Behind the scenes of Steve Nash’s Showdown in Chinatown by 13th Witness.

Talk about clinic…..that sh*t was too easy.

The best part about the game is when we scored the third goal, I didn’t even celebrate.

That’s when the Mexico fans got even more pissed that I didn’t even acknowledge the goal!

There were 68,498 people at the game last night and I think about 68,400 were Mexican.  The parking lot was half full when we got there at 4:45 p.m. for an 8:00 p.m. kick off.

Mexican flags, carne asada and improptu games of soccer breaking out all over the parking lot.  And there we were, our little sect of 6 Argies cooking chorizo and drinking wine.  My uncle thought I was crazy to be wearing my Argentina jersey but after going to Newell’s/Central in Rosario a few months ago this didn’t seem too bad. After all, in Argentina they throw piss and rocks and here they were throwing popcorn and ice.

The favortie chant of the night was “Puto, Puto, Puto” but I didn’t hear too much out of them after the first goal, the second, the third and definitely not after the fourth.

Argentina put on a fantastic display of soccer against a very formiddable opponent and the best player in the world put on a show all by himself.  Messi (Newell’s Old Boys) had a hand in three of Argentina’s four goals. He assisted the first and the third but what he did on the second was worth the price of admission all by itself.  After committing three defenders at the top of the box and squirting the ball wide to Julio Cruz, he ran into the box and got on the end of the cross that Aguero dummied to him for an easy tap in.

The goal was nowhere near as good as Maxi’s in the World Cup or the one where he chipped Oswaldo Sanchez in the Copa America in full stride from inside the eighteen but it’s definitely one that I won’t forget any time soon. What a great night!!!

Lucas

Yeah ladies, he’s single….

The second goal from Messi is outrageous.

Watch closely as he gets away from 3 defenders at the top of the 18, passes the ball, gets his feet taken out from under him, gets up without complaining quickly and sprints to the top of the six to use the inside of his left to kiss it far post, past the statue standing in goal known as Osvaldo.

The biggest difference in the match was Argentina’s reactions to loose balls in the box, movement off the ball and Mexico’s struggles with clearing the ball out of their defensive third.

UPDATE - According to the US Mens National Team Blog, Spain’s roster for Wednesday’s friendly has been set.

Goalkeepers:
Andrés Palop Cervera(Sevilla F.C. S.A.D.)
José Manuel Reina Páez(Liverpool F.C. )
Iker Casillas Fernández(Real Madrid C.F.)

Defenders:
Raúl Albiol Tortajada(Valencia C.F. S.A.D.)
Joan Capdevila Méndez(Villarreal C.F. S.A.D.)
Carles Puyol Saforcada(F.C. Barcelona)
Sergio Ramos García(Real Madrid C.F.)
Juan Gutiérrez Moreno(Real Betis Balompié S.A.D.)
Carlos López Marchena(Valencia C.F. S.A.D.)
Álvaro Arbeloa Coca(Liverpool C.F.)
Fernando Navarro Corbacho(R.C.D. Mallorca)

Midfielders:
Marcos Antonio Senna Da Silva(Villarreal C.F. S.A.D.)
David Jiménez Silva(Valencia C.F. S.A.D.)
Xavier Hernández Creus(F.C. Barcelona )
Andrés Iniesta Luján(F.C. Barcelona )
Francesc Fabregas Soler(Arsenal F.C.)
Xabier Alonso Olano(Liverpool F.C.)
Rubén de la Red Gutiérrez(Getafe C.F. S.A.D)
Sergio García de la Fuente(Real Zaragoza S.A.D.)
Santiago Cazorla González(Villarreal C.F. S.A.D.)

Forwards:
David Villa Sánchez(Valencia C.F. S.A.D.)
Fernando José Torres Sanz(Liverpool F.C.)
Daniel Gonzalez Güiza(R.C.D Mallorca S.A.D.)

According to the US Mens National Team Blog, the US Roster has been set against Spain.

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION

Goalkeepers (3): Dominic Cervi (out of contract), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC)

Defenders (7): Carlos Bocanegra (out of contract), Dan Califf (FC Midtjylland), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock)

Midfielders (6): Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Eddie Lewis (Derby County), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)

Forwards (4): Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Nate Jaqua (out of contract), Eddie Johnson (Fulham FC), Josh Wolff (out of contract)

image via Soccerlens

A very special thank you to Mike Janosz for the great photos from Sunday’s 2008 European Championship kick off match between Hollywood United and Alpine United.

Bottom L-R - Donal Logue, Gilles Marini, Derk Droze, Danny Cannon, DJ Bob Sinclair, Jason Marthot, Brian Burdue

Top L-R - Hilton Goring, Brian Dunseth, Allen Hopkins, Jimmy-Jean Louis, Alexi Lalas, Brandon Routh, Dermot Mulroney, Olivier Biaggi, Billy Duffy, Manager Ian Carrington

Not Pictured because they were just a bit late, Rohan and Ziggy Marley

Gilles Marini battling through the defense.

(more…)

The United States got a good look at their opponent this week as Spain took on Peru in Huelva over the weekend.

Do you see any weaknesses in their starting 11?  Yeah, me neither.

David Beckham got his 102nd cap but Jermaine Defoe stole the show with 2 goals as England won 3-Nil in Port-of-Spain.

Aston Villa (for now) midfielder Gareth Barry once again had another strong match in the midfield, going the full 90 and getting on the score sheet in the 12th minute at the sold out (23,000)  Hasley Crawford Stadium.

Dwight Yorke got his feel good substitution appearance, coming on for Khaleem Hyland in the 76th minute.  The Smiling Assassin earned his 60th cap in what most think will be his last appearance for The Soca Warriors.

image via DailyMail

Fabio Capello HAS handed David Beckham the armband, leading England out against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday in Port of Spain.

Capello has stated he’d use these matches for an opportunity to audition players for the permanent Captain as Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry have led England out in previous matches.

Ring up Cap #102!

image via ABC

According to the MNT-USSoccer.Blogspot the line up has been announced for kickoff. No Landon Donovan as he misses the match (and his 100th Cap) to injury, but DaMarcus Beasley is back.

We’ll give you a sneak peek at the USA’s Starting XI:

Howard

Cherundolo – Onyewu – Bocanegra – Pearce

Dempsey – Clark – Bradley – Beasley

Johnson - Wolff

Here’s your England team…

in a 4-4-2:

James

Brown, Terry (c), Ferdinand, Cole

Beckham, Lampard, Hargreaves, Gerrard

Defoe, Rooney

Ahhhhhh…..  Only one day left until kickoff.  How can you not be excited?

Beans and I are thinking Fox And Hounds in Studio City.

You?