Gold Cup - USA 4:0 El Salvador... Easy peasy

The US Men's National Soccer Team (what a moutful) breezed past El Salvador in the Gold Cup yesterday, with goals from DaMarcus Beasley (2), Landon Donovan and the hilariously/brilliantly/absurdly monikered Taylor Twellman. They were already through to the quarters after winning their first two games, and they went into this tie quite relaxed.

There really wasn't much chance of El Salvador taking anything from this match; in the history of this tournament they've conceded 12 goals and scored non against the States, although both teams worked very hard for the first 30-odd minutes, until Beasley gave the States the lead. 1-0 in the 34th minute. Donovan's corner somehow arrived at his feet after a scramble in the box, and he finished easily.

Next came a somewhat "controversial" goal in first-half injury time. The El Salvadorians will feel doubly hard done by, when having already been penalised for a penalty after an unintentional hand ball, the referee ordered the penalty to be retaken after their keeper had saved it. As far as the penalty goes, well El Salvador had a strong case, but at the same time these things keep happening. As far as penalising the keeper for moving off his line, I suppose by the written rules it was illegal, although how often do we see it? No one complained much though, because Donovan tucked the rebound in immediately.

Anyhow, Donovan put his retaken attempt straight down the middle, 2-0 to the US. Th El Salvador coach was then sent off at the end of it all, protesting far too much to the Mexican referee at half-time.

Twellman added the gloss in a US-dominated second-half, scoring in the 73rd minute to make it 3-0, and then Beasley capped the result in the 89th minute, producing an easy finish to make it 4-0.

Game, set, match.