Indy 11 Host Home Opener Sat Night 7 pm at the Mike
The Indy 11 finally arrive home after 3 straight on the road and a 0-1-2 mark to start the season. New GK Elliot Paniccomade GK of the Week in the USL as he helped the Indy 11 take a 1-1 tie at Louisville last weekend (hi-lights). The 11 will kickoff their home opener at 7 pm Saturday night vs LA Galaxy II visit
the Mike. Visit indyeleven.com/tickets to get single game tickets for as low as $16 plus fees. Word on the Street is they are close to a sell-out so make those plans early to attend!! Arrive early as the tailgating area – including the BYB will start 3 hours before gametime. Also of note Tuesday night the Indy 11 will host St. Louis in US Open Cup play at 7:30 pm at the Mike. The Boys in Blue will need a good crowd on hand to pull them thru – so make plans today.
US Qualifies for World Cup will Face England and Iran in Group B Play
So the US got a decent draw for the World Cup in Qatar in late Nov/Dec with matches against top 10 England (overated) and Iran along with the winner of the European Playoff probably Wales or Ukraine. While this is the not the group of death – if Wales or Ukraine advance – the aggregate rankings will have our group as the most difficult draw. Stll I gotta love the chance to play “mighty” England, while looking for payback for our 1998 2-1 loss to Iran. Games will be at 2 pm – ET – which is cool. I’ll have much more next week in the OBC.
The 0-2 loss at Costa Rica
So it wasn’t pretty – losing to a Costa Rica team that NEVER loses at home – especially with World Class GK Keylor Navas between the pipes. Like I said last week before Mexico – we had to a get a point at Mexico –because we could never beat a healthy Navas at home in Costa Rica – and wha la. Now I” will admit I foolishly bought in and predicted here the US would find a way to win it 2-1 – but when Navas saves 6 shots just in the first half and 9 overall – well – fat chance finding a way to beat a great goalkeeper – especially when the US has a pretty lousy one. On one side Navas was a god defending his net with grace – on the other the US had a clearly rusty and lackadaisical Zack Steffan who sucked big-time. Hi GK has been questionable in all 3 games – and this time his stellar defense couldn’t cover up his glaring mistakes. Sorry but I for one will be praying for Matt Turner to get healthy and get back in net for the US – his shot stopping ability is simply LIGHT YEARS in front of Steffan right now. We’ll see if Steffan demands a loan from Man City to get more playing time – but its obvious the bench at Man City is only making Steffan worse. I think Horvath and Matt Turner are better shotstoppers and I could honestly give a dang if my keeper has midfielder skills with his feet – if he can’t make a dang save with his hands or command his box on high balls and corners. Time will tell – but I wouldn’t stake my job on Steffan right now unfortunately.
Berhalter Was Spot On Again
I laugh at the people calling for Berhalter’s head – all he has done is take the youngest US team in history and one of the youngest in the world – and found a way to get us qualified despite never once having his best 4 players on the field at the same time due to injuries. He has introduced tons of young players and found the likes of Brendan Aaronson, Musah, De La Torre, Busio, Pepi, Ferriera and more as he just finds a way to plug guys in and still make it all work – no matter who is out injured – he finds a way to balance the roster and get the result needed. His true judgement will come in the World Cup this Nov/Dec but lets give credit where it is due – he’s he got us back in the World Cup with the youngest, most talented team the US has ever seen – he has turned us from a defensive – hold on for dear life counter attack team – to a possession based – dominate team. Again we’ll find out more in the World Cup but for now – Berhalter has succeeded (Lallas video). Had a great time with the American Outlaws Indy at Union Jack’s Sports bar in Broadripple. The power went off in the 2nd half – but we had our cell phones and we stuck together to watch it out. At the end we celebrated with a toast to our young World Cup going team !!
Champions League Elite 8 Tues/Wed
Tues gives us Man City and Atletico along with Liverpool traveling to Benefica at 3 pm on Para+, while Chelsea and Pulisic will host Real Madrid on Wed at 3 pm along with Villarreal hosting Bayern Munich. Must watch TV – I assume at least 1 game per day will be on CBSSN.
BIG GAMES ON TV
(American’s in parenthesis)
Sat, Apr 2
10 am USA Chelsea (Pulisic) vs Brentford
10 am CNBC Wolverhampton vs Aston Villa
10 am Peacock Leeds United vs Southampton
12:30 pm Peacock Man United vvs Leicester City
12:30 pm ESPN+ Dortmund (Reyna) vs RB Leipzig (Adams)
3:30 pm Univision Chicago vs Dallas
7 pm TV 8 Indy 11 vs LA Galaxy II @ the Mike
Sun, Apr3
10 am Peacock Chelsea (Pulisic) vs New Castle
9 am USA West Ham vs Everton
10 am Peacock Leeds United vs Norwich
2:45 pm CBS SN Juventus vs Inter
4:30 pm Fox Sport 1 Atlanta United vs Charlotte
Mon, Mar 14
4 pm USA Cyrstal Palace vs Man City
Tues, apr 5– Champ League
3 pm CBS Man City vs Atletico Madrid
4 pm Paramount+ Benefica vs Liverpool
Wed, apr 4– Champ League
3 pm CBS Chelsea (Pulisic) vs Real Madrid
3 pm Paramount+ Villarreal vs Bayern Munich
4 pm Peacock Arsenal vs Liverpool
Indy 11
Indy 11 GK Wins Team of Week Nod
Indy 11 Jerseys revealed
Full Ticket Offerings for 2022 Indy Eleven Games Now on Sale
USA
Berhalter: USMNT aiming to reach WC knockout
USMNT underwhelms vs. Costa Rica, but all eyes on World Cup now Kyle Bonagura
USMNT player ratings from World Cup berth-clinching loss in Costa Rica
How players deal with World Cup Qualifying pressures and expectations CHARLIE DAVIES
Grading Berhalter and the USMNT World Cup qualifying campaign Matt Doyle
“I cried last time. I’m crying now”: USMNT players react to qualifying for 2022 FIFA World Cup Matt Doyle
USA clinch spot at World Cup finals in Qatar despite Costa Rica defeat
In Punching Its Ticket to the 2022 World Cup, USMNT Saves Fox’s Bacon
Officially official: US men’s national soccer team clinch spot in 2022 World Cup in Qatar
Couva to Qatar: Tracing the 1,631-day USMNT trek to the 2022 World Cup
World Cup
World Cup Power Rankings
England’s World Cup hopefuls must fight for places: Southgate
England manager Gareth Southgate insists nobody can take their place in his World Cup
US Ladies
USWNT’s Williams, Davidson suffer major injuries hCaitlin Murray
USWNT, Kansas City forward Lynn Williams suffers season-ending injury
Tierna Davidson to miss 2022 season with ACL tear
The best photos from the most attended women’s soccer game in history
World
Real Madrid seek recovery against Celta after Barca loss, before Chelsea
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