Preview

On the previous Sunday, Costa Rica had made the most of their opportunity to strike up some distance between themselves and the chasing pack following their hard earned 1-0 home win against a Trinidad&Tobagan outfit which had scored that late leveller in America the last time USA were in action. This time around, the US team themselves could move into a handsome position if they should manage to make the most of this home encounter with a Guatemalan team which had so far only twice been in action. They had won and lost against Costa Rica, so they were far from push-overs. A win would see the Americans move up to five points from four matches, while Guatemala, on the other hand, could put themselves in the reckoning for World Cup participation with a win of their own. 

It is around 26 degrees centigrades and quite humid around the time for kick-off.

The pre-match table: 

Pos	Team	Pl	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1	Costa Rica	6	3	1	2	5	4	7
2	USA	3	1	1	1	2	2	3
3	Guatemala	2	1	0	1	2	2	2
4	Trinidad&Tobago	3	0	2	1	2	3	2
5	El Salvador	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Five weeks had passed since USA had failed to hold on to that 1-0 lead against the Trinis at home, conceding an equalizer a couple of minutes from time. Since then, they had participated in and indeed won the Marlboro Cup, one of several editions of it, in New York, where they had beaten Portuguese giants Benfica 2-1 in the semi-final to set up a final against Peru, which on June 4 they had won by a three to nothing scoreline. While we have no reliable, written source for that competition providing the line-ups, we hear from the commentators before kick-off that ‘it is practically the same line-up as then’, with the exception being David Vanole coming back in for 20 year old Tony Meola, who had deputised in goal. Meola continues on the bench this time around, with Jeff Duback unavailable due to a rib injury sustained at the Marlboro Cup. 

Since the 1-1 draw with Trinidad&Tobago, we notice that young defender Marcelo Balboa is absent. The same applies for wide midfielders Frank Klopas and George Pastor, and not least striker Brent Goulet, whom we hear has picked up an ankle injury. They had used a 3-5-2 formation against the Trinis. With players like Jimmy Banks, Phillip Gyau (son of a former Ghanaian international) and Eric Eichmann coming into the starting eleven, could it mean that we’ll see a change in formation this time around, as the two latter are forwards? Bruce Murray seems to be the key, as he’s a versatile player well capable of taking up a number of positions, which we saw the last time around. 

We hear from the commentators during the match that big players such as captain Rick Davis and not least Hugo Pérez might be available to manager Gansler again soon, as the pair are recovering from injuries. 

Since the 2-1 loss in Costa Rica, Guatemala had appointed Rubén Amorín as their new head coach, relegating previous boss Jorge Roldán to his assistant. Amorín was someone who had done well on the domestic scene, winning various titles at club level, and this is his fifth (!) spell in charge of the national team.

The Guatemalan outfit had given a fine account of themselves in winning the home fixture against Costa Rica two weeks before losing away to the same opposition. They were certainly not an easy proposition, and would need to be treated with plenty of respect. While they had failed to pick up a single point in the 1988 Olympic Games football tournament, most of the players who had participated in South Korea remained in the national team squad. 

Two players in particular are missing, as neither experienced defender Allan Wellman nor versatile midfielder Carlos Castañeda are in the starting line-up. We do not have available to us all five players who are named as the Guatemalan substitutes on this occasion. 

Guatemala’s most recent internationals had been in May, when they had participated in a four nations tournament in Los Angeles, USA. They had lost 1-0 in their opener against Chile on May 5, while they had suffered a second defeat two days later against Paraguay. Guatemala had led then through a goal by midfielder Funes, but the South Americans had turned it around by half time, and won 2-1. Neither Chile nor Paraguay had been at full strength. Oddly, each participating nation had just played two matches rather than a full round robin competition, and El Salvador was the fourth team in the competition. They’d also lost to both Chile and Paraguay, incidentally mirroring Guatemala’s scorelines in both matches. Rubén Amorín had brought his full select to LA. 

Referee

Canadian Gordon Arrowsmith, who had turned 45 four days earlier, had been placed in charge of this qualifier. He was originally from London, UK, but had moved to Canada in 1970, and was at this point a part of the Toronto Metropolitan Police Force. He’d been on the FIFA list since 1982, though apart from domestic officiating, he’d only been selected internationally for the 1987 U16 World Championship, and just as a linesman, a competition which had handily taken place in Canada. At senior level, this fixture in Connecticut was easily his major honour. 

