What a trip!

I don't know how well it translated to television, but the atmosphere at RFK Stadium on Wednesday night -- even at half-full -- was as "electrifying as a hair dryer tossed into a bathtub", as Roy Hudson once cried.

Already charged up by Saturday's World Cup qualification and saddled with emotions from forward Charlie Davies' devastating car accident earlier in the week, the US crowd found even more to get loud about in the form of a dirty, dangerous and ultimately embarrassing Costa Rican soccer team.

It began innocently enough, with States striker Conor Casey blowing a chance to send the stadium into ecstasy. As fans held up handed-out "9" signs for Davies during the ninth minute, Casey ripped what should've been an easy goal over the net as the game clock struck 9:00. It was the first of an entirely forgettable and borderline offensive game for Casey, who played with the gusto of a chicken liver. You could've been convinced his cement shoes were on the take.

Maybe it was Costa Rica's defense, because Jozy Altidore was also pushed around a bit, but the other members of the mens team played dominating soccer save for a four-minute span that saw FC Twente striker Bryan Ruiz strike twice to put CRC up, 2-0.

It would've been easy for the Yanks to pack up and stay home, but they played inspired soccer against a team that refused to work for their World Cup berth, milking the clock with humiliating tactic after humiliating tactic. At one point, a defender was taken off the field on a stretcher, crossed the sideline, jumped off it and re-entered the game at the next opportunity.

While the Costa Rican fans celebrating, racing their flag around the 400-level of the stadium, even of the heads of American fans, the States kept plugging away. The U.S. kept switching fields and hammering crosses into the box. Down two goals at half, you could still be confident that the Yanks would come marching back, though America used stunning drama to do it.

Michael Bradley showed typical grit in the 72nd minute, pushing a ball into the CRC net and closing the gap to one, but the attack wasn't complete until Jose Francisco Torres entered the game to put extra calm in the midfield, and Casey was substituted with Kenny Cooper, who at least endeavored to be in the proper position to win 50/50 balls.

There were five minutes of added time, and the Yanks made sure to use every drama-drenched moment. Jonathan Bornstein's head met the equalizer off a corner kick, and the celebration was on at 90+5. With a Mexico draw and a Honduras win, the Yanks had claimed CONCACAF and sent Costa Rica into a playoff with Uruguay (Told you Argentina would qualify on its own, drama kings).

The crowd exploded along with the fireworks, and the celebration was on, players circling the field after skipper Carlos Bocanegra addresses the home fans. The players snagged posters from the stands honoring Davies, and Tim Howard wore a cowboy hat. It was incredible.

I have to go do my real job now, but good looks to the effort from our boys, especially Stuart Holden and Steve Cherundolo, who never quit running and hitting great balls into the box. Also, a nod to Landon Donovan, who never hung his head despite working himself into several wonderful opportunities, only to miss. It's going to be a fun ride next summer...

The States have only announced one international friendly so far, Nov. 18 in Denmark against the Danish squad. Twenty-three of the 32 teams that will play in SA2010 have qualified, and Denmark is one.

States in danger? Not if we humbly opine...

Sometimes you have to let your credibility flag fly -- I can't talk at length about the States' 2-1 win over El Salvador at Rio Tinto because I was working myself into a spot via a wonderful variety of scotches and whiskies that will likely lead to me having to wear a disguise the next time I want to go to the splendid soccer bar that is Piper's Pub in Pittsburgh (I also left my red US track jacket behind. Hopefully whoever dealt with my handiwork earned that swell piece of attire as a reward. I'm sorry, Piper's. You have a truly great pub).

The States were superior enough to overcome a rare Tim Howard mistake and emerge with all three points. Landon Donovan hit two picture perfect passes to assist on both Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey's goals. As promised on Twitter, Altidore and Charlie Davies celebrated by doing their own version of the Stanky Legg. Nice.

Media-types are saying the States are in danger, but I'd place my worries at a relatively low and scientific 13 percent. Over three games, the States have to be one point better than one of three teams, and can all but ensure qualification with a win in Trinidad&Tobago this Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. The Yanks also have the second-best goal differential of the Top Four, at plus-4.

