LiveBlog: USA-Czech Republic

USA absolutely demolished by a classy Czech Republic team in this World Cup’s first one sided game. Nedved and Rosicky were both outstanding, though Koller picked up a nasty looking hamstring injury.

Full Time: USA 0-3 Czech Republic

Congrats to an awesome looking Czech team, must-do-better to an uninspiring USA team. Big thanks to everyone who stopped by and left comments.

-Dear oh dear. Czech Republic can start thinking about winning Group E and beyond, USA can start planning for 2010. Bruce Arena can forget about coaching in the Premiership (unless he beats Italy).

Full time 3-0. Czech-mate (sorry).

90:00 (+1) Did Josh Wolff really come on? Where is he?

89:45 Czech fans “ole”ing their sides passes, just to underline how heavily they have outclassed the US.

88:30 Plasil shoots over after beating His Not So Holiness Eddie Pope to the ball.

87:40 Donovan pops up in the box, brings it down but has his shot blocked.

86:15 Good inswinging free kick from Donovan, but it’s cleared easier than a check from Bill Gates.

84:40 Patrick Swayze nails O’Brien. Nedved has been different class today. Balboa (ESPN commentary) just suggested persuading Nedved to play MLS. Think he might find it too easy, based on today’s game.

82:40 Maybe this is the result to make FIFA rethink their world ranking system. Silver lining and all that.

80:33 EJ shoots just over. He’s looked US’s liveliest player. I’d like to see him start next game.

79:20 Convey keeps crossing, but it’s not aimed at anyone. Unless he’s actually aiming for Czech defenders. If so, he’s having the game of his life.

76:40 Arena adds insult to injury by bringing on Josh Wolff for Brian McBride.

75:30 GOAL! Nedved plays Rosicky through, who flicks it past Nedved. Stick a fork in this game, it’s done.

74:24 Donovan has found the strings and started to pull. He found Convey wide who crossed, nearly finding Eddie Johnson. Can’t see the US scoring twice past Cech though. I spy Josh Wolff’s pucked eyebrows ready to come on.

72:45 Another aimless attack from US ends up in Cech’s hands.

72:22 A poorly thumb isn’t exactly a manly injury, but I imagine it’s painful.

71:00 Pope with a great sliding challenge on Nedved. Pope’s holding his thumb. Looks like it could be broken.

70:00 Johnson flashed one wide from outside the box. Sadly, that’s the US’s best effort since Reyna hit the post.

67:30 Rosicky strikes another beauty that hits the bar. That boy has some sort of laser guided system in his right boot. If Bush is watching he’ll be looking to buy that technology.

67:11 O’Brien and Balboa can’t decide if Group E is the group of death. Looks like it might be for the US.

66:00 Convey with flashy work, but Czech defence not buying it.

64:30 DMB takes the ball off Jankulkovski’s toe in the box. First good thing DMB has done. Corner.

63:00 More wasteful passing from US. Have they confused the World Cup with MLS regular season?

61:25 Poborsky hits the side netting with a volley from a tight angle. The CR’s passing is detroying the US. They look more organized and more confident.

60:10Plasil (Reyna’s victim) leaves on a stretcher.

58:00 Reyna must have set his watch wrong because that tackle was late. He gets a yellow.

55:15 Rosicky splits the US defence with a pass but Lokvenc is offside. Looked too easy though.

53:00 Reyna with a fairly harmless tackle on Nedved, who rolls around like he’s being electrocuted.

50:30 Ujfalusi goes close with a header from Poborsky free kick. Even without Koller they’re beating the US in the air.

49:00 Quick shot of Koller limping, waving to the crowd.

48:45 Convey nearly finds McBride with a low cross. McBride’s movement has been slow, like he’s got lead in his boots.

47:30 How long will O’Brien last? Place your bets now.

46:30 Looks like US will go 3 at the back. This could be a good second half.

45 Second half underway. If USA pull this back to 2-2 this will be the “Miracle on Grass”.

-Mastroeni and Cherundolo are out.
-Looks like Eddie Johnson and John O’Brien are coming in. Nice.

-I’d like to see Eddie Johnson ready to go second half, maybe Clint Dempsey too. USA need some of Dempsey’s attitude and Johnson’s recent form has been impressive.

-The Czech Republic have been absolutely outstanding. Rosicky’s goal was like a guided missile, and they’ve gobbled up some aimless US crosses without any trouble.

Half-Time 2-0 to CR, but Koller out injured. USA have to make serious changes for the second half.

45:00 (+1) Onyewu uses those pythonesque muscles to put in a massive long throw, but Cech picks it off.

45:00 Koller gets a round of applause as he leaves. Doesn’t look good for him, his tournament could be over.

43:14 Lokvenc to replace Koller. Feel for Koller, he’s a top man, but that’s a huge break for the USA.

42:00 Replay shows his hamstring went, nothing to do with the challenge. That’s what happens when you pass 30. Koller leaves the field on a stretcher.

