El Salvador 0 - 0 USA summary: score, goals, highlights, World Cup qualifiers
The United States settled for a share of the spoils after a goalless draw against El Salvador in matchday one of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers.
Tonight marked the first step of the United State’s quest to return to the World Cup after having to watch from home in 2018.
Best US team ever?
Many are saying this might be the most talented squad the US have, and it is more than expected they will be in Qatar in the winter of 2022. They have superstar talent, and qualify from top to bottom, although they were without Christian Pulisic who tested positive for Covid-19 before the team made the trip.
While the squad is loaded with difference makers and international stars, this is still a young side. The starting 11 was the fourth youngest in the modern era of World Cup qualifiers with an average age of 23 years and 283 days old. Twenty-two year old Tyler Adams was named captain by coach Gregg Berhalter.
Perez has turned El Salvador soccer around
El Salvador is in the midst of their best spell of form in quite a while. Former USA international Hugo Perez took over this year, and has led them to a massive aggregate win over St. Kitts and Nevis. Perez has his side ascending up the FIFA rankings as well. In the last publication of rankings FIFA listed them 64th in the world.
The fans in San Salvador packed the Estadio Cuscatlan. The atmosphere was electric as they let out a thunderous roar with every advance toward goal against one to the favorites to make it out of the CONCACAF group.
Recap of the match
The United States began the match on the front foot, controlling the flow from the start and getting maybe the chance of night in the eighth minute. Gio Reyna whipped in a free kick that Brenden Aaronson headed just over the bar.
After the first quarter of an hour El Salvador seemed to settle in front of over 30,000 fans in the Cuscatlan. In their first push forward, the US conceded a corner and Alexander Larin connected on a volley that was headed on frame before being blocked by a defender.
USA’s Josh Sargent came to life right before the break, and had a couple chances to put a shot on frame, but failed each time. By the end of the half there was just one shot of target between both teams.
The Roldan's: brothers and opponents
Alex Roldan, of El Salvador, had a fantastic game creating plenty of magic in the middle of the park and was full of ingenuity around the box certainly outshined his brother who plays for the United States.
Sargent combined with Conrad De La Fuente on a counter attack, but again the defense from El Salvador was rock solid.
Eriq Zavaleta had the chance of the night for El Salvador when he knodded a header towards the low corner in the 58th minute that was stopped by Matt Turner.
McKennie let El Salvador off the hook
Weston McKennie will be thinking he should have scored in the 73rd after Gio Reyna scooped a ball over the top and McKennie had space to challenge the keeper, but put his headed effort from right outside the six wide on the target.
Kellyn Acosta came on in the second half and almost had the game winner late on. Weston McKennie served up a cross for Acosta that provoked a strong save from the El Salvador keeper.
Mexico leading the group early
In the end both sides settle for a share of the points, and will look to the next matchday on Sunday night. After Thursday night, Mexico leads the group after their 2-1 win over Jamaica, while Canada, Honduras, Panama and Costa Rica all earned a point.
The United States settled for a share of the spoils after a goalless draw against El Salvador in matchday one of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers.
Tonight marked the first step of the United State’s quest to return to the World Cup after having to watch from home in 2018.
Best US team ever?
Many are saying this might be the most talented squad the US have, and it is more than expected they will be in Qatar in the winter of 2022. They have superstar talent, and qualify from top to bottom, although they were without Christian Pulisic who tested positive for Covid-19 before the team made the trip.
While the squad is loaded with difference makers and international stars, this is still a young side. The starting 11 was the fourth youngest in the modern era of World Cup qualifiers with an average age of 23 years and 283 days old. Twenty-two year old Tyler Adams was named captain by coach Gregg Berhalter.
Perez has turned El Salvador soccer around
El Salvador is in the midst of their best spell of form in quite a while. Former USA international Hugo Perez took over this year, and has led them to a massive aggregate win over St. Kitts and Nevis. Perez has his side ascending up the FIFA rankings as well. In the last publication of rankings FIFA listed them 64th in the world.
The fans in San Salvador packed the Estadio Cuscatlan. The atmosphere was electric as they let out a thunderous roar with every advance toward goal against one to the favorites to make it out of the CONCACAF group.
Recap of the match
The United States began the match on the front foot, controlling the flow from the start and getting maybe the chance of night in the eighth minute. Gio Reyna whipped in a free kick that Brenden Aaronson headed just over the bar.
After the first quarter of an hour El Salvador seemed to settle in front of over 30,000 fans in the Cuscatlan. In their first push forward, the US conceded a corner and Alexander Larin connected on a volley that was headed on frame before being blocked by a defender.
