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Nearly four long months have passed since the United States men’s national team were embarrassed in Costa Rica in November and their then manager Jurgen Klinsmann was fired. U.S. Soccer have looked to their past and Bruce Arena to help get them back on course for World Cup qualification. The first step begins tonight when the U.S. host Honduras in San Jose in what could effectively be a must-win match.
Only one team in the history of the Hex has begun 0-2 like the U.S. have and made it through to qualify outright. While the Americans usually are on a superior talent level than the rest of CONCACAF, it’s still a tricky situation they find themselves in. All hope is not lost, but the comeback has to begin with this match.
Arena’s lineup decisions have been made increasingly more difficult over the past few weeks with the losses of Bobby Wood and Fabian Johnson. While many people have their guesses about what a starting lineup could look like, it’s all up in the air until we see the official release.
Meanwhile, Honduras are no pushovers as they boast several dangerous players in their attack and some solid veteran presence in the back. Two players to keep an eye on are the Houston Dynamo’s duo of new arrivals, Alberth Elis and Romell Quioto. Both of whom have gotten off to great starts in their MLS careers and could pose a big threat to the Americans’ backline.
If you’re a fan of intense international soccer, then this match should be your cup of tea. Both teams will be wanting get something from the match. Honduras would probably be thrilled with a point, so expect them to be compact and look to hit the U.S. on the counter. The USMNT will control the possession, but can they break down a sturdy backline and find a goal or two? It should be a very interesting match.
United States Lineup:
#USMNT XI: 1-Howard, 2-Villafaña, 3-Gonzalez, 4-Bradley (C), 6-Brooks, 8-Dempsey, 9-Lletget, 10-Pulisic, 15-Nagbe, 17-Altidore, 20-Cameron pic.twitter.com/kS0T7qf3vU
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) March 25, 2017
Honduras Lineup:
Honduras lineup vs. #usmnt: Escober; Izaguirre, H. Figueroa, M. Figueroa, Alvarado, Beckeles; Claros, Espinoza; Quioto, Elis, Najar
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) March 25, 2017
How to Watch
Kickoff Time: 10:55 p.m. ET, 7:55 p.m. PT
Location: Avaya Stadium, San Jose, California
Available TV: FOX Sports 1, UniMas, Univision Deportes
Available Streaming: FOX Sports Go, fuboTV (free trial), go90, Sling TV
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