalizer. Americans look tired. They have one more sub left.
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80th minute- Beckerman comes in for Benny Feilhaber.
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78th minute- Kyle Beckerman is warming up and could come in.
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76th minute- Davies' injury was a calf injury.
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75th minute- Rudis Corrales comes in for Quintanilla.
Bornstein with another turnover.
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73rd minute- Holden is in. Look for him to be on the right wing, with Dempsey moving up top.
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71st minute- Charlie Davies is down. Leg injury. WHo comes in? I say Holden.
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69th minute- Nice passes between Feilhaber and Dempsey, but again, the final pass is lacking.
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67th minute- El Salvador pressing hard for an equalizer. Americans look gassed. Bob Bradley needs some subs. Stuart Holden is one that comes to mind.
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65th minute- So much for the home team getting calls in a big game. These Honduran officials have not had a good night.
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64th minute- Bradley with a dangerous turnover that El Salvador nearly turns into a shot on goal. He can't afford to lose the ball in front of the defense.
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61st minute- If there's a bright spot on the waived-off goal it is that the play showed what a few passes can do to El Salvador's defense. Combine well and the chances will come for the USA.
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60th minute- Unless the referee whistled Altidore for a foul I'm not sure what the call was there.
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58th minute- A USA goal from Altidore is waved off. Curious call on that one.
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54th minute- Bradley misses wide from 23. Good chance there.
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53rd minute- Some extended possession for the Americans and Spector with another good cross.
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51st minute- Arturo Alvarez comes out of the match, gets some boos. Romero is in for El Salvador.
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46th minute- We're back
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HALFTIME- The Americans definitely woke up after that El Salvador goal, a goal the US team may have needed in order to have a fire lit under it. TOo many wasted chances early on, but now that the USA has found a rhythm, they need to convert the other chances that are going to come.
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HALFTIME- USA 2, El Salvador 1. The breakdowns that led to the El Salvador goal were bad, but the comeback showed heart and the ability of the American attack.
Great job by Donovan to provide the service on both goals, and Dempsey and Altidore convert the chances.
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45th minute- GOAL ALTIDORE!!!!! A beautiful ball from Donovan and clinical header finish for Altidore. And yes, Altidore and Davies do the Stanky Leg.
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45th minute- USA with two corners but can't put a shot on goal.
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45th minute- Chances that Bob Bradley's half-time speech includes a message to stop the back-heels and ball tricks? Pretty high.
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44th minute- Bradley and Feilhaber need to do a better job of communicating on their surges forward. They get caught forward at the same time and leave a ton of space behind them when El Salvador counters.
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42nd minute- Dempsey does it again. He missed a handful of good chances, but he steps up yet again.
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41st minute- GOAL USA!!!!! And it's Dempsey with the header off a GREAT ball from DOnovan. USA 1, El Salvador 1.
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40th minute- DAVIES SHOT SAVED off the line!!! Wow, El Salvador saved on that one by Marvin Gonzalez.
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39th minute- DEMPSEY MISSES! A great cross from Spector but Dempsey misses yet again. Bad day so far for the Fulham man.
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35th minute- DAVIES WIDE! He streaked in close to goal but couldn't put his shot on net. Great chance by Davies.
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34th minute- Multiple breakdowns on that goal and El Salvador is energized right now. Bornstein bad clear, too much space and Howard was out of position.
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32nd minute- GOAL EL SALVADOR!!! Christian Castillo with a header after a poor clearance attempt by Bornstein.
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28th minute- Dempsey MISS wide. Davies with a great quick move and cross into the area, but Dempsey can't put in on net.
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25th minute- Americans have done well to keep possession, but can't finish the final pass. Bornstein hasn't looked too bad early on at left back.
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21st minute- For those wondering, the referee is Jose Pineda from Honduras.
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20th minute- Bradley misses wide from distance, nice run to get the look, could have taken another touch and gotten closer. Better from the US offense, still not enough though.
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18th minute- The referee is calling everything against the Americans early on. US team needs to be careful and adjust. With seven starters in yellow card jeopardy, they don't want key suspensions going into Wednesday's qualifiers vs. Trinidad & Tobago.
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17th minute- Bradley dispossesses Alvarez.
Americans with a nice break, but couldn't put one on net.
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16th minute- Altidore needs to do better on the long corner from Donovan.
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15th minute- Davies draws a corner. Can Donovan make one count.
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13th minute- Bradley showing some good composure early on.
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11th minute- The free kick was wasted and the Americans couldn't do anything with the rebound. Can't waste free kicks like that.
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9th minute- Foul on El Salvador sets up a great free kick at the left corner of the area. Donovan with a nice run to create that.
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8th minute- Chad Marshall has been involved in some bad calls early and will need to keep his cool.
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6th minute- Drinking games tonight (it is Saturday night after all): El Salvador faked injuries, Davies shots on goal and good Donovan corner kicks/bad Donovan free kicks.
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5th minute- Marshall whistled for a questionable foul. El Salvador has some quick players who will trouble the USA's back-line.
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3rd minute- How will Chad Marshall do tonight? This is his first qualifier in four years.
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2nd minute- A shaky moment for the USA back-line but Howard clears the danger.
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1st minute- USA corner
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1st minute- We're underway.
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PRE-GAME- Very spirited rendition of the American national anthem, perhaps the best of this qualifying round (though the one in Columbus was great).
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PRE-GAME- We're getting close to kickoff in Sandy and the crowd is pumped.
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PRE-GAME- Here is El Salvador's starting lineup:
Miguel Montes, Marvin Gonzalez, Henriquez, Ramon Flores, Arturo Alvarez, Ramon Sanchez, Eliseo Quintanilla, Rodolfo Zelaya, Manuel Salazar, Deris Ariel Umanzor, Christian Castillo.
Zelaya, Quintanilla and Castillo are the key attacking threats for an El Salvador team that isn't likely to open things up too much.
And yes, Arturo Alvarez is starting. After being an injury doubt all week, the American-born winger is going to face his native country.
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PRE-GAME- Here are the USA subs:
Guzan, Holden, Ching, Rogers, Cherundolo, Beckerman, Torres
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PRE-GAME- Bornstein's inclusion will turn some heads but he'll have a chance tonight to show that he's once again the top natural left-back option in the pool.
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PRE-GAME- Here is the USA lineup for tonight:
------------------Altidore---------------Davies---------------
Donovan---------------------------------------------Dempsey
------------------Bradley----------Feilhaber------------------
Bornstein------Bocanegra-------Marshall-----------Spector
---------------------------Howard-----------------------------
Altidore gets the start, as does Feilhaber, while Spector gets the nod ahead of Cherundolo. This is the lineup we figurd to see if Altidore was fit enough to start. Bob Bradley will have his team on the attack from the start.
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