USA’s Josh Sargent came to life right before the break, and had a couple chances to put a shot on frame, but failed each time. By the end of the half there was just one shot of target between both teams.
The Roldan's: brothers and opponents
Alex Roldan, of El Salvador, had a fantastic game creating plenty of magic in the middle of the park and was full of ingenuity around the box certainly outshined his brother who plays for the United States.
Sargent combined with Conrad De La Fuente on a counter attack, but again the defense from El Salvador was rock solid.
Eriq Zavaleta had the chance of the night for El Salvador when he knodded a header towards the low corner in the 58th minute that was stopped by Matt Turner.
McKennie let El Salvador off the hook
Weston McKennie will be thinking he should have scored in the 73rd after Gio Reyna scooped a ball over the top and McKennie had space to challenge the keeper, but put his headed effort from right outside the six wide on the target.
Kellyn Acosta came on in the second half and almost had the game winner late on. Weston McKennie served up a cross for Acosta that provoked a strong save from the El Salvador keeper.
Mexico leading the group early
In the end both sides settle for a share of the points, and will look to the next matchday on Sunday night. After Thursday night, Mexico leads the group after their 2-1 win over Jamaica, while Canada, Honduras, Panama and Costa Rica all earned a point.
It's all over from San Salvador!! No goals after 90 minutes and El Salvador and USA with share the spoils after Matchday 1.
Acosta's light cross sent away but El Salvador from the heart of the box
Three minutes of stoppage time
Roldan won the foot race to a 50/50 ball in the box, but the flag went up as Roldan commited the foul for USA
Songs and chants ringing out at the Cusctlan. They seem content with the draw.
McKinnie's intended cross flies into the stands behind the goal, and the US is starting to look frustrated.
Martinez into the game for the final 10 minutes as Rivas makes way.
Pefok with a half chance off a quick cross, but he sent is sailing
Robinson's cross sent away, and the US are running out of time.
Roldan in for Aaronson, both Roldan brother on the pitch representing each country
McKinnie with a great cross to the back post, Acosta got a strong head to it in traffic that foced the save from Gonzalez. Corner for USA but nothing comes they Reyna cross
Rodriguez out for Perez and Pineda enters for Larin
Reyna with a dink over the top from the endline and McKinnie really should have done better to put that on frame. He was in loads of space around the six
Duenas on a high arching free kick, collected by Turner.
Yeldin picks up a yellow after Larin catches his with a nutmeg.
Three subs being made for the US, Sargent out for Pefok, Acosta for Conrad , and Dest for Robinson
Hernandez lofts up a cross from the near corner, but it's handled by Turner.
Hernandez making his debut, in for Monterozza, and Cartagena coming in for Cerin
Zabaleta with a dangerous header into the low corner, Turner was up to the test making a sprawlking effort.
Yedlin saving the US as Roldan was waiting on the back port from the cross by Monterozza
Henriquez with a potent ball whipped into the box, cleared away by the US but El Salvador continuting to push
Reyna with an inswinger that is knodded away and out of danger by El Salvador.
Sargent with a glimpse of goal after the counter led by Conrad, but aginst the effort is blocked, corner coming
Sargent to Conrad in the box, but aginst the US fail to get a shot on target as Conrad looked to get it on his right foot.
There has been just one shot on target between the two sides.
No substitutions made for either team
We are back in action from El Salvador
Halftime, and stil no score. Both teams with chances, but neither could find the final touch they needed.
The first half is all over from San Salvador. No goals, but entertaining throughout 45 mintes.
Sargent with another chance, this time off the volley from the top of the area.
Free kick for USA, and a fantastic idea on the training ground set piece. Sargent controlled with his chest and tried to turn and have a go at goal in one motion. The effort was blocked in the end.
Brilliant skill from Henriquez who dipped a couple of defender and played a through ball that was a bit behind the striker.
Dest not able to control the long ball over the top and a goal kick is given.
McKinney with an ambitious effort from outside the box> He sent his one touch shot form the top of the box 30 feet over the target
Conrad's shot blocked after a back give away by El Salvador in the back.
Quick cross into the near post from Yedlin is dealt with by two El Salvador defenders
Roldan with an excellent bit of skill on the short corner, got around one defender and curled his effort towards the back post just wide of the target
Corner kick after a Turner fluffed his lines
McKinney had a glimpse at goal as he was played into the box, but good disciplined defending by "La Selecta"
Lovely one touch soccer for El Salvador that leads to a half chance for the captain Monterozza.
This time Reyna hangs it a bit to high and the free kick is punched away by the keeper.
Dest fouled by Monterozza, and this is a similar spot where Reyna put in a peach of a ball thta wasn't converted into a goal
This game coming ot a lull after both teams came out full of energy and spirit.