USA (3-5-2)

Player	Notes	Age	Club
1 David Vanole		26
2 Steve Trittschuh		24
4 Jimmy Banks		24
5 Mike Windischmann (c)		23
6 John Harkes		22
7 Tab Ramos		22
8 Brian Bliss	sub 85′	23
10 Eric Eichmann	75′	24
13 Phillip Gyau	sub h-t	23
14 John Stollmeyer		26
16 Bruce Murray		23

Substitutes
x Tony Meola		22
3 John Doyle	on 85′	23
9 Peter Vermes		22
12 Paul Caligiuri	on h-t	25
x Jim Gabarra		29

Manager: Bob Gansler

Guatemala (4-4-2)

Player	Notes	Age	Club
18 Ricardo Jérez		32
2 Juan Manuel Dávila		26
4 Alejandro Ortíz		30
5 Víctor Hugo Monzón (c)	8′	31
6 Marvin Ceballos
8 Raúl Chacón	48′	25
10 Juan Manuel Funes	86′	23
11 Byron Pérez		30
12 Félix McDonald	sub 78′	34
15 Rocael Mazariegos		23
17 Julio Rodas	sub 78′	22

Substitutes
x Ricardo Antonio Piccinini		39
7 Edwin Westphal	on 78′	23
9 Adán Paniagua	on 78′	33

Manager: Rubén Amorín

Tactical line-up

Match report

First half: 

The visitors get the match under way through their expected front duo of Raúl Chacón and the nippy Byron Pérez, whom we’ve previously seen out towards the left hand side in midfield. That slot is expected to be filled by the youngest member of the team on the day, 22 year old Julio Rodas. 

It doesn’t take long before there’s a scrap out on the right hand side as the US team are seeing it: Rodas goes hard in in Brian Bliss, and there’s some afters when Rodas gets agitated as Tab Ramos attempts to pick the ball from out of his hands to proceed with the free-kick. He’ll eventually get a stern talking to from the Canadian referee, who won’t allow any early fuss. 

From the resulting set-piece situation, the home side take the lead, with the goal clocked in at two minutes and ten seconds. Holding midfield man John Stollmeyer hits it into the area, where the agile Bruce Murray heads it down, only to see it run through the area, for the alert John Harkes to pick up. He’s faced by central defender Rocael Mazariegos, who is featuring instead of the seasoned Allan Wellman, but Mazariegos is no match for Harkes, who manages to trick him and swing his cross into the area, where Murray rams it home first time with an exquisite volley just inside the post from ten yards out. Goalkeeper Ricardo Jérez stood no chance. It is a quite stunning goal, as the hosts move 1-0 up. 

The opening quarter of an hour is a rather unspectacular affair, that scintillating goal by Murray apart. We see how the two teams shape up and wish to play, and a look through the pairs of eleven reveals this: 

We see the US team in a 3-5-2 formation once again, just like had been the case in their last outing against Trinidad&Tobago. On this occasion they are somewhat tilted in their midfield five, where Bliss along the right hand side is far less active in terms of contribution inside the opposition half than his counterpart on the left flank, Phillip Gyau. The latter is one of the players who are the most involved early doors, as he’s often found in space along his wide area, although his cross in for Eichmann on one occasion saw the header from the striker go well over. 

In place of Balboa we see Jimmy Banks as the right-sided alternative in their defensive trio this time around. He’s someone who first and foremost looks for the secure option, but like Balboa, he is quite strong in his challenge. At the heart of their defence sits captain Mike Windischmann, who leads by example and authority. He isn’t necessarily directly involved in combat a lot, but he sweeps, reads the game well, and makes use of his left foot for passes forward in the pitch. Steve Trittschuh, another player strong in duels completes the back three. We remember his fantastic chest down and finish for the goal against the Trinis last time around, so the fair-haired defender is definitely someone capable when going forward for set-pieces, too. 

We’ve seen how Bliss balances in midfield along the right hand side, where he’ll typically come in contact with the powerful Rodas, and even Pérez is sometimes moving into what is familiar territory for the Guatemalan striker. Thus, Bliss needs to be alert at all times, as the opponents look to build along his side for their attacks. He’s got the highly gifted Ramos just inside of him, and this is a piece of tactical ingenuity from the management, as they’ve swapped positions for Ramos and Harkes this time around. The latter now operates to the left of Stollmeyer as the inside left midfield man, and with said Gyau in the outside left role. In these early stages, this seems to suit the US team, who are looking positive, buoyed by that early goal. 

While we’ve not seen a whole lot from Eric Eichmann, who’s come into the side since that qualifier against Trinidad&Tobago, he had freed himself rather well to get his head to that cross from Gyau earlier, although he’d so far been second best up top to the very flexible Murray, who had not just scored, but in general contributed with great presence and awareness. The 23 year old looks a major asset for the Americans. 

