Altidore

FIFA World Cup
Altidore scores three to lead United States over Trinidad 3



Jozy Altidore scored three for the USA
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Soccer Feder[Photo]ation4/1/2009 - NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Nineteen-year-old striker Jozy Altidore scored all three goals and gave the United States a 3-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday night to keep it atop the standings in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.

Altidore, whose goal sparked the United States to a 2-2 draw against El Salvador on Saturday, scored in the 13th, 71st minutes and 89th minutes in a dominating American performance that limited the Soca Warriors to one shot at goal in the first half. The USA improved to seven points atop the six-team table after the third of 10 matches. Three teams will qualify automatically for the 32-team field in South Africa in 2010 while the fourth-place finisher will face a South American side for another berth.

The victory extended the United States’ unbeaten streak to 52 games since 2001 against Caribbean opposition, including 42 wins. Trinidad, which lost 3-0 to the United States in Chicago in the semifinal round but which won 2-1 in Port-of-Spain to hand the Americans their only loss so far in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, remained with two points.

Altidore’s first goal finished a quick strike that started with a long ball out of the U.S. end by center back Carlos Bocanegra. Brian Ching headed the ball back into the middle to Landon Donovan, who chested it down and sent his first touch across the middle. Altidore raced off the right side past Akile Edwards and volleyed the cross with his first touch past Trinidad keeper Clayton Ince.

“It’s pretty cool. The most important thing is we won game,” Altidore said. I think we made a statement today that we’re one of teams to reckon with in CONCACAF.”

Altidore, who languishes on the bench at Xerez in the Spanish second division, and Donovan combined for the second goal as well. Altidore took a simple ball from DaMarcus Beasley and sprayed it wide to Donovan, who raced down the left side. With Ching drawing the Trinidad defense toward its own goal, Donovan sent the ball back across the top of the penalty area, where Altidore took two touches before easily beating Ince.

Altidore added his third when Michael Bradley beat the offside trap and sent a ball across to an widely unmarked Donovan, who unselfishly dropped the ball back into the young striker’s path. Altidore drove the ball low that Ince appeared to stop but allowed the ball to get underneath him.

The United States had most of the possession in the second half, but Trinidad was able to create more offense. Kenwyne Jones shot high in the 61st and Keon Daniel forced U.S. keeper Tim Howard, back from a one-game suspension due to yellow cards, into a save.

Unlike Saturday against El Salvador, when the U.S. fell behind by two goals before rallying for a 2-2 draw in San Salvador, the Americans were the better team from the opening kickoff. With Altidore starting up front with Ching, the return of Oguchi Onyewu to the central defense and the rotation of Beasley from the midfield to left back often times forced Trinidad to keep 11 players in its own half.

April 1, 2009, 9:55 pm

Jozy Gets a Hat Trick

By Jack Bell

Quick hit … so how positively silly does Deportivo Xerez in Spain look after Jozy Altidore scored four goals in two games for the United States in two World Cup qualifying games this week?

Altidore, 19, was sent on loan to Xerez of the Spanish Second Division by Villarreal of La Liga. Since the loan in January, Altidore has not played a single minute for Xerez, which is seeking promotion to the top division.

He scored a goal in the American team’s 2-2 comeback tie in El Salvador last Saturday night and followed that with a powerful hat trick against an overmatched Trinidad and Tobago in Nashville Thursday night as the United States strolled to a 3-0 victory.

Is there any doubt, any, that Altidore should be a regular starter at striker for the United States?