41:30 Onyewu floors Koller.

40:00 I’d settle for making it to half time at 2-0 now. Maybe Arena is working on a tactical masterplan for the second 45.

38:30 Karel Bruckner looking mean. He has nothing to complain about right now, and should cheer up.

37:20 Gooch not doing his reputation any favours with headers like that.

36:00 That’s depressing. Four years ago at this stage USA were 3-0 up against Portugal.

35:00 GOAL! Wish I hadn’t said that just. Onyewu heads it out straight to Rosicky who lashes it past Keller from 30 or so yards. I blame Bush. 2-0 to CR.

33:24 OK. Feeling more positive now. No longer fearing a repeat of 1990 (5-1 if you were wondering).

32:00 Dave O’Brien just used the word “defensing”.

31:00 His Holiness The (Eddie) Pope does a great job to muscle Nedved out of possession in the box.

28:50 DMB’s attempt to emulate Reyna’s shot is more than a little off target. They may never find that ball.

27:45 Reyna hits the post from distance after a good passing move. More short passing please.

26:30 Convey has the right attitude, but runs into a Czech defender.

24:15 Lewis crosses high towards no one.

23:00 Nedved with a nice outside of the foot cross, Grygera heads it just over. I’m fearing the worst.

22:00 Great cross from Reyna, but McBride looked at it like he’d never seen one before. Come on guys, sort it out.

20:00 Nothing convincing from the US. The counter attack game plan is no good if you’re losing.

16:33 Beasley losing possession. He’s looking poor. Again.

16:00 Donovan wins a free kick running at defenders.

15:00 Donovan hasn’t scored for 15 games. Now would be a good time to start up again.

13:30 US with possession, but CR sitting back. Just lobbing it into the box isn’t going to work. Donovan will never win a header and McBride can’t do it all on his own.

10:00 Lewis and Convey working together this time. They win a corner, Pope heads at goal from distance but it’s tame. He’s no Jan Koller.

9:30 Nedved offside from a one-two, but still had no trouble passing through the US defence.

7:23 That Czech goal was ruthless. It came from a Lewis pushing too far down the left side and they countered quickly. Wonder what Bush’s reaction was.

6:00 Terrible start from the US. Donovan goes down a la Nedved, but no free kick.

4:45 GOAL! Czech Republic. Koller got the wrong side of Pope to head in a cross from the right. Onyewu looked like he was lost.

3:50 Nedved goes down. Onyewu tackled him late and gets a yellow. Gooch lasted 4 minutes before being booked. The resulting free kick was harmless though.

2:50 Cherundolo floats a cross/shot over the bar. USA need his crossing to be better than that.

2:00 Grygera shoots but no danger.

1:00 US defend Czech free kick. Comes to nothing as Mastroeni is fouled.

0 We’re off!

-Bob has sent me some pictures from the game:

Inside stadium before kickoff

Czech fans in Gelsenkirchen for the game.

-Kasey Keller knew the words, Reyna seemed to be mumbling a bit.

-American National Anthem. Sing along at work.

-Players are coming out. Kick off in about 5 minutes.

-”Hallo! I’m Dave O’Brien”. Aarggh. I’ll try and ignore his idiocy in the commentary box and just watch the game.

-Nice feature on Sam’s Army, good to know there’s some hardcore USA support over there.

-I’ve got faith in the US bench. Dempsey, Johnson and O’Brien could all come on make things happen.

-Eric Wynalda says “if this is going to be a war, he (Bush) is the right guy to have on the phone, he knows what he’s doing with those kind of things.” No need for politicking on ESPN2, really wish he hadn’t said that.

-”Give ‘em Hell” he told Arena!

-Apparently Bush called Arena. ESPN are playing his message.

-Can’t wait to see Onyewu v Koller’s first contest in the air. Literally a battle of the giants.

-Pavel Nedved warming up, he looks exactly like Patrick Swayze in “Point Break” with that haircut.

-Studio debate about Kasey Keller. Is he the best keeper in the world? I’d say no, though he is excellent. The man at the other end of the field today has the edge.

-Very dramatic mini-bio of Kasey Keller being shown. Heavy with sad piano, there are teardrops on my keyboard. Sob.

-ESPN2 are doing a long pre-game show.

-Predictions?

-Czech Republic will also go 4-5-1 like this: Cech, Grygera, Rozehnal, Ujfalusi, Jankulovski, Poborsky, Galasek, Rosicky, Plasil, Nedved, Koller.

Nedved is fit after all (seems Bruce Arena was right not to listen to those injury reports) but Baros not fit enought to start so Koller’s up front on his own.

-45 minutes till kick off and the line ups are out. USA are going 4-5-1 like this: Keller, Cherundolo, Onyewu, Pope, Lewis, Beasley, Reyna, Mastroeni, Convey, Donovan, McBride

Donovan will be an attacking mid, but expect him to get forward and support McBride. Bobby Convey impressed enough recently to force DaMarcus Beasley (DMB) to his less favoured right flank.