In the away ranks, there’s few major surprises, but perhaps Félix McDonald’s inclusion in the centre of the pitch could qualify as one such? In their 4-4-2 formation, Guatemala do not have a player featuring in a wide right role, but with McDonald sitting rather deep, and with Marvin Ceballos alongside him in the centre of the pitch, the duo have the skillful Juan Manuel Funes in a slightly advanced role ahead of McDonald. They clearly wish to see him in possession, as he possesses fine ability, and he’s well capable of making a creative pass. The fourth and final member of the Guatemalan midfield is the already mentioned Rodas, who has displayed a level of temper already, adrenaline fuelled as he was from the word ‘go’. He has previously showed that he’s capable of playing, and if he can make use of Pérez further forward, their left hand side could well become a big asset to the visitors the longer the game goes. 

In Ricardo Jérez they have a very reliable goalkeeper. In front of him in central defence is captain Víctor Hugo Monzón, who is one heck of a duel player, typically engaging in battle with either US striker when the ball comes airborn, and the Guatemalan number 5 is also an asset on attacking set-pieces. He’d seen his central defensive colleague on this occasion, Rocael Mazariegos, been drawn very far wide as he’d tried to close down Harkes before the cross for what turned out to be the opening goal, and that kind of naïvety can be their undoing if they keep getting lured out of position. Full-backs Juan Dávila and Alejandro Ortíz are predominantly defensively focused. Ortíz may have slightly more in terms of attacking contribution in his locker, but then again he’s got Rodas and Pérez along his side. Dávila is typically your ‘hit and hope’ kind of full-back. 

We’ve touched on the quick and flexible Byron Pérez a couple of times, and while he’s eye-catching with his runs into the channels, the focal point up front remains the physically imposing Raúl Chacón, who is a bit of a handful on his day. On this occasion, with Guatemala not making use of a fixed wide right alternative, he can be seen looking to engage in play in the right hand channel, but he is surely a bigger threat when operating through the centre. 

Having seized an early initiative, the US play had somewhat derailed as the first half wore on, and they just couldn’t sustain longer sequences where they kept the ball in the team. They would surely have wanted a player like Tab Ramos to be instrumental in this phase of their game, but it hadn’t really happened so far, and it had led to Guatemala gradually looking the better team. Not that they had managed to come close to an equalizer, as they seemed to lack a bit of punch up top, and their midfield had so far also not given any evidence that they had the ingenuity to unlock the hosts’ defence. 

Guatemala still draw level on 22 minutes, and while they had looked much improved in terms of possession, it still came a bit sudden, as they scored with just about their first opportunity on goal. A long ball had been played up to Funes, who had moved across to the left for the occasion, and when he searched for Pérez, the latter had lost out in the air to Windischmann, although the ball had fell kindly for Funes, who had followed on. He took the ball in field from the left edge outside the area, and looked up and spotted Chacón running himself into a good position. Trittschuh had come into the centre, and so not tracked the striker’s run towards the right in the area, and once Chacón received the ball from Funes, he opened his wrist and fired low first time from twelve yards with his right foot diagonally into the corner, as the ball went in off the post with Vanole well beaten. The US had been pegged back to 1-1. 

Guatemala have no plans to relinquish their initiative even after getting back on level terms, and so continue their confident approach where they keep possession, often attempting to make use of their left hand side, where the majority of their creativity is found. They have McDonald and Ceballos working their socks off in the centre, and they take turns in tracking Ramos’ moves, although McDonald is the more prolific at that. The experienced midfield man can’t boast a whole lot in terms of quality in possession, but he’ll put a shift in defensively. And keeping Ramos quiet may be a key to stifling the US team and their creativity. 

There is a hairy moment as far as the home side is concerned on 31 minutes when Pérez and Funes combine along the left, and though they appear to have lost their way, indecision by Bliss sees Funes win the ball back off him via a strong tackle, and looking up, the young midfield playmaker spots both Chacón and Rodas in the centre. Funes makes the pass, and the man who has already scored once receives the ball, easily takes a touch to round Vanole, before he slots the ball into the back of the net. The linesman signals for offside, though, and the goal is chalked out. Replays show how Chacón is onside as the pass from Funes is hit, but there are no visual references to Rodas’ whereabouts, so perhaps is the decision against him. He’s close to Chacón as the number 8 picks up Funes’ pass. 