The Americans also have defender Edgar Castillo in the fold. The Tigres backliner had played in four friendlies for Mexico before requesting to align himself with the Red, White & Blue. He's been granted his request, and will be available beginning with the States' two October match-ups. Jermaine Jones has not yet been cleared to skip sides from Germany to America. According to Goal.com, FIFA is waiting for extra information from the German footballing federation.

Prediction for Wednesday: In home fixtures, T&T has taken all three points from El Salvador, just one from Honduras, and zero from then in-form Costa Rica. Look for the US to fall into the latter category, with a defender's goal off a corner, and an open field tally from either Davies or Altidore: States 2, T&T 0.

Cooper heads back to Europe

It's a good time to be an American striker abroad, and Kenny Cooper is joining Charlie Davies and Jozy Altidore as Yanks forwards making transfer season moves. The former FC Dallas forward is now a member of 1860 Munich in Bundesliga 2, where he'll compete against Yank keeper Luis Robles, who plays for FC Kaiserslautern.

Cooper scored 40 times in 93 games for Dallas, but his professional career began abroad. His father was a Blackburn reserve before moving to the States for regular playing time, and Cooper had to do the same. The 6'3" younger Cooper spent time at Manchester United, Oldham Athletic and Academica Coimbra before moving to Dallas.

He's scored four times while being capped on nine occasions for the States. He notched two tallies for the US in the recently-completed Gold Cup. Americans Josh Wolff and Greg Berhalter have also suited up for 1860 Munich during their careers.

2 goals for, 2 goals against, 2 transfers

So, we learned something very valuable in the 2-2 tie against Haiti in Game Three of the States' 2009 Gold Cup campaign: the United States' "C-plus" team isn't better than Haiti's "A" squad.

On a day when two young American strikers found new overseas homes -- more on that later -- the US rolled out a starting line-up of players extremely unlikely to make a dent in the 2010 World Cup's XI, and still played alright.

The States first goal was nice, but poorly defended by Haiti. Stuart Holden sent a swell low pass in to Davy Arnaud who used a calm, left-footed finish to put the States up 1-0.

Haiti's first goal was a comedy of errors. First, defender Jay Heaps was turned inside out. Then, goalkeeper Luis Robles can't get a finger on the big cross. Finally, no back post defender marks the goal scorer, and we're tied at one.

Hard to fault Robles on the second goal. Mones Chery -- pronounced like the French mon cherie -- hit a sick and somewhat lucky 20-plus-foot yard strike into the far-upper-90. It was essentially unstoppable. 2-1 Haiti, all in the span of four minutes.

But Holden would equalize with a strike just as nifty. To go near post from the angle he had was incredible, almost breathtaking when you consider it came in the second minute of stoppage time. 2-2 tie, and clinching the B1 seed for the rest of the tournament, which means the US will draw a much easier match-up the rest of the way. If Guadeloupe can upend Mexico on Sunday, the States may finish with only the second-best record in the tournament's group play.

The States will likely take on Panama or Jamaica on July 18 in Philadelphia, though there's an extremely outside shot they'd face Nicaragua. It would take a miracle, but after the Confed Cup, we know better than to assume anything.

If the States wins that matchup, they'll take on the winner of Canada vs. Honduras for the right to go to the Gold Cup final.

--- As for the transfer market, Jozy Altidore's Spanish adventure is over for now. After forgettable campaigns with Villarreal and Xerez, the Yellow Submarine has agreed to loan the 19-year-old to reigning Greek champion Olympiacos, so it'll be Champions League football for Jozy after all. Altidore will have to work for playing time over former EPL player Matt Derbyshire and young Brazilian striker Diogo.

Charlie Davies has moved spots on the continent as well, eschewing Hammarby in the Swedish Allsvenskan for Sochaux in France. A Ligue 1 squad, Sochaux finished 14th last season. Davies will get to take on his Yank teammate Carlos Bocanegra when his new team matches up against Rennes, and the most notable of his new teammates are Slovenia defender Bojan Jokic and Ivory Coast international Kandia Traore -- at least to me.

-- Good looks to Heaps, even if he looked awkward once or twice. The 32-year-old defender earned his first cap the hard way. Heaps played 299 MLS games before getting his first look with the national team. Congratulations, Jay.