Decent spell of possession for the US, but didn't do much with the ball after a long spell of pressure by El Salvador.
Foul whistled against McKinney in the middle of the park.
El Salvador coming in with no reservations, pressuring high, continuing to possess in the attacking third, and looking comfortable with the ball.
Rodriguez got a strong header directed at goal off the corner kick, but it just sailed high.
Yedlin conceeds a corner kick
The Oe Oe's are starting to ring out in San Salvador.
The hosts are starting to enjoy some possession and the fans are quite taken by the effore of "La Selecta"
No danger on the second corner from El Salvador.
Larin with the volley off of the long corner kick, would have been spectacular, instad El Salvador will have another corner after the deflection.
First corner kick for El Salvador on their first push up the pitch.
Adams with a late challenge, gets a talking to from the referee, although the crowd wanted more
Corner from Reyna too strong
Reyna on the servce from the free kick outside the box, it was a perfect delivery but Robinson couldn't keep the headed effort down as he sprawled for the service inside the six
Deflection off of Aaronson on the attempted clearance from El Salvador. It deflected off his shin and just brushed the top side of the cross bar.
Counter attack for the US stopped after Reyna is dispossesed
Reyna with the first opportunity, but his shot hits the outside of the net.
The doors to the stadium apparently opened nine hours before kickoff
It is jam packed inside the stadium, and the fans are in full voice
We are underway from San Salvador! What an atmosphere inside the Estadio Cusctlan.
Tyler Adams has come a long way in a very short time. The 22 year old will be captain for tonight's opening matchday in the qualifiers.
USA is having quite a year, winning 12 and losing just once in 2021, winning two titles along the way.
The United States is trying to erase the bitter taste that has lingered for three years after Trinidad and Tobago defeated the US on the final match day to keep the Americans from going to the World Cup in 2018
USA was ranked 10th in the last FIfa ranking that came out in mid August. "Le Selecta" is ranked 64th, their best ranking in some time.
We are about a half hour away from kickoff and both teams are getting warmed up here at Estadio Cusctlan
After a long wait, the US team is ready to start their bid to get back to the World Cup Finals in Qatar 2022
It has been nearly 30 years since El Salvador made it to the World Cup Finals, While the Americans hadn't missed a WC finals since 1990 before crashing out in qualifiers of the 2018 World Cup.
Neither of these two teams were present in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
We are live from the Estadio Cusctlan where the final round of CONCACAF qualifiers begin tonight.
Hello everyone and welcome to San Salvador, for the first match of the final stage of World Cup Qualifying. The United States will start their return campaign to soccer’s greatest stage after missing the World Cup in 2018. AS English will have live coverage, highlights, stats and scores as El Salvador hosts the United States from the Estadio Cuscatlan.
El Salvador's long Wrold Cup drought
El Salvador hasn’t been to the World Cup in 29 years, when they qualified on the last match day to secure their spot in the 1982 World Cup.
Hall of Famer Hugo Perez is the boss of the El Salvador side, and is steering them in the right direction since taking over earlier this year. Perez was will be coaching against his former side. He played for the US national team for a decade, earning 73 caps.
Perez has them moving in right direction
El Salvador have not been this far into qualifying since 1998. They cruised through the opening round of qualifying with a 6-0 aggregate over St. Kitts and Nevis. “La Selecta” are ranked 64 in the world according to the last FIFA rankings that came out on August 12th.
The US has been a force in CONCACAF for the last couple decades. The US has made every finals since 1990, if we aren’t counting the disaster from three years ago when Trinidad and Tobago defeated the Yanks on the final match day of qualifiers.
Most talented US side ever?
This might be the most talented and tested side team USA has ever had coming into qualifiers. Champions League winner Christian Pulisic is the star of the show for the Americans, but there are names like Sergio Dest, Weston McKennie, and Gio Reyna have upped the pedigree of the American side who’s top finish in the World Cup came in their 1930, which was their first every trip to the finals, when they finished third.
It has been a fantastic year for Gregg Berhalter and the Americans. They have won two titles, the CONCACAF Nations League and the Gold Cup winning 12 times and losing just once this calendar year.
Nice blend of young and experienced talent
The big guns will be back for Berhalter, but the youngsters and debutants showed up in a big way during the Gold Cup and led the Americans to their seventh title in the tournament.
Canada, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico and Jamaica are the other teams in the CONCACAF qualifiers and each off the teams will start their qualifiers tonight. Mexico and USA will surely be the favorites to come out of this group, but we have had some surprises including Costa Rica in the last two editions, and Honduras in 2010 and 2014.