The game is a physical contest with challenges all across the pitch. Guatemala certainly haven’t come just to make up the numbers, and they are desperate to leave their print on the proceedings. The home side are also not willing to leave concessions to the opposition, and with moments of skill few and far between, we see precious few opportunities created. There had been one for the hosts just after Guatemala’s disallowed goal, when Eichmann had run himself into the right hand channel and half-volleyed a cross into the centre, where Murray, from just about the same spot as where his goal had come from, threw himself at it ahead of Monzón, although he couldn’t possibly get any power behind his header. The looping effort was saved by Jérez. 

USA finish the half the stronger, and they arrive at a big chance three minutes before the break after Harkes has run with the ball from the left channel towards the centre, playing it on to Stollmeyer, who flicks it first time with the outside of his right foot to find Murray, who is completely unmarked in the centre. 12-13 yards out he turns on the proverbial sixpence and fires goalwards with his right foot, only to see Jérez quickly stretch out a paw to concede a corner kick. It is a fine reflex save by the goalkeeper. 

A level scoreline isn’t an unfair reflection of the first half, where there had been plenty of effort from both sets of players. Both would need to conjure up something more impressive if they were to find a winning goal, though. Perhaps were the managers thinking about any half-time changes? 

Half time: USA 1, Guatemala 1. 

Second half: 

There has indeed been a substitution during the half time interval, and it is the home side who have made a change in withdrawing the largely anonymous Gyau from their left hand side of midfield, and in his place brought on Paul Caligiuri, who plies his trade in the West German second Bundesliga with Meppen. We see the 25 year old from California take up a position to the right in midfield, something which has seen their balancing act Bliss switch from the right across to the left hand side. We also hear how the commentators mention that this is a different position to what Caligiuri usually operates in, as he’d mainly been seen as a defender in earlier appearances for the USMNT. The visitors are unchanged since the start of the game. Eichmann and Murray get the final 45 minutes of action under way.

The opening to the half is unspectacular, and the pace of the game is low, the runs off the ball are hardly inspiring, and no one player attempts to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Bliss has indeed switched across to the left hand side, where he’d been seen against Costa Rica. He doesn’t face the same kind of threat as had been posed to him by Rodas or even Pérez before the break, as Funes, who is the Guatemalan operating towards the right hand side, even if he appears just as much in the centre of the pitch, simply doesn’t challenge wide. And early doors second half Caligiuri isn’t threatened defensively, with the visitors deploying safety tactics. A 1-1 draw is surely seen as a good result from their perspective. 

There are misplaced passes, and we see an attempted shot from Stollmeyer end up ten yards wide of the post. These initial stages of the second half really leave a lot to be desired. As for USA’s holding midfield man, he’s not had his best game, and as a result even Ramos seems to suffer. The little schemer doesn’t receive much midfield support, and he’s rarely brought into action. It should be mentioned how the Guatemalans are fixated towards him, typically having McDonald working within a few yards of Ramos’ vicinity. Harkes, the third member in USA’s central midfield, has probably so far been among their most useful players, even if he hasn’t reached the level which he’d performed at against the Trinis last time out. Up top, Murray remains a nuisance, but he doesn’t have plenty to work with. Eichmann, on the other hand, is more stationary, and he appears not too difficult to push off the ball. Defending isn’t too difficult a task for the visitors so far. They’d seen Chacón booked for dissent on 48 minutes. 

It does feel that the game needs a spark from somewhere, as there is still very little happening with the hour mark surpassed. Ramos continues being monitored by McDonald, and can do little. Caligiuri has hardly brought attacking incentives after coming on, and Bliss has mainly remained the same defensive alibi after the break as he had been along the opposite flank during the first period. As for the visitors, if anything, they look the more keen to try and create something, perhaps sensing that the game is up for grabs, and towards the halfway point in the second half we finally have a shot at goal when Dávila has lifted the ball forward for Chacón to run on to in the channel, and arriving inside the area from the right he attempts to surprise Vanole on the near post. The goalkeeper has it covered all the way, though, so there is never any risk of the ball finding the back of the net.

USA manager Gansler has sent his striker Peter Vermes into warm-up on the running track that surrounds the pitch. We even see the visitors having two men going through the motions in forwards Edwin Westphal and the experienced Adán Paniagua. On a rare foray into enemy territory, Murray wins a left wing corner off Ortíz, who has run across from his left back position to prevent the American forward from getting the ball into the centre of the area. From the resulting flag kick Ramos hits the ball deep, and goalkeeper Jérez comes 12-13 yards off his line to try and claim it. He fails badly, as Trittschuh leaps high above him and heads the ball down for Eichmann, who is able to prolongue the ball’s trajectory goalwards. Guatemala have Ortíz and McDonald on the line, but the former only contrives to hit it into the back of the latter as he attempts a goalline clearance. The referee gives the goal even as Dávila tries to mop up the mess which his team mates had caused; the ball had already crossed the line. USA have regained the lead with 23 minutes left on the clock. 

