USA 2014 World Cup Squad Projection Version 1.5 - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

It's been a few months since the initial projection and it's changed a bit with several friendlies taking place. Overall, the core of the team remains the same with the final spots still unclear. This projection is of what the team (23 man squad) will be for the World Cup (in 2014) and not during qualifying.

Oguchi Onyewu was the hero for Sporting, scoring twice on Sunday in a 2-0 win over Biera Mar. Onyewu opened the scoring with an 18th minute header and used his head again for the second goal in the 27th. He was yellow carded in the opening minute. The win moves Sporting into 4th-place in the Portuguese Liga.

Oguchi Onyewu didn't start today's Sporting CP match off in the best of fashions, drawing a first-minute yellow card. He quickly made up for that slow start by scoring a pair of first-half goals against Beira Mar.

If you watch the videos below and think you're seeing the same goal, you aren't.

Oguchi Onyewu and Sporting dropped even farther behind the league leaders with a poor effort against Olhanense, while Caleb Patterson-Sewell was helpless to prevent Atletico's defeat.

Oguchi Onyewu got the start for Sporting in a scoreless Liga draw with Olhanense on Monday. Sporting are 5th, trailing Maritimo on goal difference with 29 points from 16 games played. Olhanense are 9th. Benfica lead the league with 42 points.

Oguchi Onyewu had a potentially crucial goal ruled out for offsides as Sporting needed a second half comeback to secure a tie in the first leg of the Taca de Portugal semifinals.

Oguchi Onyewu and Sporting split the points with defending champion Porto, while Caleb Patterson-Sewell also helped Atletico to a tie against Uniao.

With leagues coming off their winter breaks, and England diving into FA Cup action, today's slate of matches will give us the first good schedule of activity of the new year.

The Mexican League gets its Clausura season underway this weekend, as Herculez Gomez and Santos Laguna take on Jose Torres and Pachuca.

The third round of the FA Cup is littered with the typical David vs. Goliath matchups that the tournament boasts every year, but there is one matchup featuring a pair of giants that is sure to capture everyone's attention.

Premier League front-runners Manchester City and Manchester United square off in an early-round encounter that has plenty on the line.

Oguchi Onyewu's third goal of the season gave Sporting a tie in the first game of the Taca da Liga group stage.

With Sporting Lisbon staring at the possibility of a League Cup slip-up against Rio Ave, Oguchi Onyewu came to the rescue.

Onyewu pushed forward and got involved in a late attack, scoring an 88th-minute equalizer by finishing off a low cross to give Sporting a 1-1 draw in a League Cup game on Monday.

Oguchi Onyewu got the start and played 76 minutes in Sporting's 2-0 loss to Lazio. The result means both teams advance to the next round of the Europa League. Lazio scored in the 43rd and 55th minutes, limiting Sporting to three shots on goal. Schalke 04 won their group, beating Maccabi Haifa 3-0 in Israel using an understrength squad without Jermaine Jones.

It's do or die for a number of teams across Europe as the UEFA Europa League winds down.

Half of the teams in the field play their final group games of the tournament today, including Clint Dempsey's Fulham, which can cement a place in the knockout round and set the tone for perhaps another deep tournament run with a win or by getting some help.

The next two days are rather crucial for a number of Americans abroad, as their quests to reach the UEFA Europa League knockout stage come down to the final game of group play.

Clint Dempsey and Fulham control their own destiny and can advance as the second-place team from Group K with a win over Odense BK on Wednesday (3 p.

Oguchi Onyewu's second goal of the season clinched three points for Sporting againt Nacional, while Tony Taylor and Caleb Patterson-Sewell remained in first place after Atletico's tie with Penafiel.

Oguchi Onyewu was the difference in Sporting's 1-0 win against Nacional. Onyewu headed in the game's only goal in the 22nd minute. In Serie A, Michael Bradley started for Chievo, losing 2-1 to Udinese, who took a 2-0 lead with goals in the 67th and 79th minutes. Alberto Paloschi cut that lead in half in the 83rd minute.

Oguchi Onyewu got the start for Sporting, beating FC Zurich 2-0 at home to win Group D. Ricky van Wolfswinkel opened the scoring in the 15th minute, with Valeri Bojinov doubling the lead in the 58th. Boeck Marcelo needed one save for the shutout. Jermaine Jones went the distance for Schalke 04, beating Steaua Bucharest 2-1 to qualify for the next round.