-- My computer's out of juice and it's late. Good evening, and apologies for the shorter post. And if I missed some completely obvious things, forgive me... I've been awake for far too long. Went to the Taste of Buffalo, then helped some friends move before doing play-by-play for the Buffalo Flash and going to a wedding reception. Wow.

Santino's homefield advantage lifts US over Honduras

It's unreal how a boring contest such as the the States' second game of the 2009 Gold Cup can be lifted into grace by a spell of beautiful soccer. That's exactly what happened in the 75th minute of Wednesday's 2-0 win over Honduras at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

Sixty-fourth minute substitute Benny Feilhaber showed some real class by sliding a pass to the top of the 18, where fellow 64th minute add-on Charlie Davies alertly found Baltimore native and DC United vet Santino Quaranta. Quaranta finished hard and low past Honduran keeper Donis Escobar, popping the US into the lead in a game in which they had been of better class, admittedly by a narrow margin.

As for the second goal... well, by now, we shouldn't be surprised when Charlie Davies asserts himself as a force in a game, but for the second-straight game, he helped open up the 18 for a fellow forward. Steve Cherundolo gets a deserved assist on a Brian Ching-headed goal, and the Yanks go up 2-0 with two goals in five minutes.

Other notes:

-- Honduras is certainly mounting an effort to be as hated as Mexico. They are a filthy, whiny team that dives as much as any in CONCACAF.

-- The most fun from the first 74 minutes of Wednesday night was the following texted observations about Kyle Beckerman:

*"His jazz ensemble is playing the Tralf next week," Scott
*"He was great in 'Encino Man,'."
*"Beckerman's hair - Bob Marley tribute band."

-- Robbie Rogers has silly skills, and would have to lose a foot to not be included in the 2010 WC squad.

-- Freddy Adu is still extremely green, but his raw talent shows up in undeniable flashes. Still, he needs to do work to make the 2010 squad.

-- Two clean sheets for Troy Perkins. Good on him.

-- 23-0-1 in the group stages of the Gold Cup. For a moment, let's ignore that most have been home games.

-- As a fellow soccer broadcaster, I try to be kind to announcers, but Max Bretos was as brutal an example as you can find. I could almost swear he wasn't watching the same game as us, and his idea of play-by-play as screaming an attacker's name before waiting a good 10 seconds after the shot goes in or wide to announce what happened was laughable. He did have dry toast for a color man, but life goes on. Both fellas are better than they showed Wednesday.

-- I'm glad the Haiti game won't be a "be-all/end-all" event, because I'll be watching it several hours later after the Flash game and my buddy Brad's wedding.

Rogers a Revelation in four-nil start to Gold Cup

Great image from Getty.

A few hours later, some first-watch running commentary.

First off, thanks so much to Fox Soccer Channel for providing two commentators who didn't take the time to think about what they were going to talk about in the introduction segment. Max Bretos and Christopher Sullivan seem to think the Gold Cup is imperative for the States to maintain their momentum. Yep, either that, or the whole Egypt/Spain thing did that, and the world will notice that America's B+ side set up for this tourney. One or the other, boys.

Goals:

States 1, Grenada 0 -- It's hard not to love Robbie Rogers, who plays with such energy for the Columbus Crew, and Grenada gives him far too much time to operate on the States' first goal of the Gold Cup. Rogers takes a miscue down the left wing and into the 18, having three options: shoot, find Charlie Davies on a terrific full run or lay off to Freddy Adu. He chooses the latter, and Adu releases the frustration of seeing precious little playing time in South Africa last month with a low kick past Grenada keeper Noel.

States 2, Grenada 0 -- Fault porous Grenada marking, but Rogers sends another filthy cross into the box that Stuart Holden powers into the net with his forehead. Rogers has the opportunity to really open some eyes with the way DaMarcus Beasley has underperformed in recent matches.

States 3, Grenada 0 -- Logan Pause's first cap leads to a well-placed long ground ball to Rogers, who had a look at assist No. 3 should he have played it to Davies, but instead he places a spinning far-post finish as pretty as any you've seen this summer. The Yanks are toying with poor Grenada. Let's hope this doesn't lead to cockiness in the rest of Group B's play.

States 4, Grenada 0 -- I'm also a big fan of Heath Pearce, and his lay-off to Davies for the fourth goal was the stuff of fantasy. Nice to see Chad Marshall get a moment, using great vision to send the long ball 2/3 of the way down the field to Pearce. Davies deserved a goal after a solid day.