In an attack preceding the corner which had led to USA’s second goal, Funes had broken free along the right, and he attempted a pass into the centre, where both Chacón and Rodas were in good positions, only with Banks as the solitary home defender in the situation. However, as the ball came in, the Guatemalan pair stepped in each others’ path, and the chance was gone. While Funes was talented, he did also have a side to him which showed his displeasure when things didn’t quite go his way. He seemed disgusted at how his pair of teammates had managed to cock-up such a seemingly good opportunity, and vented his frustration on the officials. He was spared a booking. 

USA’s latest goalscorer Eichmann wasn’t so lucky when on 75 minutes a scuffle involving a number of players evolved. There had been an altercation, although quite innocent by the look of things, a few moments earlier between him and Guatemala’s left-back Ortíz, and the come-together of several players had started with Eichmann’s tackle on said visiting player around the halfway line as the away side were trying to mount an attack. Chacón attempted to make the most of a push from Murray, and the latter was probably fortunate to escape retribution from the referee. Eichmann stayed on the ground after the tackle on Ortíz, but once he was back up on his feet, referee Arrowsmith displayed him the booking. It had not been a nasty game, but it was an important game for both sides, and so some adrenaline-fuelled clashes couldn’t entirely be avoided. 

Byron Pérez, who has rarely been involved during the second half, has the chance to have a go at goal from a free-kick 23-24 yards out, to the right of the goal frame, favouring his left peg, but rather than shoot, he decides to play it inside to Ceballos, who woefully fires over. The Guatemalan manager has decided that it is time to introduce both his two substitutes at once, with forwards Edwin Westphal, a tall centre-forward, and the flexible Adán Paniagua being brought on for midfielders McDonald and Rodas. It is as bold a statement as Roldán is able to provide with 12 minutes left for play. They intend to see the game out with four forwards on the pitch, although it should be said that Pérez goes wide left and Chacón moves into the wide right role. Funes goes into the centre of the pitch alongside Ceballos on a permanent basis, so it is Westphal and Paniagua through the middle up top. 

It is an ‘all or nothing’ move from the visitors, and they’re almost rewarded instantly as Westphal arrives at a massive chance after a move which started with Pérez’ attempted cross field pass towards Chacón. Bliss intercepts it, but he inadvertently plays in the substitute, and Westphal gets a clear view on goal straight in front of the ‘keeper 14 yards out. His low drive is parried by Vanole’s legs, while a rebound from Banks is headed weakly into Vanole’s arms by Paniagua. All four forwards were one way or another involved in the move. 

Guatemala look spirited, clearly lifted since the double substitution and that big chance to level right away. The USA backline sees some panicky clearances, and one does get the impression that several of the home side’s players are beginning to tire. They struggle to keep the visitors at bay, and with about five minutes left on the clock, it is the home bench which feels the need to intervene and make another substitution. Bliss, who has sacrificed himself for the benefit of the team, is replaced by big, blonde defender John Doyle. The move states one intention from Gansler and his assistant Joe Machnik, which is to see the game out with that 2-1 scoreline intact. They harbour few attacking ideas at this point, even if they could well have found their opposition lacking some balance through their team after the introduction of those two strikers.

A minute later, the visitors are reduced to ten men when Funes, agitated as Harkes, having lost possession to the left inside the Guatemalan half, tries to win the ball back in a tackle from behind, throws a punch in the side of the head of the US midfielder. The referee is well positioned to see the deed, and he doesn’t let it go unpunished. Mr Arrowsmith immediately dishes out the red card, and upon viewing the replay, the official did the only right thing. It is a nasty punch by the young Guatemalan playmaker, and one which will see him sidelined for at least one, possibly more, qualifiers. Having had some momentum in the minutes after they’d made their double substitution, the away side now has to continue a man short. 

Harkes played on despite having taken that blow to the head, and as could have been foreseen, the Guatemalans failed to maintain their earlier impetus after the sending-off. To see out the remaining minutes is a very manageable task for the hosts, despite seeing the otherwise assured Vanole fail twice in attempts to claim high balls into the area in the dying stages. On one occasion he was bailed out by Trittschuh, who was alert and on hand from Pérez’ free-kick from the deep before any Guatemalan could get to it. Two and a half minutes into time added on, Mr Arrowsmith finally signals an end to the proceedings, and both points remain in US custody. 

Final score: USA 2, Guatemala 1.