US National Team Romps 6-1 Over Cuba

The US mens soccer national team left no doubt to who is the class of Group 1 as they romped to a 6-1 win over an outmatched Cuban squad.  The game was never in doubt as the US men jumped out to a lead in the 10th minute as DeMarcus Beasley slipped into the box and finished nicely off a ball from Sacha Kljestan.  In the 30th minute it was Beasley again.  This time putting away a ball from Landon Donovan.

The game looked to be in control at that point, but Cuba stunned the Americans two minutes later, when Jenzy Munoz caught goalkeeper Tim Howard slightly off his line and from outside the area put the ball just under the crossbar to make it 2-1.

The 2nd half opened brightly for the US.  Playing the ball wide and spreading Cuba out, the United States had plenty of opportunities it failed to convert. Donovan restored a two goal lead in the 48th. Ching played the ball wide to Heath Pearce, whose cross was knocked into the net by Donovan from 3 yards.

The US would grab their 4th when Beasley sent a bending free kick to the far post, when Kljestan headed the ball back toward the goal for Brian Ching to knock in.  After that the Americans introduced the youngsters as Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore and Jose Francisco Torres entered.   In the 87th minute it was Altidore who Altidore muscled his way past defender Carlos Domingo in the 87th to score his second goal in four international appearances. The Americans were not done though as Freddy Adu beat his man and curled a nice ball into the box where Gooch Onyewu scored in the 90th.

With two semifinal-round matches remaining, the Americans (4-0) already have secured a berth in next year's six-nation finals of the CONCACAF region. The top three teams in the finals qualify for the 2010 World Cup, and the No. 4 nation goes to a playoff against the fifth-place team in South America for another berth.