Onyewu becoming big part of U.S. defense
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2005 9:18 pm
Onyewu becoming big part of U.S. defense
By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
July 23, 2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- Oguchi Onyewu's first big start for the U.S national team was one to remember: at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium in a World Cup qualifier before 110,000 fans.
``If you can play that arena, in that crowd and in that atmosphere, I think you shouldn't have problems playing anywhere else,'' he said.
The 6-foot-2 defender whose first name means ``God fights for me'' figures to start Sunday against Panama at Giants Stadium in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of soccer's North and Central American and Caribbean region.
He made his debut with the national team last October as a late substitute against Panama in a 6-0 World Cup qualifying win and put the United States in the Gold Cup final with an injury-time goal on a diving header against Honduras on Thursday night. It was just his eighth appearance with the national team and his first goal.
``These are important games for Gooch,'' U.S. coach Bruce Arena said. ``We need to get him in the mix because he's going to be an important part of qualifying.''
Onyewu, 23, has played his way up through the U.S. program. His parents, who are from Nigeria, came to the United States for college at Howard University and he grew up in the Washington, D.C., area, where he was noticed by John Ellinger, a U.S. Soccer Federation who went on to coach the under-17 team. Onyewu played two years at Clemson, then signed with the French club Metz and moved on to Standard Liege in Belgium, where he plays in central defense and is about to start his third season.
As fast as he's progressing, he could become a regular starter by next year's World Cup.
``With soccer today, people are getting a lot better a lot younger,'' Onyewu said. ``These games with the Gold Cup right now are a good opportunity to showcase that you have the ability to compete with the national team for a position for World Cup qualifying.''
Eddie Pope, a player Onyewu admired growing up, probably will miss the final after spraining his left ankle against Honduras. Pope, 31, has frequently been slowed by injuries, one of the reasons Arena has had to expand his pool of defenders.
Onyewu's first start for the national team was in a qualifier last November against Jamaica, after the Americans had clinched a berth in the final round. His second was in March at Azteca, where Onyewu was beaten to a ball by Jared Borgetti, whose header put the Mexicans ahead to stay in a 2-1 win.
``It's taken him a little time to get a feel for how we want to play in the back, and I think he's picked it up pretty well, and now he's getting pretty consistent,'' Arena said. ``I think he has confidence now with us, and I think his teammates have a lot of confidence with him.''
So much so that when the Americans were looking for a go-ahead goal in the semifinal, Landon Donovan tried to get his long free kick to Onyewu.
``That's the biggest target, so you want to put the ball near him,'' Donovan said. ``Five, six, seven times out of 10, he's going to get his head on the ball.''
Onyewu has needed time to adjust to the speed of play with the national team, which is far faster than at the club level. He enjoys playing at Standard Liege, especially now that he's learned French. He's signed until 2007.
``Belgium is a good league in terms of competition and in terms of development and everything but you can't compare it to top leagues like the Spanish League or the English League,'' he said. ``Of course, I'd like to be best that I personally could be. In order to do that, you have to keep on challenging yourself in the harder environment. Yeah, I think I'd enjoy playing in a better league sometime in the future.''
Notes
Arena is suspended for Sunday's game because he was ejected Thursday, and the U.S. team will be led on the bench by assistant coach Glenn Myernick.
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylc=X ... &type=lgns
By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
July 23, 2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- Oguchi Onyewu's first big start for the U.S national team was one to remember: at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium in a World Cup qualifier before 110,000 fans.
``If you can play that arena, in that crowd and in that atmosphere, I think you shouldn't have problems playing anywhere else,'' he said.
The 6-foot-2 defender whose first name means ``God fights for me'' figures to start Sunday against Panama at Giants Stadium in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of soccer's North and Central American and Caribbean region.
He made his debut with the national team last October as a late substitute against Panama in a 6-0 World Cup qualifying win and put the United States in the Gold Cup final with an injury-time goal on a diving header against Honduras on Thursday night. It was just his eighth appearance with the national team and his first goal.
``These are important games for Gooch,'' U.S. coach Bruce Arena said. ``We need to get him in the mix because he's going to be an important part of qualifying.''
Onyewu, 23, has played his way up through the U.S. program. His parents, who are from Nigeria, came to the United States for college at Howard University and he grew up in the Washington, D.C., area, where he was noticed by John Ellinger, a U.S. Soccer Federation who went on to coach the under-17 team. Onyewu played two years at Clemson, then signed with the French club Metz and moved on to Standard Liege in Belgium, where he plays in central defense and is about to start his third season.
As fast as he's progressing, he could become a regular starter by next year's World Cup.
``With soccer today, people are getting a lot better a lot younger,'' Onyewu said. ``These games with the Gold Cup right now are a good opportunity to showcase that you have the ability to compete with the national team for a position for World Cup qualifying.''
Eddie Pope, a player Onyewu admired growing up, probably will miss the final after spraining his left ankle against Honduras. Pope, 31, has frequently been slowed by injuries, one of the reasons Arena has had to expand his pool of defenders.
Onyewu's first start for the national team was in a qualifier last November against Jamaica, after the Americans had clinched a berth in the final round. His second was in March at Azteca, where Onyewu was beaten to a ball by Jared Borgetti, whose header put the Mexicans ahead to stay in a 2-1 win.
``It's taken him a little time to get a feel for how we want to play in the back, and I think he's picked it up pretty well, and now he's getting pretty consistent,'' Arena said. ``I think he has confidence now with us, and I think his teammates have a lot of confidence with him.''
So much so that when the Americans were looking for a go-ahead goal in the semifinal, Landon Donovan tried to get his long free kick to Onyewu.
``That's the biggest target, so you want to put the ball near him,'' Donovan said. ``Five, six, seven times out of 10, he's going to get his head on the ball.''
Onyewu has needed time to adjust to the speed of play with the national team, which is far faster than at the club level. He enjoys playing at Standard Liege, especially now that he's learned French. He's signed until 2007.
``Belgium is a good league in terms of competition and in terms of development and everything but you can't compare it to top leagues like the Spanish League or the English League,'' he said. ``Of course, I'd like to be best that I personally could be. In order to do that, you have to keep on challenging yourself in the harder environment. Yeah, I think I'd enjoy playing in a better league sometime in the future.''
Notes
Arena is suspended for Sunday's game because he was ejected Thursday, and the U.S. team will be led on the bench by assistant coach Glenn Myernick.
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylc=X ... &type=lgns