Thoughts:

I've got a lot of love for Stuart Holden, the Scottish-born, Dallas-raised 23-year old. He showed a lot of gumption in his performance, letting fly with some nice rips from gutty distance and angles.

The Gold Cup made it easy to forget what Steve Cherundolo brings to the fold. His runs from the back are generally well-timed and often dangerous.

Robbie Rogers is so exciting to watch, even if he plays a little too excited himself on occasion.

I continue to fall in love with the physical and speedy play of Davies. He is, as our British friends would say, a joy to watch. The rocket he unleashed wide of the Grenada goal just before the start of stoppage time served as further awakening for American supporters.

Brad Evans of the Sounders hometown ovation upon entering in the 62nd minute was tempered by his getting a yellow card for coming on before Steve Cherundolo was off.

Adu hit a chip in the 71st minute that is the stuff legends are made of, even if it was off a keeper's mistake. The ball was as close to upper 90 as you can get without fitting it in the window. Adu shows the flair that earned him the hype every now and then, even if he continue to struggle to make club and country impact.

Game Two of the US' Gold Cup journey is 9 p.m. EST Wednesday in Washington, D.C., against Honduras. It will be televised on FSC again. Game Three is July 11 (Sat.) at 7 p.m. EST in Foxboro against Haiti.

Updating a previous story... Jermaine Jones should be eligible for a US roster as early as Sept. 5 against El Salvador. Left defender Edgar Castillo, who recently renegged on a commitment to Mexico to play for his native US, does not have a set date, but it may be the same.

So much for moral victories! States to Semis!

Sound the Vuvuzela, as the buzzing will continue for American soccer in the face of everything improbable. The States needed to win by three and have Brazil win by three, which is stupid enough before you consider that the Amerks have looked nothing shy of crap for the first two games of group play in the Confederations Cup.

Leaving my house for men's league's pitch at 3:30 p.m., I planned to write the somewhat moral victory post around, well, now. The US was up 1-0 at half, and Brazil was demoralizing Italy by a 3-0 score. Yet texts began to roll into our team during the game, and as we topped our opponents, 3-0, the United States did the same.

I'm watching it now, knowing what's coming, and I'm buzzing. As previously posted, Charlie Davies' first goal, digging deep in the six and wresting a ball off of Egypt's keeper, was the sort of goals the States have to score, blue collar and no bull----.

The next two goals were also things the US needed. Seeing Michael Bradley rewarded for a stellar tournament despite nothing from his fellow midfielders is fantastic, and, yes, full marks for PK Lando on a wonderful low-pass. As much as I can't stand Bob Bradley lately, the look on his face when his son put in No. 2 was downright stars and stripes. It was Michael Bradley's second-straight goal on Father's Day, with his father behind the lines.

The third and final tally was needed, too, as Fulham's Clint Dempsey had been anything but stellar in the first two contests before turning it on the first half. His strong heading finish of a Jonathan Spector cross sent the Yanks into ecstasy, and they held on for an unlikely trip to the semi-finals to meet Spain.

How unlikely is this? Borderline impossible... and it comes on a day I actually scored in our team's game, which truly shows you how the stars were aligned.

Full marks to Brad Guzan for the clean sheet, but this was without Tim Howard and Carlos "Charlie Blackmouth" Bocanegra.

This is a fine day for US soccer, a day that no one can take away from us, regardless of what happens against Spain in Wednesday afternoon's Stage Two. We'll be at a bar. If you're near Buffalo, come find us (or just email).

And it wouldn't be fun if we didn't ask Giuseppe Rossi how he feels about the whole thing.

Bland Finale? Report forthcoming...

Charlie Davies' hustle goal emblematic of what this team has needed up-top all tourney, while PK Lando's silly-in-a-bad-way pass on a 1v1 with the Egypt keeper is just the opposite. I'll be DVRing the second half due to a Baker's City FC/Hamburg FC match at Ellicott Creek Park, so a full report will come in the evening. States lead 1-0 after 25 minutes, with a guarantee of significant stoppage time, as Egyptian keeper el Hadary shakes off a head injury suffered on the US goal.