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PHILADELPHIA _ The U.S. sent a young, inexperienced squad into last night’s Gold Cup quarterfinal vs. Panama. But after 120 contentious minutes of near hand-to-hand combat _ Jimmy Conrad concussed and Kenny Cooper drop-kicked _ they showed they mettle with a 2-1 come-from-behind win.
After falling behind at the half, Kyle Beckerman scored the equalizer and Cooper the winner at the end of the first overtime. He took a vicious flying kick in the box to earn a penalty, and buried it to help lift the two-time defending champs to victory in front of 31,087 at Lincoln Financial Field.
“It’d be ideal to finish things off in regulation, but (last night) it took 30 extra minutes. It says something about the group that, at the end of regulation, they still felt that this was their game,” said coach Bob Bradley. “Every game is different, and (last) night it took 120 minutes. Right before halftime we gave up a goal; that’s a bad time to give one up.
“It was a challenge to the team to be in that spot at halftime and I still felt good that the response was strong. When we didn’t finish the game in regulation, you still got a sense that the mentality was “we’re going to take care of this thing.’ The players deserve a lot of credit for that.” Cooper, who came on as a 77th-minute sub, took a flying kick to the gut near the end of the first overtime when defender Roman Torres (presumably) went for the ball and missed. Striker Brian Ching stepped forward to take the penalty, but Cooper _ in obvious pain _ told him he could manage.
He did just that, stutter-stepping to freeze keeper Jaime Penedo ever so slightly. Penedo guessed correctly, but Cooper banked in his penalty off the bottom of the left post for the go-ahead goal.
The young U.S. team confidently killed off the second overtime period, running its home unbeaten streak against CONCACAF foes to 57 games and advanced to their fifth straight semifinal. Thursday in Chicago they’ll face Honduras, whom they have already defeated 2-0 in the group stage.
Regarded as a “B” team compared to the one that upset world-No. 1 Spain and nearly shocked Brazil, after five players left to rejoin their European clubs it became more of a “C” team. But unlike Jerry Manuel, the stoic Bradley has refused to use that as an alibi, insisting they have enough to win.
Last night, he was right. With Man of the Match Beckerman dominating central midfield and rapidly-improving winger Stuart Holden giving the Central American champs fits, the U.S. controlled the first half.
But after Conrad got knocked out of the game on a 42nd-minute head-to-head collision with Blas Perez _ taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a concussion _ Perez gave his team the lead, pouncing on a ball that deflected off Holden. It fell right to Perez, and he swept the ball past keeper Troy Perkins for a 1-0 lead; but it proved to be short-lived.
The U.S. equalized just four minutes into the second half. Left winger Robbie Rogers _ otherwise dispossessed and dominated all evening by right back Luis Moreno _ sent in an arcing, far-post cross. Davy Arnaud laid it off to Beckerman, and the dreadlocked midfielder blasted his first international goal top shelf.
“I kinda just went and gambled a little bit, get to the top of box and it might pop out,” Beckerman said. “Sometimes you gamble, and sure enough the ball finds your foot. Just let the leg swing and fortunately it went in.”
Cooper provided the overtime winner in a game that got heated, Baloy getting red-carded for going after the refs AFTER the game, and fans throwing debris on the field.
“Obviously, it’s fortunate any time you can get a penalty. It obviously came at a good time in overtime,” Cooper said. “Fortunately, it snuck in, and the guys did great to hold on defensively the whole 90, everyone from Brian Ching to Troy Perkins. It was excellent and they busted their butts. Fortunately we were able to hold on and walk away with the win.”