Oguchi Onyewu played the full 90 in an electric Lisbon grudge match against Benfica, while Caleb Patterson-Sewell and Atletico suffered only their second defeat of the season against Moreirense.

If the long Thanksgiving weekend has left you with an empty Saturday you'd love to spend just watching great soccer, today's slate of soccer games offer just the type of day-long getaway soccer fans dream of.

You can start the day in Germany, where defending champions Borussia Dortmund take on neighboring rivals Schalke 04, then head on over to England, where Manchester United faces upstart Newcastle United.

Clarence Goodson got an 18th-minute goal in Brondby's 2-1 win over Copenhagen, one of two Americans to score over the weekend. Robbie Findley got the other goal, with Nottingham Forest beating Ipswich Town 3-2 in England's Championship. Findley equalized in the 42nd minute, with Joel Lynch getting Forest's second equalizer in the 84th and Marcus Tudgay finding a stoppage time winner.

The United States is set to face its biggest test of the Klinsmann era with a visit to France on Friday in an international friendly. This is just the third meeting between the two teams with France winning the previous two games 6-0 and 3-0 in 1979.

France
France has already qualified for Euro 2012 so expect France coach Laurent Blanc to give some younger players much needed experience.

When he's not breaking ribs at A.C. Milan, Oguchi Onyewu travels back in time to break Bruce Lee's ribs in Game of Death.

Seemingly celebrating the first anniversary of his altercation with Sporting Lisbon defender and U.S. international Oguchi Onyewu, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has released an autobiography that briefly details the fight (among other, far less interesting self-aggrandizement).

It was a fight that we didn't hear many details about, but given the players involved, it figured to be a serious scuffle.

Now we know just how serious.

Just days after the one-year anniversary of the Oguchi Onyewu-Zlatan Ibrahimovic fight, details have surfaced about the highly-publicized brawl that left one of the combatants with a broken rib.

The U.S. men's national team returns to action on Friday with a match-up against France, a match that should tell us plenty about the current state of Jurgen Klinsmann's team.

Klinsmann will have a strong group to choose from for Friday's match. Both Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey will be available, and German-born Fabian Johnson is set to make his national team debut.

As Klinsmann's roster to face France & Slovenia

"Morales, where'd you learn to play son?"

G: Tim Howard, Bill Hamid

The skinny: Just calling this "Double H" from now on. By the way truth Bill Hamid's email address begins with "YoungTimHoward"

DEF: D: Carlos Bocanegra, Timmy Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Clarence Goodson, Alfredo Morales, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Oguchi Onyewu

The skinny: Was a 1st team call-up part of Morales's deal to play for the US?

Pretty standard roster again this time around, with a couple of changes. USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann continues to get some heat for his selection of Michael Orozco Fiscal. Follow me after the jump for the full roster.

Goalkeepers (2): Tim Howard, Bill Hamid

Defenders (7): Steve Cherundolo, Oguchi Onyewu, Carlos Bocanegra, Timmy Chandler, Clarence Goodson, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Alfredo Morales

Midfielders (9): Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, Clint Dempsey, Brek Shea, Danny Williams, Fabian Johnson, Kyle Beckerman, Jermaine Jones, Robbie Rogers

Forwards (4): Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, Jozy Altidore, Edson Buddle

The German infusion of talent continues, as newcomer Alfredo Morales of Hertha BSC will make his debut on the USMNT roster.

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Bill Hamid

Defenders: Steve Cherundolo, Oguchi Onyewu, Carlos Bocanegra, Timmy Chandler, Clarence Goodson, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Alfredo Morales

Midfielders: Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, Clint Dempsey, Brek Shea, Danny Williams, Fabian Johnson, Kyle Beckerman, Jermaine Jones, Robbie Rogers

Forwards: Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, Jozy Altidore, Edson Buddle

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US Soccer took to twitter on Thursday to announce the roster for the November friendlies. The United States travels to Europe to play France on the 11th (3pm ET - ESPN2) and Slovenia on the 15th (noon ET - ESPN2). GK: Bill Hamid (DC United, Tim Howard (Everton) DEF: Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Timmy Chandler (Nurnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Oguchi Onyewu (Sporting) MID: Kyle Beckerman (RSL), Michael.

photo by Hunter Dorton/ISIphotos.com

Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Carlos Bocanegra and Tim Howard headline the U.S. men's national team roster for the upcoming friendlies in Europe against France and Slovenia.

