The loss to Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final is still fresh in the mind of US captain Brian Ching, and he relishes the opportunity of the rematch between the two in a World Cup qualifier on August 12th.
"It's not going to be hard to carry over those emotions," Ching said. "Standing on the field there, watching them accept the trophy, it's pretty much etched in the back of my mind for a long, long time to come. I'm not going to need any more motivation than that."
Ching realized that the USA have an opportunity to avenge the loss in another game that will matter even more than Sunday's result. They are fortunate it comes so close to Sunday's match.
The U.S. is in second place in the final hexagonal of CONCACAF qualifying for South Africa 2010. The Mexicans are in fourth place. The top three teams will get automatic berths to the World Cup Finals, while the fourth-place side will take on the fifth-place team from South America for a spot.
"If they think the next game is going to be like this, they have another coming," Ching said.
It seemed that Aug. 12 might have become the U.S. team's unofficial mantra.
It seemed that Aug. 12 might have become the U.S. team's unofficial mantra.
On Sunday, the U.S. essentially used a group of players that was relatively inexperienced at the international level. The Mexicans had five players who are expected to play on Aug. 12, the U.S. one -- Ching.
"You look at anybody in the United States, this loss has got to anger you," the Houston Dynamo striker said, while twirling an energy drink bottle in his right hand. "I'm (angry). If you're an American and you're not (angry), there's something wrong with you. You just got to channel this anger, use it, and bring it with us on Aug. 12."
No comments:
Post a Comment