CARSON, Calif. -- The U.S. national team kicked off World Cup qualifying in emphatic fashion Sunday at The Home Depot Center. Heavily favored heading into their first match toward South Africa 2010, the USA didn't disappoint, setting two new national team records en route to an 8-0 drubbing against Barbados.
It was expected that the tiny Caribbean nation would bunker in and try to hold the U.S. as close as they possibly could. For much of the contest, the visitors dropped 10 men into their own half to try and stifle the Red, White and Blue.
But any hopes Barbados had of frustrating the U.S. into a poor result were erased almost immediately. Clint Dempsey opened the scoring after just 53 seconds, scoring the fastest goal in World Cup qualifying history for the USA. It was exactly the kind of start they were looking for.
"The longer you go without scoring, the other team gets the belief that they can do something," said Dempsey. "It was good to go ahead and set the tone early. You couldn't ask for a better start than that in these types of games."
In addition to Dempsey's quick strike record, the eight-goal win was the largest in U.S. men's national team history. Brian Ching and Dempsey each scored twice and Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley and Eddie Johnson each added a tally of their own. The U.S. also picked up an own goal, although Ching was right there to tap the ball home had it gotten past the defender.
The result renders the return leg in Barbados all but meaningless, which is exactly what the U.S. was trying to accomplish.
"I think it was extremely important. In these games, sometimes you can get lulled into maybe not playing your best," said Ching. "We put them on their heels and kind of just attacked them all day. I think that's good as far as the team mentality. We know how important these games are. If you slip up, you're done. We made a good statement today, and we look forward to doing it again next Sunday."
If there was anything to be disappointed by, it was a 40-minute spell between the third U.S. goal and the fourth. After Brian Ching scored on a deflected shot from Pablo Mastroeni, the USA seemed to let up a little bit. It wasn't until Donovan scored on a free kick in the 59th minute that the U.S. again looked like they were going to completely run away with things.
"I think it was a little bit of taking the foot off the gas. I think we let down a little bit. We came into the locker room (at halftime) and (head coach) Bob (Bradley) pointed that out and said 'Hey, let's stick together, and stick with what we're supposed to do,'" said Ching. "I think we responded in the second half."
Donovan's goal might have been the biggest indicator in the gulf between the two sides. After Freddy Adu earned a free kick from about 25 yards out, the Galaxy striker indicated to the referee that he didn't want him to march off 10 yards and wait for the whistle. The referee allowed it, and while Barbados was trying to organize a wall, Donovan shot the ball into the net for the fourth goal.
As unprepared and unorganized as the Bajans were on that particular play, they didn't fare much better throughout the contest, as the U.S. was just better in all facets of the game.
It's not likely that the same lineup will take to the field in Barbados next week. The result gives Bob Bradley the luxury of giving some players a look, while letting several MLS players return to their club sides. The national team manager wouldn't exactly commit to that as his plan, but he definitely hinted as much following the match.
"From about the 80th minute on I started changing gears and thinking a little bit about rosters," said Bradley. "Certainly, as everyone knows, there is at times a need to cooperate with MLS. I think the coaches in MLS have been great, but nonetheless, it's still a qualifier. So we still need to think it through a little bit and make some decisions."
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