There's one new face in camp, with Hertha Berlin defender Alfred Morales among the 22 players selected by Klinsmann.

As Klinsmann's roster to face France & Slovenia

"Morales, where'd you learn to play son?"

G: Tim Howard, Bill Hamid

The skinny: Just calling this "Double H" from now on. By the way truth Bill Hamid's email address begins with "YoungTimHoward"

DEF: D: Carlos Bocanegra, Timmy Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Clarence Goodson, Alfredo Morales, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Oguchi Onyewu

The skinny: Was a 1st team call-up part of Morales's deal to play for the US?

Juergen Klinsmann picked 22 players for the U.S. men's national team friendlies at France on Nov. 11 (3 p.m. ET, ESPN2, Univision, ESPN3.com) and Slovenia on Nov. 15 (noon ET, ESPN2, Galavision, ESPN3.com).

A few surprises but mostly what you would expect from Klinsmann at this point. It seems as though Orozco Fiscal has replaced Jonathan Bornstein as the weird defensive call-up that makes no sense.

The final U.S. men's national team matches of 2011 are fast approaching, and with a pair of European road games on the slate, there is a good bet we will see plenty of familiar faces, but hopefully at least a few new faces.

The MLS playoffs could mean that some players don't make the trip across the pond, like Landon Donovan, though U.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Jozy Altidore's red-hot start to the season with AZ Alkmaar cooled off a bit in October, but Thursday should give him an opportunity to get back on track.

Having failed to find the back of the net last month, Altidore will look to get back on the scoresheet when AZ face Austria Vienna in a Europa League match.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Sacha Kljestan has been in good form as of late, and he'll attempt to carry that over as Anderlecht continues its Europa League run.

Coming off a weekend performance that earned high praise, Kljestan should start again when Anderlecht plays its third match in Group L against Austria's SK Sturm Graz.

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

By MIKE NASTRI

HARRISON, N.J. -- The U.S. men's national team might have lost to Ecuador on Tuesday night, but there was one overwhelming bright spot for Jurgen Klinsmann and Co.

So if the US beats Ghana in the Round of 16 at World Cup 2014 will end justify the means?

Jozy was on the ball Tuesday...

The US players walked off the field on Tuesday night in Red Bull Arena with the fat kid on the other side of the see-saw as US manager Jurgen Klinsmann saw his match record drop, while the US dropped a 1-0 decision to Ecuador.

Pre-Game:
The Lineup for the U.S. Men's National Team features one change from the team that beat Honduras on Staurday. Oguchi Onyewu replaces Michael Orozco Fiscal.
1-Tim Howard, 2-Steve Cherundolo, 4-Oguchi Onyewu, 5-Carlos Bocanegra (capt.), 3-Timmy Chandler; 6-Kyle Beckerman; 7-Danny Williams, 8-Maurice Edu, 11-Brek Shea; 10-Clint Dempsey, 9-Jozy Altidore
Subs: 12-Nick Rimando, 13-Jonathan Spector, 14-Tim Ream, 15-Michael Bradley, 16-DaMarcus Beasley, 17-Edson Buddle, 18-Juan Agudelo
- Tim Howard and Carlos Bocanegra start their fifth game under Jurgen Klinsmann, the only players to do so.

Photo by Hunter Dorton/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

HARRISON, N.J. - The U.S. men's national team might have been able to cross off winning from its to-do list after beating Honduras, but its primary goal now is to show further improvement under the new system that head coach Jurgen Klinsmann is implementing.

1. Much like the Project 2010 Blog, Oguchi Onyewu will rise from the ashes today, getting a rare start. He won't quite look like his old self (see: Oguchi Onyewu, Confederations Cup 2009), but it will be promising. He'll get beat where he shouldn't on a couple of occasions, but he'll show some ability to recover, which he's been lacking for a while.

1. Much like the Project 2010 Blog, Oguchi Onyewu will rise from the ashes today, getting a rare start. He won't quite look like his old self (see: Oguchi Onyewu, Confederations Cup 2009), but it will be promising. He'll get beat where he shouldn't on a couple of occasions, but he'll show some ability to recover, which he's been lacking for a while.